This problem is at the heart of why it’s vital that wire services and major outlets get their facts straight the first time.

This is why their reports need to be vetted first. Censorship? Yep. They’re called military censors for a reason … not giving an advantage to the enemy, reporting facts correctly, not reporting the good our side is doing. Only some of the reason the military needs to demand that embeds have their reports cleared or they are out. We did it in WWII, we need to be doing the same in WWIII.

I wonder if the military needs a regiment assigned just to correct media goofs.

Yes.

The AP itself didn’t even acknowledge the correction on its own story.

This happens all the time with AP stories. Pick any AP headline on Yahoo and open in it your browser. A couple hours later, cut and paste the URL for the article into a new browser window, and you’ll see the latest version. Check the latest version with the original in the other window, and you can find extensive updates/changes to the same story, with no indication that it was corrected or changed from the original.

A few AP reporters bylines seem to show more changes than others, and if it’s political, it gets interesting to see how many Democrat party quotes get picked up in later editions.

The original article is what was published in the daylies. MAYBE there will be a “retraction,” but probably not. Which means that “first impression” — that the US military is aiding and abetting terrorists — is what will be implanted in the minds of those who read the print version.

Finally, if you think that the article was mistakenly written, you, yourself, are mistaken. Whenever the AP has the opportunity, they chose to present the USA in Iraq in the worst possible light. The only reason it was partially retracted or corrected was because Lt. Col. Miska personally complained AND the author didn’t want to burn her bridges with the troops.

In other words, she got caught and had to change part of her article — AFTER IT WENT TO PRESS for all intents an purposes. But her original message (that the USA condones Shiite terrorism), not the re-written one, is what people are going to remember and talk about at the water cooler.

None of that indicates ‘approval’ of those factions allying themselves with Mookie today. It just indicates a wise commander doing his job.

I voted that the Vents from Baghdad were my favorites because lives are at risk and an important story had to be told. You and Michelle, in my opinion, told that story beautifully and thank God you both returned home safely.

The lives of Lt Col Miska and all in his command are still at risk. The sloppy work of the alleged main stream media, like Associated with Terrorist Press, puts our good guys at risk, and for what? A flashy headline that just happens to be “inaccurate”? What is wrong with those people? Are they so callous and flippant that they believe those inaccuracies have no impact? To me it is clear the AP has no respect for our troops.

Please, in your next communication with Lt Col Miska, let him we are praying for him and all our guys and gals in harms way.

As an OIF Vet, I get very frustrated by things like this, keep up this fight!

Someone must!

Come to think of it, reason has little place in that profession these days….

The Associated Press ( the only new agency with armoured vehicles ) is…….

oh, why bother? Every one of you reading this know what the AP is–by now, even THEY know it

Well DUH why dont you report on what they do to women back in Iran that show some inititive.

http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070510/480/c78cccef951c4f288c3a7e1d4df09361;_ylt=Aj9pJkabgBlsIpKtp.qOU2wDW7oF

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, accompanied by young artists from Iran, makes very brief remarks to the press after she toured the Iranian art exhibit, ‘Wishes and Dreams’, Thursday, May 10, 2007, at the Meridian International Center in Washington. Though the event was intended to promote cultural links with Iran, ten of the 14 Iranian artists refused to be photographed with Rice and two would not accompany her through the gallery. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

- The Cat

It’s as if they’re fighting two battles simultaeneously, one they’re highly trained for, the other where they’re most certainly outgunned by highly trained and purposed journalistic professionals.

I’d like to say thank you to Lauren Frayer of the AP for accepting ownership of her own story.

BohicaTwentyTwo on May 11, 2007

Well I don’t thank her, I’d thank her to get the story right the first time, especially when she’s talking about our military.

As many say here…..crickets chirping…….