Complex Taliban Assault or Breathless Reporting

Posted By Blackfive

From Bob Owens at Confederate Yankee comes this comparison to breathless reporting by the NY Times and reality...

A group of Taliban gathering for an attack on Camp Salerno were spotted "posturing to attack," and cut to shreds by small arms and helicopter fire, never getting closer than 1,000 yards to the American base.

How did the NY Times characterize the assault?

"The attack on Camp Salerno in Khost Province was one of the most complex attacks seen so far in Afghanistan with multiple suicide bombers and a backup fighting force that tried to breach defenses on to the airport at the base."

For the Times to try to inflate the importance or the complexity of the Taliban attack on Camp Salerno beyond the buffoonish, ill-advised and utter failure that it was isn't simply bad reporting, but verges on making excuses for the other side.

Check it out.

[P.S. It was a freakin' squad sized assault according to the AP - the AP headline -   "Taliban kill 10 French paratroopers, raid US base" - suggests the Taliban raided the base.  Well, they raided 1km from the base...if you want to be accurate, which they don't seem to, it was an "attempted raid" that resulted in their demise.]

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

Comments

Complex Taliban Assault or Breathless Reporting

From Bob Owens at Confederate Yankee comes this comparison to breathless reporting by the NY Times and reality...

A group of Taliban gathering for an attack on Camp Salerno were spotted "posturing to attack," and cut to shreds by small arms and helicopter fire, never getting closer than 1,000 yards to the American base.

How did the NY Times characterize the assault?

"The attack on Camp Salerno in Khost Province was one of the most complex attacks seen so far in Afghanistan with multiple suicide bombers and a backup fighting force that tried to breach defenses on to the airport at the base."

For the Times to try to inflate the importance or the complexity of the Taliban attack on Camp Salerno beyond the buffoonish, ill-advised and utter failure that it was isn't simply bad reporting, but verges on making excuses for the other side.

Check it out.

[P.S. It was a freakin' squad sized assault according to the AP - the AP headline -   "Taliban kill 10 French paratroopers, raid US base" - suggests the Taliban raided the base.  Well, they raided 1km from the base...if you want to be accurate, which they don't seem to, it was an "attempted raid" that resulted in their demise.]

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341bfadb53ef00e5540eaf4b8834

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Complex Taliban Assault or Breathless Reporting:

» Afghanistan: Rumors of War from Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys..
I just caught our evening news reporting on the failed attack on FOB Salerno and the death of 10 French Soldiers. I am attempting to verify, but our news reports that the suicide bombers attempted to attack Salerno, were discovered and pushed bac... [Read More]