h/t Michelle Malkin

W. Thomas Smith, Jr. has written a column detailing the decision of the NY Times to spin stories to suit their not so hidden agenda, regardless of how it might put troops at risk.

(excerpt below, read more)

Then on February 13, Army Times senior staff writer Gordon Lubold reported that at the behest of Congressman Curt Weldon (R–PA), "Mallak testified at [a February 2 Congressional] hearing that the quote in The New York Times story ‘was very much taken out of context’ and that his remarks were made not in regard to body armor but to another issue altogether."

Indeed, the issue screaming to be published had to do with Mallak’s concern over some Marines’ use of Ephedra, a performance-enhancing drug that dangerously raises heart rate and blood pressure. Lubold continues, "At that, Weldon began to pound the table and scream. 'Families all across this country are worried about their young people because a reporter took this out of context,' he thundered. 'Somebody has to hold the media accountable because families all over the country that we represent think that somehow the military doesn't care.'"

(read entire column here.)

Of course this is no surprise to the rest of us, and even a somewhate minor example... But a documented one anyway.

RELATED

Rick Moran at Rightwing Nuthouse post on the fact that we are winning the war in Iraq. No one is saying it's a walk in the park or we're leaving tomorrow, but U.S. casualties are down,, terrorist attacks down, and more Iraqi security forces doing the fighting. But don't expect to see this making headlines. You should expect more of the MSM pumping skewed Bush approval polls, subliminal Cheney photos, and and rooting for Iraqi civil war in your paper and on your evening news.

Much of Rick's information is based on this piece from StrategyPage

(excerpt... read more)

The violence has shifted away from American troops, who are suffering 60 percent fewer casualties this month than in the past year. and more towards Iraqi security forces and civilians. Part of this is because there are simply more Iraqi police and soldiers patrolling the streets and policing the neighborhoods. Where there are about two American advisors for every hundred Iraqi security troops, these Americans are there to advise, not fight. And the Iraqis are doing the fighting, and taking the casualties. American troops are still making raids and patrols, but there has also been a sharp decline in terrorist attacks. Some six months of sweeps and battles in western Iraq has shut down many of the Sunni terrorist sanctuaries. Indeed, many al Qaeda terrorists have fled western Iraq for towns and villages on the Iranian border. Iranians don’t like to advertise the fact, but they do provide support to al Qaeda, despite al Qaeda’s attacks on Shias (for being heretics.) Iran would also like to see a civil war (ethnic cleansing of Sunni Arabs) in Iraq. If that were to happen, Shia Arabs would be 75 percent of the Iraqi population, and likely to side with Iran on many issues.

(read entire article)

Be sure to read Rick's analysis of the entire Iraq situation, how far it's come and where it may go. I think he's right on, except I may not be quite as optimistic. I still fear that the media and the American left have caused irreparable damage to the war effort and the will of America to see this through. I think if they're able to gain any power in the upcoming elections we're all screwed.