Spinning to the Left is okay, I guess

But not to the Right.....

Published on December 31, 2005 By Rightwinger In Politics

U.S. Toll for Year in Iraq Nears '04 Mark

By JASON STRAZIUSO, Associated Press Writer
36 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Bombings and shootings killed at least 20 people across Iraq on the final day of the year Saturday, while U.S. troops shivered in the cold during a performance by an "American Idol" singer as part of New Year's Eve celebrations. The U.S. military also reported the death of an American soldier from wounds, bringing its death toll in Iraq for 2005 near last year's record level.
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Now, see....what this means is that US casualty figures are actually DOWN from what they were last year at this time.
But hey; that would be a positive perspective, wouldn't it? We can't have that. No.
So, instead of saying "US Iraq toll for year lower than 2004", they spin it in a slightly dimmer light.
The main body of the article goes on to detail the various instabilities still to be attended to in the nation.
They even took a quote from someone who said they could wait for the US troops to pull out and end the "occupation". Of course, it doesn't say how many people they actually had to ask before they found someone to give them the kind of quote they WANTED to hear. I'd like to see a count, please.
You know, I once heard it said that anything that is said could be legally misquoted, as long as the actual words, or even the root word, were used.
This is how movie production companies get a lot of the undeserved "rave reviews" they put on posters, DVDs cases and such. A critic will say something like:

"This movie was profoundly terrible...production values were miserable. The acting was impossibly, incredibly inept. Don't see it, whatever you do."

But, the movie company can legally take the quote and do this:

"This movie was profound.....production values were....impossible.....acting was incredible....see it, whatever you do."----Joe Nobody, Podunk, Arkansas Tattler-Buttpicker

I wonder how often the MSM does this to get their negative quotes?

By the way----Happy New Year, all.

Comments

Rightwinger

on Dec 31, 2005

That should have been "couldn't wait"

Shit.

singrdave

on Dec 31, 2005

U.S. Toll for Year in Iraq Nears '04 Mark

"Nearly record levels" mean down from last year.

Spinning bastards. Happy New Year, troops. Hope next year doesn't meet 2005's "near record levels".

kingbee

on Jan 01, 2006

Now, see....what this means is that US casualty figures are actually DOWN from what they were last year at this time.
But hey; that would be a positive perspective, wouldn't it? We can't have that. No.
So, instead of saying "US Iraq toll for year lower than 2004", they spin it in a slightly dimmer light.

if anyone's spinning anything, it would be the person who conveniently neglected to list the actual numbers (as the ap writer did) and provided no link so as to make it appear as the headline was innacurate.

5 fewer dead gis in 2005 (841) than 2004 (846) is a very good thing as even 1 less death would be.

why you think the article is a spin to the left (or even a spin at all) is totally beyond me. Link

your take on the article seems to be exactly what you're claiming to condemn.

stevendedalus

on Jan 01, 2006

But hey; that would be a positive perspective, wouldn't it? We can't have that. No.
So, instead of saying "US Iraq toll for year lower than 2004", they spin it in a slightly dimmer light That's because US troops are not as aggressive as they were the previous year; relatively speaking they are more laid back--a kind of hidden withdrawal. Still, and because of this, Iraqi[allied] forces are dying by droves.

Rightwinger

on Jan 01, 2006

5 fewer dead gis in 2005 (841) than 2004 (846) is a very good thing as even 1 less death would be.

---kingbee

And this is exactly my point. It may not be much, but it IS better than last year. Every little bit helps, right?
The headline could just as easily have read "US toll in Iraq down slightly from last year's figures". It didn't. That would have been a good thing, and that simply cannot be. What if, say, by next June, levels are somehow down to half what they were at that point in time last year?
I wonder if the headline would read
"US troops dying at record levels", even if the "record" would be one to the 'good'?

That's because US troops are not as aggressive as they were the previous year; relatively speaking they are more laid back--a kind of hidden withdrawal.

--steved

But---but---isn't this what we want? A "withdrawal"? You've been clamoring for it for some time now, from what I've seen.

Still, and because of this, Iraqi[allied] forces are dying by droves.

---steved

Again, something which should be primarily a good thing, according to much of what I've read of your previous postings. After all, this would perhaps presuppose a "civil war" then, wouldn't it? And that's "none of our business", right, steve?

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