Dave Reinhard: Do as He says, Not as He Does
In his latest column, Dave opines on Hditha, where something happened. Or maybe it didn't. Marines fired upon and killed 15 Iraqi civilians there. Or maybe they didn't. The actions carried out, or not, by these Marines besmirch America's standing in the eyes of the international community. Or maybe they didn't.
Whatever the situation that occurred last November in Haditha, there are two seperate current invetigations that are cutting through the spin and partisanship to find the answers to the following questions: did Marines commit indiscriminate murder rather than self-defense in Haditha? And if so, was there a cover-up ordered by the higher-ups inside the Pentagon?
What troubles Dave most, it appears, isn't the possibility that wanton murder might be conducted in our country's name, but rather that people are talking about it. Dave points a finger at Rep. John Murtha, the hawk-turned-war-critic from Pennsylvania who appeared on ABC's "This Week" and said the Haditha cover-up "goes right up the chain of command." Dave believes Murtha's statement was out of line, going so far as calling Murtha the "worst offender" even though no Iraqi civilians were killed by Murtha's actions. Dave's upset that Murtha has given his opinion before the so-called "truth" of Haditha has been confirmed nor revealed through the Pentagon's investigations.
As if a lack of completed investigation has ever stopped pundits and law-makers from commenting on situations and goings-on. Am I the only one who remembers conservatives calling for the heads of Bill and Hillary Clinton over some nefarious land dealings in Whitewater, before any investigation was completed? Or pressing for the impeachment of Clinton over his affair with Lewinsky, before the Starr Report had been released? Indeed, simply last week Dave commented on Tom Potter taking the FBI to task over trying to recruit a source at City Hall before any internal affairs investigations had been completed. And the lack of a completed investigation on Chief Derrick Foxworth ddin't prevent Dave from commenting on his alleged sexual liasions.
Oh, but Dave is a newspaper columnist. Murtha is a Congressman. I see. If one can potentially call for ivestigations, draft laws and resolutions, and issue subpoenas, then they should keep their opinions quiet? (Someone should've told that to Tom DeLay.) Whereas the other could potentially draw attention to the shadowy circles of all levels of power in government, they should be allowed to opine? Its a double standard, and one Dave should be reminded of.
But at least he takes the time to fill the last half of his column with a heartstrings-pulling tale of a Jeremy Russell, a Lance Corporal from Salem, who survived an attack and is back doing daily patrols in Haditha. It would be nice if this human interest story had any connections with the murder of 15 Iraqi civilians supposedly committed last November, besides sharing the same locale, but it doesn't.
At any rate, when it comes to giving opinions, it's quite clear that the only who should be doing so is Dave Reinhard, and Dave Reinhard only.
Whatever the situation that occurred last November in Haditha, there are two seperate current invetigations that are cutting through the spin and partisanship to find the answers to the following questions: did Marines commit indiscriminate murder rather than self-defense in Haditha? And if so, was there a cover-up ordered by the higher-ups inside the Pentagon?
What troubles Dave most, it appears, isn't the possibility that wanton murder might be conducted in our country's name, but rather that people are talking about it. Dave points a finger at Rep. John Murtha, the hawk-turned-war-critic from Pennsylvania who appeared on ABC's "This Week" and said the Haditha cover-up "goes right up the chain of command." Dave believes Murtha's statement was out of line, going so far as calling Murtha the "worst offender" even though no Iraqi civilians were killed by Murtha's actions. Dave's upset that Murtha has given his opinion before the so-called "truth" of Haditha has been confirmed nor revealed through the Pentagon's investigations.
As if a lack of completed investigation has ever stopped pundits and law-makers from commenting on situations and goings-on. Am I the only one who remembers conservatives calling for the heads of Bill and Hillary Clinton over some nefarious land dealings in Whitewater, before any investigation was completed? Or pressing for the impeachment of Clinton over his affair with Lewinsky, before the Starr Report had been released? Indeed, simply last week Dave commented on Tom Potter taking the FBI to task over trying to recruit a source at City Hall before any internal affairs investigations had been completed. And the lack of a completed investigation on Chief Derrick Foxworth ddin't prevent Dave from commenting on his alleged sexual liasions.
Oh, but Dave is a newspaper columnist. Murtha is a Congressman. I see. If one can potentially call for ivestigations, draft laws and resolutions, and issue subpoenas, then they should keep their opinions quiet? (Someone should've told that to Tom DeLay.) Whereas the other could potentially draw attention to the shadowy circles of all levels of power in government, they should be allowed to opine? Its a double standard, and one Dave should be reminded of.
But at least he takes the time to fill the last half of his column with a heartstrings-pulling tale of a Jeremy Russell, a Lance Corporal from Salem, who survived an attack and is back doing daily patrols in Haditha. It would be nice if this human interest story had any connections with the murder of 15 Iraqi civilians supposedly committed last November, besides sharing the same locale, but it doesn't.
At any rate, when it comes to giving opinions, it's quite clear that the only who should be doing so is Dave Reinhard, and Dave Reinhard only.
posted by true_slicky at 6:20 PM
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