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Censorship by the military?
This email, said to originate from Michael Yon was in my email inbox. Another blogger also received a similar email and reprinted it, so I take that as confirmation that I am not being hoaxed. Therefore I am reprinting the letter for discussion without endorsing any view on it. The text is below. I have omitted the name of the officer that Michael Yon specifically names until such time as the veracity of this email is confirmed. His website does not repeat the accusation made in the email. However the general issues that the email raises can be printed without danger. But I emphasize that I have not fully confirmed the provenance of the email. The emphasis is mine.
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Original Post
This may be connected...
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Opnen Letter To Lt. Col Barry Johnson
Lt.Col Johnson:
I happened to be listening to Pat Campbell's show when I heard him ask you if you knew Michael Yon. You may think it was my imagination - but I'm sure I heard you gasp as you were not only blindsided by the question but clearly uncomfortable at the mere mention of Michael Yon's name. A five second gap of silence on radio does not go unnoticed; the emnity you were harboring was palpable.
I'm sure a few people were touched by your deep concern for Michael's well-being, but surely you, better than most people, understand that you cannot spin to a PR savvy audience - especially to someone who has worked in Hollywood as long as I have- so don't insult me or Michael's far reaching, savvy and very influential global audience, by trying to do so.
Open Letter
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Michael Yon Online, where more may develop as the attention of the blogosphere turns to this story.
Commentary
I am hoping this is just a simple case of of a bureaucratic retard, and not sanctioned by the command authority. Imbeds, specifically those of the calibre involved, have been the only way reliable stories have made their way to us on the homefront. Goodness knows the REMFs that are the
I hope this potential censorship is not policy. If it is, heads need to roll, which is perhaps not the political correct term to use given the nature of the enemy we face.
Troubling....
The veracity of this email has been verified by Mike. Mike gave me permission to share some examples of the bullying, and indimidation tactics that CPIC used on him over several weeks while he was in Iraq - they became vindicative when they tried to prevent him from writing "Gates of Fire" and he stood up to them!
ReplyDeleteYou can read about this in greater detail in my subsequent post titled "CPIC, Censorship and LTC.Barry Johnson".
And this is not just the ludicrous stupidity of one man, the above event happened while LTC Steve Boylan was running CPIC
It's an endemic problem - CPIC needs to change the way they handle
Then we need to start banging trash can lids, and shining spotlights on it. You and Wretchard are doing a fine job.
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