Re: Is that they call discriminate fire? Yes, actually...

"Vince Brannigan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
> Tarver Engineering wrote:
> > "Vince Brannigan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> >>
> >>Tarver Engineering wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>>It's beginning to sound like some junior officer decided
> >>>>on a Viet Nam type body count.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>It was Reuters that decided to publish a body count.
> >>
> >
> >>no it is being widely reported as a major shift in US spin on the war.
> >
> >
> > The "widely reported" news source is lying; there is no change in the
policy
> > of not reporting a body count.  Toumbstones are a poor metric for
success,
> > in winning hearts and minds.
> >
> >
> >>"Numerous newspapers on Monday played up as front page news the Sunday
> >>clash between rebel forces and U.S. soldiers in the city of Samarra,
> >>with most declaring that between 46 and 54 Iraqis had been killed and
> >>using only U.S. military officials as their sources. After a run of bad
> >>news for the U.S. in Iraq -- including a record monthly death toll of
> >>U.S. soldiers -- the military portrayed this as a major victory, and the
> >>press seemed to accept it.
> >
> >
> > Except that the body count came out of Reuters, not US Military sources.
> >
>
> you are wrong
> New york times Dec 3
>
> But after weeks of suffering casualties from an enemy that detonates
> roadside bombs from afar and fires mortars under cover of darkness,
> American military officials seemed to relish the opportunity on Monday
> to claim credit for dealing the fighters a punishing blow.
>
> "They got whacked, and won't try that again," a senior military official
> in Washington said. The Pentagon insisted the body count was accurate.
>
> The fight began when two American convoys that carry cash to two banks
> here rumbled into this hard-line Baathist city on Sunday with tanks,
> Bradley fighting vehicles and armored Humvees. Such convoys had been
> attacked before, and the Americans were ready.
>
> As if on cue, the guerrillas attacked, but according to American
> commanders, the Iraqis suffered a devastating defeat. The battle ended,
> they said, with as many as 54 insurgents dead and only 5 Americans
wounded.

As was reported in Reuters first and then by Fox News.

There is no change in policy WRT reporting body counts.