tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post7087089738480179067..comments2024-03-26T05:18:53.709-04:00Comments on Pen and Sword: CounterProductive CounterPunch Story on IranJeff Huberhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-16923726527519191962008-05-28T16:00:00.000-04:002008-05-28T16:00:00.000-04:00FWIW, Petey, I'm working on another piece about a ...FWIW, Petey, I'm working on another piece about a false Iran hysteria story. These things just keep on cropping up.Jeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-28451189020036381272008-05-28T15:23:00.000-04:002008-05-28T15:23:00.000-04:00"There's been much confusion and consternation ove..."There's been much confusion and consternation over which brother wrote this particular article. It was Andrew..."<BR/><BR/>awww FLIPPIN' HECK! well patrick is still good. but thanks for the heads up on andrew, that's 2 cockburn brothers now i'll less than implicitly trust. of the sister i know nothing. the father wasn't much to be relied on either, tho'.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-54885894100765483632008-05-13T16:09:00.000-04:002008-05-13T16:09:00.000-04:00EL, Thanks for the link. Cool story. JeffEL, <BR/><BR/>Thanks for the link. Cool story. <BR/><BR/>JeffJeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-20000051282702477162008-05-13T08:10:00.000-04:002008-05-13T08:10:00.000-04:00Commander,Great story this morning on the Editor a...Commander,<BR/><BR/>Great story this morning on the Editor and Publisher website on Joe Galloway, and some e-mail correspondence he had with Rumsfeld's office.<BR/><BR/>www:editorandpublisher.com<BR/><BR/>Worth the time.Elderladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02268520056042293783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-61379262777222515272008-05-11T14:14:00.000-04:002008-05-11T14:14:00.000-04:00Montag, It looks like they took down that story, b...Montag, <BR/><BR/>It looks like they took down that story, but I'm familiar with it. <BR/><BR/>Another P.R.I.;-)<BR/><BR/>JJeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-25483878982665682332008-05-11T12:30:00.000-04:002008-05-11T12:30:00.000-04:00Here's a truly bizarre story about an Admiral who'...Here's a truly bizarre story about an Admiral who's taking "early retirement" because he didn't know the statute of limitations had expired on a transgression and got nailed for lying about it. If you had used this in your book they'd have accused you of writing Science Fiction. He'd qualify as Poster Boy for, "Deny, Stonewall, Make Counter-Accusations"--and he totally screwed himself into the ground when telling the truth would have saved his career. "IG: 3-Star Lied About Sex In The White House:"<BR/><BR/>http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2008/05/navy_stufflebeemreport_051208/w/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-19113167902520956542008-05-10T20:28:00.000-04:002008-05-10T20:28:00.000-04:00Anon, This sounds like what we used to call a "P.R...Anon, <BR/><BR/>This sounds like what we used to call a "P.R.I." to me, something more to do with personal conduct than with professional competence. But I really can't say because I really don't know. <BR/><BR/>As to whether it's related to the Iran situation, I rather doubt it, but again, I don't know. <BR/><BR/>JeffJeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-30455658991266811692008-05-10T19:31:00.000-04:002008-05-10T19:31:00.000-04:00http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&art...<A HREF="http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54697" REL="nofollow">http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54697</A><BR/><BR/>"Kitty Hawk air wing commander removed"<BR/><BR/>(Another story that has bounced around some online alarmists, probably with even less cause for actual alarm than whatever were the real facts behind the Andrew Cockburn alarm. After all, there must be SOME things happening in the military that aren't part of Sauron's (Dick Cheney's) intricate plan.)<BR/><BR/>(Then again, maybe Sauron's mind control rays made me think that?)<BR/><BR/>(It's hard to strike the right balance betwen complacency and paranoia, sometimes.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-33926109363216029722008-05-10T06:14:00.000-04:002008-05-10T06:14:00.000-04:00Petey, There's been much confusion and consternati...Petey, <BR/><BR/>There's been much confusion and consternation over which brother wrote this particular article. It was Andrew, whom a "source familiar with him" tells me is as reliable as Michael R. Gordon. (Seriously.)<BR/><BR/>I hope you enjoy the book. <BR/><BR/>JeffJeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-14606005380506044512008-05-10T00:06:00.000-04:002008-05-10T00:06:00.000-04:002 items: 1: patrick cockburn is more to be trusted...2 items: <BR/><BR/>1: patrick cockburn is more to be trusted than his brother alexander, who can be a snide and superior acting guy, as i once found out. at least patrick is reporting as an eyewitness. <BR/><BR/>2: I BOUGHT BATHTUB ADMIRALS! but only yesterday, so i haven't read it yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-20040751799405796802008-05-08T21:32:00.000-04:002008-05-08T21:32:00.000-04:00Holy Cow. Thanks, Montag. They must need another...Holy Cow. Thanks, Montag. They must need another three-star command billet to groom guys to take over those four-star Army billets. ;-)<BR/><BR/>JeffJeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-39275848129896827862008-05-08T21:25:00.000-04:002008-05-08T21:25:00.000-04:00Say, did you "get the memo" about the Fourth Fleet...Say, did you "get the memo" about the Fourth Fleet being reinstated in the Caribbean, effective July 1? Wikipedia already has an entry on it. It only existed during 1943-50, until it was absorbed by the Second Fleet. I take it there's otherwise a very real danger of American tourists in Cancun getting shortchanged.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-24293935756838764902008-05-08T12:32:00.000-04:002008-05-08T12:32:00.000-04:00Vive, That was my first thought, then I changed my...Vive, <BR/><BR/>That was my first thought, then I changed my mind a bit. When you get down to it, if I'm that ship's CO and I'm not sure if my tasking has changed or not vis a vis national intent toward Iran, there's nobody I'd rather hear "you have no further ROE or tasking than to practice self-defense," than from my theater commander. I mean, there wouldn't be any doubt in my mind that his intent was being misinterpreted by an intermediary. <BR/><BR/>Anon, <BR/><BR/>I honestly don't know what to think anymore. If you want to talk wheels-within-wheels theory, all this Iran bluster could be part of a big PSYOP, and Cockburn could have been an unwitting part of it. <BR/><BR/>JeffJeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-51149606369157917242008-05-08T11:30:00.000-04:002008-05-08T11:30:00.000-04:00in light of the recent poll that said Bush has low...in light of the recent poll that said Bush has lowest popularity of any president, do you believe, as I do that the U.S. lacks the political mandate to invade Iran? A few days ago, the rhetoric changed to 'Let's do dialogue with Iran'... this sounds a little like what you talked about in "the proxy war with Iran...", namely backpeddling.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-43733526230259536572008-05-08T11:04:00.000-04:002008-05-08T11:04:00.000-04:00I guess Adm. Fallon thought he was one Captain Wil...I guess Adm. Fallon thought he was one Captain William C. Rogers III away from all out war with Iran..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-75256672271859140872008-05-08T08:36:00.000-04:002008-05-08T08:36:00.000-04:00Well said, Montag. Add to that news versus editor...Well said, Montag. Add to that news versus editorial, the line between which I say never really existed in the first place, then consider that "official" sourcing is a different matter from protecting anonymous whistle blowers. <BR/><BR/>A complex calculus with a lot of variables, but I think Cockburn (Andy not Alex this time) failed to meet minimum standards in any category. <BR/><BR/>JeffJeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-14240465647414808662008-05-08T00:21:00.000-04:002008-05-08T00:21:00.000-04:00Well, this is the problem, isn't it? On the one h...Well, this is the problem, isn't it? On the one hand you have the MainStream Media with their "Objective Journalism," which is anything but. And then you have the Alternative Media with "Advocacy Journalism," in which they boast of their point of view being reflected in the article. There's also "Gonzo Journalism," where the reporter IS pretty much the story, but that's neither here nor there.<BR/><BR/>Advocacy Journalism can be very good or very bad. It can be very bad when the journalism gets in the way of the advocacy and the reporter cherry picks only evidence which fits their pistol. <BR/><BR/>But it can also be good when you remember that the reporter isn't neutral, so any balance applied to the article is entirely up to the reader. This is a lot easier than with Objective Journalism, where they'll lay out a big case for something with the only "balance" consisting of four words buried beneath a mountain of so-called proof--"Some experts dispute this." So the hapless reader is led to conclude that the overwhelming evidence must be that it's true, since the dissenters are dealt with so summarily.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-10433048212001603612008-05-07T13:16:00.000-04:002008-05-07T13:16:00.000-04:00I'm a firm believer in it too, Wk> I'm just not s...I'm a firm believer in it too, Wk> I'm just not sure how we handle it when generals act like politicians and politicians act like generals.Jeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-77007622017487893022008-05-07T11:47:00.000-04:002008-05-07T11:47:00.000-04:00Somewhat OT, but here's Adm Mullen:With a national...Somewhat OT, but here's Adm Mullen:<BR/><BR/>With a national election looming, a cadet asked about the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law and what would happen if someone took office who wants to change it. “It’s a law, and we follow it,” Mullen said. Should the law change, the military will carry that out too, he said.<BR/><BR/>“We are a military that is under the control of our civilian elected leaders,” he said. “It has served us well since we’ve been founded. That is a special characteristic of our country and I would never do anything to jeopardize that.”<BR/><BR/>(I like the part about civilian control.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-24696648719008560962008-05-07T10:07:00.000-04:002008-05-07T10:07:00.000-04:00Thanks, Jeff and Anon. LIke I said, a story like ...Thanks, Jeff and Anon. LIke I said, a story like Cockburn's makes the whole anti war movement look like a pack of wild eyed yahooligans. <BR/><BR/>Yeah, there's almost certainly something to Cockburn's story, but I don't think he knows what it is. <BR/><BR/>JeffJeff Huberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14146644937683409726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-83066218576816908732008-05-07T09:59:00.000-04:002008-05-07T09:59:00.000-04:00May be a case of too many "Cockburns" writing for ...May be a case of too many "Cockburns" writing for one political newsletter.<BR/><BR/>Alexander, Counterpunch co-editor, with Jeffrey St. Clair; Patrick: MidEast correspondent since 1979; Andrew: who knows? Lots of writers in the Cockburn family competing for an audience --- anywhere.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the in-depth analysis, Commander. <BR/><BR/>There are enough people, who call themselves journalists/analysts who prey on our fear. Do we really need one more?<BR/><BR/>Probably not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-7983212619291577722008-05-07T09:02:00.000-04:002008-05-07T09:02:00.000-04:00We're all very concerned -- those of us paying att...We're all very concerned -- those of us paying attention and/or who have learned somewhat from Sun Tzu -- about what BushCheneyCorp. may do in the next few months. But you're exactly right, sensationalism without substance doesn't help.<BR/><BR/>Predictions are fun to make, though. I myself kept half-expecting Osama bin Laden's dramatic capture around mid-October 2004.Jeff (no, the other one)https://www.blogger.com/profile/04030611459552848949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12796551.post-45336891103712078752008-05-07T02:40:00.000-04:002008-05-07T02:40:00.000-04:00I highly recommend the free book, "The Authoritari...I highly recommend the free book, "The Authoritarians", by Prof. Bob Altemeyer (Univ. of Manitoba, Canada), available at the following link: http://members.shaw.ca/jeanaltemeyer/drbob/TheAuthoritarians.pdf . This free book provides deep insights into how we got led into our current predicament and specific actions to take to help reduce the threat authoritarianism poses to democracy. It is recommended by John Dean who wrote "Conservatives Without Conscience."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com