Pentagon keeps dead out of sight [Body bags = "transfer tubes"???]]

[ConcernedCanuk]

. . a wee bit older than 12 hours, but I haven't seen anything in the Murikkan Media

Pentagon keeps dead out of sight

Bush team doesn't want people to see human cost of war
Even body bags are now sanitized as `transfer tubes'

TIM HARPER
WASHINGTON BUREAU

Washington—Charles H. Buehring came home last week.

He arrived at the air force base in Dover, Del., in the middle of the night, in an aluminum shipping case draped in an American flag.

When the military truck drove his remains across the tarmac, workers paused and removed their hats.

/snip/

Americans have never seen any of the other 359 bodies returning from Iraq. Nor do they see the wounded cramming the Walter Reed Army Medical Centre in Washington or soldiers who say they are being treated inhumanely awaiting medical treatment at Fort Stewart, Ga.

In order to continue to sell an increasingly unpopular Iraqi invasion to the American people, President George W. Bush's administration sweeps the messy parts of war — the grieving families, the flag-draped coffins, the soldiers who have lost limbs — into a far corner of the nation's attic.



Long article, and most disturbing -

[La_Serpiente]

1. I tell you, no respect for the dead

that says a lot.

It shows that bush doesn't value life.

[leetrisck]

2. Brand new morgue at Dover

Delaware - of course bush loves the troops

[kathee]

3. If this Admin

spent as much time and effort and with our soldiers alive as they do DEAD, we wouldnt have the mess in Georgia of them waiting forever for treatment. Or the cut in benefits to veterans, or the lack of proper gear, and ON and ON and ON.

Disturbing indeed.

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. If this was a just war

and W & Co were so right, then why are they so afraid of showing the results of their actions? Why aren't they giving the people who are giving their lives for their cause a hero's welcome? Could it be they are ashamed and can not face the truth or is that they just don't give a shit and they don't want people to see something that might hurt their chances of reelection?

[lovedems]

21. I think you nailed it

reelection is all they care about. I have never felt so controlled by government as I do now. They are controlling the message because it isn't pretty. It disappoints me so much because the media had a field day with TBG's bj but don't seem to find the importance in soldiers needlessly dying over an uneccessary war. Where is the truth and justice for these people and their families?

[MaineDem]

5. There were pictures of body bags yesterday

I saw them removing a body from the helo crash site.

This administration has no respect for anything. I'm appalled that the Boy George is down in Alabama campaigning today after this tragedy. If I lost someone in Iraq I'd be even more furious. He's raising money ($2000 a plate lunch) on the spectre of death. It's disgusting!

[ConcernedCanuk]

6. umm - Ahem - MaineDem - it's "transfer tubes" ! no bodybags here.

. .

[MaineDem]

8. I'm sorry; you're right!

I forgot all about that memo.

[Maeve]

7. This cartoon actually ran in my local paper

Surprised me--it's normally so conservative!

[kayell]

11. Ann Telnaes is my favorite cartoonist

She is always dead on about * and his minions. I'm amazed that a conservative paper would run her cartoons.

[grasswire]

27. those caricatures are amazing

I'm always impressed by cartoonists, but these are unusually on the spot.

[grilled onions]

9. pay for their OWN tp?

There should be a huge petition sent to the White House,The Pentagon--wherever and the entire thing should be written ON toilet paper protesting this.

[liberalmuse]

12. Great idea!

This is utter disrespect for the sacrifice those men and women have made in Iraq, not to mention disrespectful towards their families. The dead and wounded deserve to be recognized and honored. I think we ought to start calling and/or petitioning the White House, asking them why they are hiding the dead and wounded. The American people, especially those with blood on their hands for supporting this war, deserve to witness the outcome of their actions.

[Newsjock]

10. Link to story here

Long link to Toronto Star

[kayell]

13. Sent this article to most of my address book

Thank goodness for the internet and journalists in other countries.

[alfredo]

14. KICK

Bush out of our white house.

[hlthe2b]

15. There are indirect ways of covering the returning dead...

The media should damned-well do it (interviews with families, stories on funerals and changes in military burial benefits, pictures of those lost, interviews with those receiving the dead at Dover)...

[ConcernedCanuk]

17. "interviews with families" etc." - Ya, but it should be AMERICAN news,

. . y'all shouldn't have to read it in the papers from other countries ??

This is the MOST coverage I have seen regarding the plight of the American families that have lost loved ones, and this be in a CANUCK paper,

This should be done (with respect of course) in many MANY American Newspapers, no ?

Just My Humble Canuck Opinion

[jmcgowanjm]

16. who collects the $8.10/meal-Can they qualify for Reduced/FreeMilk?

Black Knight: 'Tis but a scratch.

Arthur: A SCRATCH? Your arm's off!

Monty Python/Xymphora

[skip fox]

18. We can reverese the coffins-returning-to-US by

saying:

Here are our honored dead returning to their native land after paying the ultimate sacrifice for their country, and they are being denied the simple respect of their countrymen witnessing their final return.

[stevedeshazer]

19. "Transfer tube"?!

I got yer transfer tube right here, W.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

22. I thought the reich-wing HATED political correctness

Doesn't the phrase "transfer tubes" in place of body bags sound like a lot of PC?
Or is it just BS?

[janx]

23. Oh it's PC all right--just from their side of the political aisle.

So that makes it OK.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

26. Ahh. Gotcha.

Waitaminute...

[tom_paine]

20. I'm guessing this is also how the Soviets handles their Afghani War dead

Bushevik-Occupied Imperial Amerika is getting more Soviet every day.

When the opposition is crushed at the top, we shall begin to taste the Soviet Lifestyle down at our level in our day-to-day lives.

Enjoy this twilight. It can't last forever.

[Serial Mom]

24. Here's one man who honors those who have died . .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=639567

[Rose Siding]

25. "Clinton met returning coffins from Kosovo"

There's something the bushies wouldn't want us to be reminded about.

This is an excellent article with a comprehensive sampling of this shameful behavior.

[nomaco-10]

28. Don't ever forget the duplicity of

the media in this. They could cover the funerals and give a voice to any of the families that would like to speak out.

[skip fox]

29. Maybe a letter writing campaign to local papers would help

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=639665

suggests some wording you might consider

[silverchair]

30. WTF???

i am so sick of the bullshit from this admin. it's one damn thing after another and it seems as if we are powerless to do anything about it. :mad: :mad: :mad: