At Indiana War Protest Rally, Vets Speak out Against the Iraq War, Honor the Dead, and Voice Controversial Claims about Pre-war Briefings on WMD

News Type: Event — Seeded on Wed Apr 2, 2008 11:21 AM EDT

Article Source: The Indianapolis Star

us-news, iraq, iraq-war, indiana, fort-hood, indianapolis, purdue-university, iraq-veterans-against-the-war, julia-carson, christian-peacemaker-teams, 1st-cavalry-company

Seeded by Gas Pants Press

Derek Giffin, 27, an Army veteran from Schererville, Ind., said he had second thoughts when his 1st Cavalry Company from Fort Hood was briefed before the invasion that there were no chemical weapons or weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but the Bush administration kept making that claim.

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Groups: Anti-War, Left of Center, Michael Moore's Army, Mid-East Vine, Political Analysis, The Truth Network, The War Room
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1.4

{"commentId":1647443,"authorDomain":"gaspantspress"}

Gas Pants Press

"That's when I awoke to the fact that something was woefully amiss," he said.

They knew in advance, lied, and went in anyway.

Woefully amiss indeed.

These facts just can't be driven home enough.

{"commentId":1647443,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"gaspantspress"}

2 votes

#1 - Wed Apr 2, 2008 11:25 AM EDT

{"commentId":1647627,"authorDomain":"ashrafiafroz"}

afroz ashrafi

It was an established fact from the day one . WMD was used as a ruse to impose war on IRAQ.that apart Bush was fighting a personal war against Saddam Hussain for reasons he knows best . Perhaps under instruction from the senior Bush to avenge the humiliation Saddam heaped upon him by planting a photograph of the senior Bush under the marble of the floor of a hotel . Both father and son took Iraq to the ways of destruction.

{"commentId":1647627,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"ashrafiafroz"}

1 vote

#2 - Wed Apr 2, 2008 12:03 PM EDT

{"commentId":1647749,"authorDomain":"wharrison55"}

Bill Harrison

Inaccurate, inflammatory headline for a story on veterans and protests. Reported.

{"commentId":1647749,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"wharrison55"}

#3 - Wed Apr 2, 2008 12:26 PM EDT

{"commentId":1648007,"authorDomain":"kyleb"}

Kyle Baxter

There's a reason that quote is buried at the bottom of the article, rather than leading the story and headline -- one man's claim is not evidence.

It does not correlate well with what happened on the ground, either. Soldiers were constantly putting on and taking off their chemical weapon suits during the initial invasion as they got possible threats. Unless you're claiming this was part of some clever ruse to make it seem like they thought there were chemical weapons, which you have no evidence of whatsoever, his claim makes little sense.

{"commentId":1648007,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"kyleb"}

1 vote

#4 - Wed Apr 2, 2008 1:34 PM EDT

{"commentId":1650293,"authorDomain":"gaspantspress"}

Gas Pants Press

Buried? Lol. It is a tiny article, one most people might even read to the end, which makes it likely that Derek Griffin's comments are what the reader will take away. Are we insinuating that Derek Griffin is a liar, Kyle? That said, I think this news is important enough to try to verify, which may be difficult; the US Mil is not big on telling the truth if it might reflect badly. If his company did brief them as such, this should be corroborated and made bigger news.

{"commentId":1650293,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"gaspantspress"}

1 vote

#4.1 - Thu Apr 3, 2008 3:38 AM EDT

{"commentId":1650300,"authorDomain":"kyleb"}

Kyle Baxter

Buried? Lol. It is a tiny article, one most people might even read to the end, which makes it likely that Derek Griffin's comments are what the reader will take away.

His comments would be huge news if true -- if the paper thought they had some kind of scoop, it wouldn't be at the end of an article about anti-war rallies -- it'd be the first story on their website and paper. So, yes, they buried it.

Are we insinuating that Derek Griffin is a liar, Kyle?

No, and you know that as well as I do. One person's claim is never evidence.

I think this news is important enough to try to verify, which may be difficult

It is important enough to verify, so rather than make excuses ~~and misleading headlines~~, why don't you try to verify it yourself? Find other members of his unit, contact them, and try to corroborate his story.

Edit: Just saw your edited headline. Thanks for that.

{"commentId":1650300,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"kyleb"}

1 vote

#4.2 - Thu Apr 3, 2008 3:50 AM EDT

{"commentId":1650305,"authorDomain":"gaspantspress"}

Gas Pants Press

The original headline was not misleading in itself since I had clearly indicated that the line was attributed to a Vet from Indiana ("...there were no chemical weapons or weapons of mass destruction in Iraq: Indiana Vet"), but the emphasis was probably misplaced in that that was made the headline.

Find other members of his unit, contact them, and try to corroborate his story.

Just might do that.

{"commentId":1650305,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"gaspantspress"}

1 vote

#4.3 - Thu Apr 3, 2008 3:59 AM EDT

{"commentId":1650313,"authorDomain":"kyleb"}

Kyle Baxter

The original headline was not misleading in itself since I had clearly indicated that the line was attributed to a Vet from Indiana ("...there were no chemical weapons or weapons of mass destruction in Iraq: Indiana Vet"), but the emphasis was probably misplaced in that that was made the headline.

If a. the headline was much, much shorter, or b. the attribution was at the beginning, I'd agree. Either way, it shows a lot of class that you changed the headline.

Just might do that.

That'd be an excellent article. If you do, please email me a link to it when published.

{"commentId":1650313,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"kyleb"}

2 votes

#4.4 - Thu Apr 3, 2008 4:09 AM EDT

{"commentId":1648281,"authorDomain":"Emily"}

Emily

Hey GPP,

You could please revise the headline to be more indicative of the article's main focus? You're welcome to make any emphasis you wish in your introduction and/or first comments.

Let me know when you've done this and I'll make it available for all of newsvine to view again.

{"commentId":1648281,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"Emily"}

1 vote

#5 - Wed Apr 2, 2008 2:45 PM EDT

{"commentId":1650299,"authorDomain":"gaspantspress"}

Gas Pants Press

Emily, OK.

Original headline: "1st Cavalry Company, Fort Hood, was briefed BEFORE invasion there were no chemical weapons or weapons of mass destruction in Iraq: Indiana Vet"

Revised headline: "At Indiana War Protest Rally, Vets Speak out Against the Iraq War, Honor the Dead, and Make Controversial Claims about Pre-war Briefings on WMD"

Hope that is better.

GPP

{"commentId":1650299,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"gaspantspress"}

#5.1 - Thu Apr 3, 2008 3:49 AM EDT

{"commentId":1651665,"authorDomain":"Emily"}

Emily

Thanks GPP

{"commentId":1651665,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"Emily"}

#5.2 - Thu Apr 3, 2008 12:56 PM EDT

{"commentId":1650297,"authorDomain":"gaspantspress"}

Gas Pants Press

* self-delete; wrong comment box in response to Emily *

{"commentId":1650297,"threadId":"244109","contentId":"1406036","authorDomain":"gaspantspress"}

1 vote

#6 - Thu Apr 3, 2008 3:46 AM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"244109","isPrivate":false}

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At Indiana War Protest Rally, Vets Speak out Against the Iraq War, Honor the Dead, and Voice Controversial Claims about Pre-war Briefings on WMD

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