5/7 Cav back from "Fitful Year" in the Quagmire
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
I knew in my heart that the few instances of good news slipping past the MSM censors couldn't last, and today the WaPo delivers a beaut. They have a feature story called "A Unit's Fitful Year at War" and stunningly everything that happened to them was bad, all the (several) soldiers quoted appear to question the cause, and their relatives, even more so. The only actions highlighted are IED's that kill members of the unit and these are properly horrifying, well they did manage one quick bit about a girl tortured for talking to the Americans. But not one positive aspect to an entire year spent in Iraq could be found and highlighted.
The Post's Steve Fainaru reports on the 5th Battalion of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, an "average unit that was confronted with extraordinary events." From left: Spec. Russell Nahvi was killed by a roadside bomb Oct. 19; three soldiers and an Air Force firefighter drowned in a Feb. 13 Humvee accident; activist Cindy Sheehan comforts Nahvi's sister, Nina, during a recent war protest.
The title of the piece is a tip off and this journo simply poked around until he heard what he wanted. He even found a pic of the sister of one of the poor deluded dead troops being comforted by Cindy Sheehan. And to complete the construct, they trotted out the Vietnam vets who served with 5/7 Cav in Vietnam and were sponsoring the new generation, solemnly watching another bunch of kids sent to die for the rich man's war. I have lowered my expectations of fairness so far that I was looking at any bit of good news as a breakthrough, but this wagonload of dung is a stark reminder of just how much there is to break through.
The unit is 5th Bn. 7th Cav 3rd. ID from Ft. Stewart and I want to know if anyone from that unit has a different view of the "Fitful Year" they spent in Iraq. If so please comment here or you can email me directly at jimboATunclejimbo.com.