The AP’s story on the uncle of Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca criticizing the U.S. for not “having a plan” pretty much portrays him as a sympathetic fellow. For the purpose of context, I’ll clip the whole thing here:
Missing Soldier’s Uncle Criticizes U.S.
DALLAS — The uncle of a U.S. soldier who disappeared after a firefight in Iraq lashed out at the government Tuesday after learning two bodies had reportedly been found not far from where his nephew and another soldier were last seen.
“The news is going to be heartbreaking for my family,” Ken MacKenzie, uncle of Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, told NBC’s “Today” show. “Because the U.S. government did not have a plan in place, my nephew has paid for it with his life,” he said.
MacKenzie said he had not received confirmation from the U.S. military that his nephew had been found. Iraqi Maj. Gen. Abdul-Aziz Mohammed announced the finding in a statement early Tuesday. U.S. Maj. Doug Powell said he could not confirm the report.
The Iraqi military official said the bodies of Menchaca, 23, of Houston, and Army Pfc. Thomas Lowell Tucker, 25, of Madras, Ore., had been found on a street in Youssifiyah, just south of Baghdad. The two had been manning checkpoints in Iraq when they were attacked Friday and another soldier with them was killed.
A group that includes al-Qaida in Iraq claimed Monday it had kidnapped the two soldiers, but it did not name them and the U.S. military was skeptical of the claim. More than 8,000 U.S. and Iraqi troops have been searching for the missing men.
“I think the U.S. government was too slow to react to this,” MacKenzie said. “They should have had a plan in place.”
MacKenzie said the government should have offered a $100 million reward and offered to exchange mujahideen detainees for the soldiers’ lives. It seized enough money from Saddam Hussein to afford it, he said.
In Madras, Ore., Tucker’s hometown, yellow ribbons adorn the trees and store reader boards offer prayers of hope for his safe return.
Tucker’s relatives declined interviews but released the text of a phone message Monday that Tucker recently left on an answering machine, telling his mother to be proud of him.
“I’m defending my country,” Tucker says on the recording. “Tell sis and my nephews hello for me, I’m OK, I’m on my way.”
The family said in a statement that their son had joined the military because he wanted to “do something positive.” They also sent their sympathy to the family of Spc. David J. Babineau, 25, of Springfield, Mass., who was killed in the attack.
Lyndsay Kowaleski, a high school classmate of Tucker’s, described “a sense of helplessness.”
“Our hearts are broken with our friend being in this situation,” she said.
A sad story to be sure… But the AP story is based on an interview Ken MacKenzie had with the Today show. And a transcript of the show makes the uncle a little less sympathetic and a bit more irrational. Via Newsbusters:
Lauer was interviewing Ken MacKenzie, a well-spoken, well-informed uncle to PFC Kristian Menchaca. Asked Lauer:
“A group linked to al-Qaeda on its website has claimed that they actually took Kristian and another soldier. What’s your reaction to that?”
Replied MacKenzie::
“My reaction is the United States government should have immediately notified these Shura Council mujahadeen that the United States government was offering a $100-million reward and offering to exchange the 2,500 mujahadeen detainees that Prime Minister al-Maliki of Iraq plans to release several weeks from now. I think the U.S. government was too slow to react to this, they should have had a plan in place. Because the U.S. government did not have a plan in place, my nephew has paid for it with his life.”Lauer:
“Let me just interrupt for a second. Obviously the U.S. has a policy of not negotiating with terrorists. We do have reports that up to 8,000 troops, U.S. and Iraqis, are out searching for your nephew and also reward money is being offered in Baghdad or in the area for any information leading to the finding of your nephew. Are you suggesting that you think the U.S. government should pay a ransom?”MacKenzie didn’t mince words:
“Yes. The ransom is available from Saddam Hussein’s Ba’ath party funds seized by the U.S. government. More than $100 billion in cash and gold, that the U.S. government apparently had plans to return to the government of Iraq. I would think that that money, part of it, could be used to pay ransom. That would not be coming out of U.S. taxpayer pockets, by the way. It could be paid out of the bank account where it now reposes. I think that that money should have been earmarked for this type of a hostage situation.”Lauer again challenged the suggestion:
“Mr. MacKenzie, obviously you are dealing with this as a personal and a family tragedy. I can certainly understand that, but wouldn’t that then make it very profitable for terrorists in Iraq and other parts of the world to kidnap westerners because they could reap huge amounts of money from it?”MacKenzie:
“Yes, but they are doing that anyway. I don’t know if that would escalate or encourage them to kidnap more westerners and more U.S. soldiers. But I rather doubt it. My concern is the humanitarian concern.
With all respect due a grieving family member, it’s a good thing this guy’s “plan” never existed. At 100 million bucks per kidnapping, every Iraqi in the country would be kidnapping U.S. soldiers. (Heck, I might snatch a few)
While the media loves to talk about “balance” we got none in this story. (save one line) If the uncle’s criticism of the U.S. not having “a plan” is newsworthy then so too is the context in which his criticism is offered.
The bottom line is this. By selective editing, the AP report -distorted, not reported- the content of the interview.
H/T to talksmack
kruane,
For what it’s worth, if I was in a room with you right now I’d kill you.
Eat shit and die you pathetic little turd.
Here’s one comment – by moseby, a patriotic american who dreams of stomping on people with his jackboots.
There are 2 types of countries out there. Those that agree with/help us and those that are IN THE WAY. Those that are in the way will soon have a red, white and blue jackboot crushing their throats–and deservedly so. BTW, to the Victors go the SPOILS!
Here’s another, by Jack Burton, whose respect for democratic argument is such that he rants:
For what it’s worth, if I was in a room with you right now I’d kill you.
Totalitarian fantasies – the kind of wet dreams that Saddam used to have. For this, you send your kids out to die by the thousand.
Hell in a handbasket.
“For what it’s worth, if I was in a room with you right now I’d kill you.”
You’re not worth much, but go ahead and bring it on, ya little p*ssy !
Pete,
Saying that our soldiers deserved it is not democratic argument, so go fuck yourself you little puke.
kruane,
You little fuckface. Please tell me you live in the US and I’ll walk if I have to to find you and beat your fucking ass to a pulp. Where can I find your worthless fucking ass? You belittle the lives of our soldiers and make moral equivalence with them and a bunch of scum terrorists.
Where are you keyboard warrior?
Right up here in upstate NY, Buttmunch !…C’mon up !
Duhhhhh….ya, get itto yer peekup, hang a left at yer cowys, (dunt for get to stop for some sexual relations WITH that cow….we know how you unedumacated southern rednecks like sex with anymals !)……and head due north, asswipe !
Or was that your MOTHER & SISTER you southern, tabbacer-chawin’ rednecks are know to be “partshal” to ? Or maybe BOTH female relatives AND dem dare furm anymals ?
So your little bitch ass lives here and you talk about our soldiers and our Country like that? The fact that your breath the same air as our soldiers sickens me.
You are fucking a worthless piece of shit.
Go ahead, create an anonymous hotmail account and post how i can get ahold of you, if only for a few moments. After that, delete it so nobody else can find your worthless ass.
I know upstate really well so it should be no problem.
Go ahead fucker. I’ll wait.
But do…DO wake me up when yer peekup pulls into my driveway !
Cuz I’m going to take a short nap !
And for the record you little douche, I’m a little closer to you than the south.
But don’t worry, somebody out there still thinks you’re funny.
Just c’mon north, redneck !
You’ll know me right off….I’m the guy with the big mouth, and the bigger foot to plant up your ass !
Waiting candy ass.
On behalf of the soldiers you smear, I’m waiting.
You guys are hilarious.
Waiting you little bitch.
People who write that kind of shit and live here deserve to have their asses pounded.
Waiting fucker.
By the way….just out of curiosity…….
What ya need me to do….Collect a few small little 2 year-old, tousel-haired little girls so that you TOO can punch a couple rounds behind their ears like your HE-ROS, the US Marines ?
Hotmail account.
Waiting you little cunt.
Yup, that would be great. Waiting you little faggoty ass keyboard warrior.
I know you now, a little fucking pussy who’s never done anything other than sit in the local coffee shop and threaten to take back this country from them damn Bushyhaliburtons.
What’s a matter dickweed, latte too cold?
Waiting shithead
” Waiting “
For what ? Theose two year old little girls to plant those rounds in, the cows, or yer mom & yer sister…..
Be more explicit, redneck !
Well, I guess we all know that kruane is just another lefty bitch who doesn’t have the sack to stand up for his bullshit.
Figures. Boy, I didn’t see that coming.
Well, I guess kruane solved our pussy shortage.
Gutless little yellow bastard.
Live with that you little fucking twit.
“Well, I guess we all know that kruane is just another lefty bitch who doesn’t have the sack to stand up for his bullshit.”
What, you think I’m going to place MY little girls at risk, so that you can tear a page out of your “HE-ROS” handbook, and punch a round behind thier ears ?
I think NOT, jerkoff !
” What, you think I’m going to place MY little girls at risk, so that you can tear a page out of your “HE-ROS” handbook, and punch a round behind thier ears ? “
Cuz that’s why pukes like you AND the US marines get off on…..attacking a weaker opponent. When someone , one a more equal footing challenges you….ya run like dogs !
So, yea….I have no DOUBT in my mind that if you knew my address, you would sneak into the child’s bedroom, and kill them in thier sleep….cowards like you have a tendancy to do JUST that !
I ask where to find you and you return with I “run like dogs”?
You see, I have little ones myself, and I think they’re the most important things in the world. For that reason, I’d never imagine hurting someone’s children.
Just you, you fucking little yellow pussy. I can’t hold your children accountable for the fact that their daddy is a little pussy who likes to play keyboard warrior but doesn’t have the slighest hint of a spine in backing up his slander on our soldiers.
I think anyone following along here knows who the coward is. Live with that pussy.
I would imagine to make it equal footing you’d have to round up a few more hippies to help you out.
Okay, I agree to that challenge, as long as you scum agree to take showers first.
Waaa, I’m hiding behind my children and my keyboard, cus I’m a little pussy.
Tell me tomorrow what it’s like to go to bed each night knowing you’re a little bitch.
If I had to guess, I’d say Ithaca.
Oh little bitch, don’t tell me you’ve given up.
I think you’ll need to change your name because each time I see you i’ll remind everyone what a sackless wonder you are.
I’m sorry, I meant albany, and a Jew hater to boot. Wow, what a surprise.
You two assholes might consider the following.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Army, aiming to make its recruiting goals amid the Iraq war, raised its maximum enlistment age by another two years on Wednesday, while the Army Reserve predicted it will miss its recruiting target for a second straight year.
And continue your little hissy fit somewhere outside Tikrit.
Carter –
You two assholes might consider the following.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Army, aiming to make its recruiting goals amid the Iraq war, raised its maximum enlistment age by another two years on Wednesday, while the Army Reserve predicted it will miss its recruiting target for a second straight year.
And continue your little hissy fit somewhere outside Tikrit.
What are you TALKING about ? And that is relevant to WHAT ?
FROM: Kenneth MacKenzie, kmackenzie@houston.rr.com ;
http://www.writesafe.com/storage8/CANCOPY_cvrAfAmp_MATT.pdf
I read the commentary in your posting, AP Only Telling Half the Story On Soldier’s Uncle, and would like to inform you :
I voted for GW Bush because I believed he would militarily assault the major terrorism entities (Terrorist states: Afghanistan, Iraq, & others) to nullify terrorist state proliferation of Nuclear Landmines of stated concern by your elected officials in U.S. House Hearing. 106-158 :
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=106_house_hearings&docid=f:66968.wais
While President Bush had the best of intentions (saving us from nuclear destruction), he has attacked Iraq much like the U.S.fought Vietnam war, when the nuclear landmine threat coming from the Middle East required a U.S. response essentially like the U.S. brought against the axis powers in WW2 — Germany, Japan, Italy. Fighting the war against nuclear terrorism, on U.S. soil and in Europe, in any other limited way is destined to fail.
If Bush is unwilling to fight this war with the same all out ferocity that we applied against Germany, Japan, & Italy in WW2, the U.S. should immediately withdraw from the Middle East, because we are destined to hemorrhage there in the same manner as Vietnam. We are already losing in the U.S. public opinion polls because we are fighting a limited style war in Iraq.
You need to understand the related exponentials of U.S. House Hearing 106-158 regarding the 250 Soviet nuclear landmines that went missing in 1991 if you want to understand why we are in Iraq.
Christian Vasquez Menchaca was fighting against the proliferation of these nuclear landmine weapons of mass destruction described in U.S. House Hearing 106-158, claimed as concealed by terrorists on U.S. soil and in Europe. President Bush is currently searching for these same 250 missing Nuclear WMD in your hometowns and in Iraq and has deployed Nuclear Emergency Search Teams to search U.S. cities for said terrorist Nuclear landmines on U.S. soil — in your hometowns where the terrorists claim you are living on top of their nuclear landmines. SEE: :
(1) http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=106_house_hearings&docid=f:66968.wais
(2) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/28/AR2005122801520_pf.html
(3) http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/
nest/051222nest.htm EXCLUSIVE: Nuclear Monitoring of Muslims Done Without Search Warrants, By David E. Kaplan, Posted 12/22/05
(4) http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/23/nuke.
monitoring/ Officials: Muslim sites subject to secret monitoring for radiation, From Kevin Bohn and Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Saturday, December 24, 2005
I am also focused on the censorship by the U.S. media to the detriment of the American people on these same nuclear landmine issues that Christian Vasquez Menchaca was fighting against in Iraq as illustrated by my screenplay, Princess & The Sons Of Paradise, © 1997, http://www.writesafe.com/storage8/CANCOPY_cvrAfAmp_MATT.pdf regarding the potentials of Nuclear landmine proliferation coming at us from issues in U.S. House Hearing 106-158 and also focused on the censorship by the U.S. media regarding the potentials of Nuclear landmine proliferation coming from Pakistan, from N. Korea, from Iran, and so forth. If you are inclined to quibble about the other biological, chemical, & poisen gas WMD, you are wasting breath. The Nuclear Landmines are by far the worst and get the least attention in the media. . . . for media management censor reasons. Tic, tic, tic!