Issues with your account? Bug us in the Discord!
And so they gave her the bronze star...
CurZ
Resident Hippy
in Zocalo v2.0
[i]"For Heroic or Meritorious Achievement of Service, not involving aerial flight,
in connection with Operations Against an Opposing Armed Force."[/i]
Where exactly does PFC Jessica Lynch fit in there?
Not exactly the first time a medal is given for nothing, but you'd think times had changed.
in connection with Operations Against an Opposing Armed Force."[/i]
Where exactly does PFC Jessica Lynch fit in there?
Not exactly the first time a medal is given for nothing, but you'd think times had changed.
Comments
Lynch became a national hero after media reports quoted unnamed U.S. officials as saying she fought fiercely before being captured, firing on Iraqi forces despite sustaining multiple gunshot and stab wounds.
In the end, Army investigators concluded that Lynch was injured when her Humvee crashed into another vehicle in the convoy after it was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Far from a scene of battlefield heroism, the Army said the convoy blundered into the ambush after getting lost and many of the unit's weapons malfunctioned during the battle.
The U.S. military also released video taken during an apparently daring rescue by American special forces who raided the Iraqi hospital where she was being treated.
Iraqi doctors at the hospital said later the U.S. rescuers had faced no resistance and the operation had been over-dramatized.
Lynch herself has been quoted as saying she can remember nothing of the ambush or the rescue.[/i][/quote]
[URL=http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20030722_461.html]http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20030722_461.html[/URL]
Although it's open to interpretation, I'd say her actions fit.
[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by CurZ [/i]
[B][i]"For Heroic or Meritorious Achievement of Service, not involving aerial flight,
in connection with Operations Against an Opposing Armed Force."[/i]
Where exactly does PFC Jessica Lynch fit in there?
Not exactly the first time a medal is given for nothing, but you'd think times had changed. [/B][/QUOTE]
You pretty much quoted the reason yourself in your next post:
[quote]Lynch became a national hero after media reports quoted unnamed U.S. officials as saying she fought fiercely before being captured, firing on Iraqi forces despite sustaining multiple gunshot and stab wounds.
[/quote]
In other words, the media took unconfirmed reports that Lynch had "fought fiercely before being captured, firing on Iraqi forces despite sustaining multiple gunshot and stab wounds" and presented them as facts. This was the myth. She says herself that she has no memory of the ambush.
[i]"In the end, Army investigators concluded that Lynch was injured when her Humvee crashed into another vehicle in the convoy after it was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade."[/i]
This was after the media had made a hero of Lynch.
She was injured in the Humvee crash, she was taken prisoner, and she was rescued. Does that constitute "heroic or meritorious achievement or service"?
[quote]"The failure here was that the news media got to thinking the government could be trusted to reflect reality," said Carolyn Marvin, professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication.
A spokesman for U.S. Central Command in Florida had no comment when asked about assertions that the heroism tale was government propaganda.
The Washington Post, which was the first to report the heroic version of Lynch's capture, came under sharp criticism from its own ombudsman, Michael Getler, for its handling of the story.
"Why did the information in that first story, which was wrong in its most compelling aspects, remain unchallenged for so long?" Getler asked.
"What were the motivations (and even the identities) of the leakers and sustainers of this myth, and why didn't reporters dig deeper into it more quickly? The story had an odor to it almost from the beginning," he said.
The Lynch story also exposed CBS News to criticism after the network offered Lynch a movie deal while trying to persuade her to give an interview about her experiences.
On Sunday, CBS Chairman and Chief Executive Leslie Moonves acknowledged CBS News probably erred in offering the deal.[/quote]
Now don't think I'm outraged by this whole thing, it doesn't concern me. I'm simply very much amused and curious as to what the army actually awards medals for. Then again, as I said before, it's nothing new.
And a movie? You've got to be kidding me...
To be clear - Almost the entire Unit got a Bronze Star. One member got the Silver Star because he went WELL 'above and beyond.' When she kept shooting while injured until out of ammo I would have been shocked if they had not given her a Bronze Star. Why would you have left her out? You need to look up what the word "Merit" means.
Maybe you should spend some of this negative energy in a positive way by helping calm international relations and helping other people directly rather than just bitching and fanning the flames. :(
[B]Although it's open to interpretation, I'd say her actions fit. [/B][/QUOTE]
Doh, me and my big mouth.
Yea, she earned it then. Did she get the Purple Heart as well? She earned that as well...
Ever war needs some hero, Remember the last guy that got shot down or somthing.
I care because I'm curious. Starting an argument isn't my intention. Possibly a discussion, yes. Argument, no. Be it a US soldier or not, I'm very much a military enthusiast. It doesn't affect me personally, you're right. Is that supposed to somehow prohibit me from questioning it? Does it matter if I live in Finland or the North Pole? I will let it go, what she got it for doesn't matter in the great scheme of things. Does that mean it can't be talked about?
I didn't know the entire unit got a bronze star. And if she doesn't deserve to be singled out, why is she the hero, not her unit?
It's also stated she was injured when the RPG struck the Humvee. It's nowhere stated that she kept shooting while injured until running out of ammo. I'm not saying it isn't so, but maybe you could provide a source for that piece of information?
[quote]Maybe you should spend some of this negative energy in a positive way by helping calm international relations and helping other people directly rather than just bitching and fanning the flames[/quote]
I'm not going to get personal with you, but "negative energy"? Give me a break. How often do you see me bitching about something on this board? I don't know you, and I don't pretend to. Can't say I care if you extend me the same courtesy. Only flames I see in this thread so far are from your direction.
My opinion, formed on the basis of the evidence I've seen, is that she got the purple heart justly. She got the POW medal entirely rightfully. But the bronze star? No.
I will concede that this is quite a moot point since medals are given for absurd reasons sometimes, and it has been awarded now.
;)
I dont know about you guys, but I dont want to be lied to. She should be grateful for those doctors, and we should be glad for her, that she is alive, and it should end there.
What about those other POWs???
Also they had a thing on CBC, on what could have happened.
I'm still pissed about my people being called terrorists for keeping a bridge blocked for a few weeks, meanwhile Villeneuve's group of yahoos bomb buildings and kill people are called "freedom fighters".
[B]Yes, simmonds, and the Canadian media is [I][U]COMPLETELY[/U] [/I] unbiased :rolleyes: [/B][/QUOTE]
You know, I was just thinking that...
I have no idea why I just said that, I live in the US, and don't give half a crap about the Northern US, AKA Canadia.
No offense to Canadians...
2) exactly what does that have to do with what I said ?
[B]1) I live [U]IN[/U] canada, and have for my entire life...
2) exactly what does that have to do with what I said ? [/B][/QUOTE]
Sorry, I did not know you where Canadian.
I was not very clear on what you where talking about
I was not very clear on what you where talking about[/QUOTE]
That pretty much sums up most of our threads ;)
[B]The U.S. Media is full of shit half the time. They never get both side of the story. And their Full of Porpoganda.(This mite not be ture, and does not apply to all of the U.S. media)
What about those other POWs???
Also they had a thing on CBC, on what could have happened. [/B][/QUOTE]
The other POWs were given the same awards.
[B]That pretty much sums up most of our threads ;) [/B][/QUOTE]
And my life;)