Pentagon aims to buy up book
I am not racist nor a radical person in any way. But this shows "political/military" hypocrisy of US government. (I must add individually I met very nice people from US and a nation can not be judged by their governors so please nobody gets offended...)
To me I believe there were nothing top secret which will be unsafe to read but reality about things happened there.
What do you think?
By Peter Finn and Greg Miller
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 10, 2010
The Defense Department is attempting to buy the entire first printing - 10,000 copies - of a memoir by a controversial former Defense Intelligence Agency officer so that the book can be destroyed, according to military and other sources.
"Operation Dark Heart," which was scheduled to be published this month by St. Martin's Press, recounts the adventures and frustrations of an Army reservist, Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer, who served in Afghanistan in 2003, a moment when the attention of Washington and the military had shifted to Iraq.
Full story can be found here :http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/09/AR201009...
the problem is that people tend to lean towards what they heard instead of trying to uncover things first hand at least we listen to all sides.
Yes Fathimah this is what I am talking about. To pretend as if you are defending freedom of speech while a man is insulting prohet of a religion. But preventing public to learn about memories of a solider and to learn what really happened there. (Are they searching for terrorist, or something else like in Iraq bringing liberty or sth else?)
it makes the whole situation very pathetic specially since this is not what the government of the US of A claims to stand for. Not exactly "liberty" or "freedom of speech",is it? As a theory I doubt this tactic will work even in the long run..but lets see.
The author, was quoted on CNN as saying "The whole premise smacks of retaliation. Someone buying 10,000 books to suppress a story in this digital age is ludicrous"
The sad thing is that governments are using "national security" as a means of stifling debate and controlling information.
In this case though, the security services have reached agreement with the publisher regarding certain texts within the book. The concerned text has been modified / removed in the interests of state security, but the government will "buy" the whole first batch to compensate the author and publisher.
Honestly its hardly shocking the lengths people would go to hide their faults. I mean who wouldn't? But it is sad that in this case the public is denied hearing the truth which will very well make them doubt their governors and perhaps assume them to be far worse than they are. Like confirming everyones worst fears!
If you read the Washington Post article, then everything is put into perspective..
Sean_C you are hypocrite in yourself. You are enjoying life on qatari money (correct me if you are not working in qatar) and still complaining about qatar hypocrisy.
You're right mistakes are unavoidable. Your first mistake is believing everything you read.
I'm not saying this is not completely true but the media loves to spin things and they often are influenced strongly for thier own gain.
Hypocrasy?
Yeah, I'm not sure you know what you're talking about.
Its the only way he will sell that many copies!!!
so these days, pentagon is busy sweeping its dirt under the carpet...lol
In my country there is a change and we are facing our past. Things happened in the close past are being critised, some generals and admirals are at the court. (I am not trying to state there are many bad people in US army, vice versa I am saying nobody is perfect and people who were governing made mistakes as well.)
@ Sean_C: I was reading newspaper online (What I like most doing here in Qatar is reading).
Agree with you bobby darling. Its everywhere same bad and good stays together. There is no white and black which we shall consider while judging others.
Everywhere there is the conspiracy theory...And everyone is a suspect...wild things are in every administration...
You live in Qatar and you find this as political/military hypocrisy?
Amazing!