Stars & Stripes letters published after General Sanchez' speech calling out Bush for a "catastrophically flawed" war plan are below, to include links to letters beating Sanchez to the punch by some four years.
Sanchez cited Stars & Stripes itself for "extreme bias." The ombudsman responded with an editorial defending the paper.
Some might say it's fitting that on Halloween the subject of Ann Coulter be revisited. It is, in No 'warm and fuzzies' here, written by a Maj. stationed in Iraq:
One thing I would like to see less of in Stars and Stripes is the column of Ann Coulter, not because she’s conservative, but because she writes at the top of her lungs, like a skanky teenager who is ridiculed by the boys for being flat-chested. And ugly. Sarcasm became her coping mechanism. Her column must cost next to nothing to carry. Why not try carrying George Will or someone like that more often? He’s a verbose blowhard, but at least he can write.
No ‘warm and fuzzies’ here--Oct. 31, 2007
Some people want Stars and Stripes to be a "cheerleader for the military." Isn’t it enough that we get a few hours every day of Fox News on AFN? Everyone knows that it is the Propaganda Directorate of the Republican Party. If I want someone to blow smoke up my butt, I can watch the TV.
Don't insult servicemembers--Oct. 31, 2007
A clear-cut example of Limbaugh’s insults to hundreds of thousands of our servicemembers [who consider themselves Democrats], is Limbaugh’s 2005 radio broadcasts on AFN that included a jingle that went, "Democrats, they’re running on ‘stupid.’" This was not only an insult to Democratic servicemembers, but to all of our heroes who are fighting and dying for the rights of the Afghan and Iraqi people to choose which legal political party they want to support.
Taking comfort in the lies--Oct. 30, 2007
In the Oct. 25 Stars and Stripes, the writer of the letter "Blowing off some steam" stated he wants "a cheerleader," and to heck with this balanced reporting. You know, he may be right. There can be a great deal of comfort in knowing you are being lied to. Why do you think some people listen to Rush Limbaugh or watch Fox News as their only sources of reporting on current events?
Advice for Turkish leaders--Oct. 27, 2007
Turkish legislators, it is very important that your leaders explain to you the urgency of this attack against the Kurds. And if the prime minister of Turkey has any adult children, ask him if they will be rushing off to contribute to this great war to defend the Turkish motherland.
Sanchez coverage inadequate--Oct. 25, 2007
Stars and Stripes should be ashamed of itself for the inadequate coverage of retired [Lt. Gen. Ricardo] Sanchez’s remarks on the press and the war effort. Yes, he called the current strategy in Iraq "a nightmare." Yes, he blamed our national leaders for charging in without any prior planning and getting us stuck in a bad situation. However, he also talks extensively of the corruption of modern media by partisan politics, the lack of journalistic integrity, and the few differences between good and bad reporters in the war.
Sanchez spoke out too late--Oct. 25, 2007
He says the last thing America wants is for its general officers to stand up to political leadership. I disagree. When you have a commander’s view of events, and lives are at stake, you have a duty to make your voice heard. A soldier’s life means something! Don’t throw it away with your silence!
Needless air missions--Oct. 15, 2007
I can appreciate the busy schedules of leaders that, at times, require changes. What I refuse to cater to is the lack of courtesy and apparent disregard for the safety of aircrews who flew to the location in order to transport them. These same passengers never inform us that they’ve made other plans or that they have canceled their request. It is atrocious that any leader would not consider the combat risk and hazard to me, my aircrew and my aircraft, let alone the tax dollars involved.
Consider source of comment--Oct. 12, 2007
I served honorably for 20 years in the U.S. military, but today I oppose the war in Iraq. I assume Limbaugh will call me a "phony veteran." Considering the source, a man who has the gall to defame those who served while he never served a single day in the military (allegedly because of a boil), I would wear such an accusation as a badge of honor.
Coulter's convenient memory--Oct. 11, 2007
That being said, Coulter clearly made herself out to be racist by trying to match Sen. Barack Obama with Ahmadinejad. This was clearly an attempt to portray the senator as a Mideast terrorist, which he is not. He is a natural-born citizen and a member of the U.S. Senate.
Take Limbaugh off AFN--Oct. 8, 2007
How dare he attack a Purple Heart recipient ("Democrats chide Limbaugh over ‘phony soldiers’ remark," article, Sept. 30)! He has lied about a [reported] butt boil that kept him out of Vietnam, he has lied about his prescription-drug use, and he is telling lies about decorated military members based merely on their insistence that poorly researched decisions have caused unnecessary U.S. deaths and injuries.
Coulter averse to using facts--Oct. 7, 2007
Why does the Stars and Stripes continue to give Ann Coulter a forum for presenting her hateful and outlandish writing? Surely, the newspaper could find someone who actually uses facts or rational writing to explain the conservative viewpoint — or is that the best that the conservative right can do to justify the Bush administration?
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