Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 103
April 7, 2014
When Patti Met the Pope
This happened: Patti Smith met the Pope one year ago during his usual rounds. Yes, she once famously proclaimed that Jesus did not die for her sins. She says she found the new Pope "interesting." Liked him "a lot." Patti wrote for me at Crawdaddy about worshipping...Jimi Hendrix.
A Spoonful of Medicine
This week's New Yorker cover with some familiar faces.
When Bobby Was in the Basement
Mixing up the medicine....my 2nd visit to Big Pink on Saturday means I ought to urge you to find and order one of the "complete" Basement Tapes (unofficial) CDs online. Even at this late, and despite the many volumes of Dylan's official "bootleg" series, most of the tunes recorded on two-track by Garth in the basement still have not been released by Columbia. Most of the tunes are 1) usually great covers or 2) partial or full originals that needed more work, which they apparently never got. Here are some samples, with The Band, of course, 1967, not necessarily the best of the unreleased but they give you some idea. My new Big Pink shot at left.First, an apparent original, "One Man's Loss." Then covers of two by Bob's friend Johnny Cashm "Folsom Prison Blues"and "I Forgot to Remember."
Jayson Blair Was Still At It
A few days ago, I brought you a link to one of the most notorious acts of journalistic malpractice carried out by the legendary Jayson Blair at the NYT, from his "visit" to Jessica Lynch's hometown, 11 years ago last week, complete with epic-length Times correction. Here's another from a few days later, also with massive correction at bottom, this time about a pastor in Cleveland who had lost a son in Iraq war.
Watch Me on the Radio
Well, you know what I mean. Was on Sam Seder's show today, which is posted on You Tube, talking about my new ebook,
When Hollywood Turned Left
. I arrive at about the 6:00 mark.
A 'Hero' of 'Collateral Murder'
This week marks the fourth anniversary of the day we first saw, if from a distance, a soldier named Ethan McCord. Julian Assange that day released the video he had titled “Collateral Murder.” It showed a 2007 incident in Baghdad when a US Apache copter crew gunned down more than a dozen Iraqis, most likely civilians, on the streets below, including two Reuters staffers.
After a flurry of publicity, the episode soon faded from the media, although three major WikiLeaks releases followed last year, all allegedly coming via Private Bradley Manning.
Ethan McCord first spoke out in an interview published by Wired online on April 20, 2010, after the release of the video to testify that he was on the scene that day and helped rescue two badly injured children (who were riding in a van driven by their father who had tried to helped the wounded only to be killed himself) and carry them to a vehicle that took them to a hospital. He has since continued to protest what happened that day -- and the war in Iraq.
Most notably, he would be featured in a film that would earn an Oscar nomination. Here is a link to the film's site. UPDATE: See comment by McCord in my Comments section below.
Below is an excerpt from my The Age of WikiLeaks book—recounting the surprising interview McCord gave shortly after the release of "Collateral Murder." See my post earlier today about the reaction, three years ago, to the video.
* * *
[image error]One of the most remarkable interviews relating to this whole episode came to light on April 20, 2010, when Kim Zetter at Wired revealed that she had located and interviewed one of the soldiers in the video.
He was Ethan McCord, 33, the father of three who had left the Army after seven years and was now living in Kansas. In the video, McCord was seen carrying the 10-year-old boy, Sajad, from the van to seek medical care. He had recently posted a letter online—with fellow soldier Josh Steiber—asking Sajad’s family’s forgiveness and backing the WikiLeaks release of the video.
McCord described his shock at seeing people “destroyed” on the ground and finding the badly injured children in the van, helping a medic take the girl to a nearby building, and then coming back for the boy. After carrying Sajad to a Bradley, “I got yelled at by my platoon leader that I needed to stop trying to save these mf ’n kids and go pull security….
“After the incident, we went back to the FOB [forward operating base] and that’s when I was in my room. I had blood all down the front of me from the children. I was trying to wash it off in my room. I was pretty distraught over the whole situation with the children. So I went to a sergeant and asked to see [the mental health person], because I was having a hard time dealing with it. I was called a pussy and that I needed to suck it up and a lot of other horrible things. I was also told that there would be repercussions if I was to go to mental health.
“I’ve lived with seeing the children that way since the incident happened. I’ve had nightmares. I was diagnosed with chronic, severe PTSD. [But] I was actually starting to get kind of better.… I wasn’t thinking about it as much. [Then I] took my children to school one day and I came home and sat down on the couch and turned on the TV with my coffee, and on the news I’m running across the screen with a child. The flood of emotions came back. I know the scene by heart; it’s burned into my head. I know the van, I know the faces of everybody that was there that day.
“I did see a video on YouTube after the WikiLeaks [video] came out, of the children being interviewed.… When I saw their faces, I was relieved, but I was just heartbroken. I have a huge place in my heart for children, having some of my own. Knowing that I was part of the system that took their father away from them and made them lose their house…it’s heartbreaking. And that in turn is what helped me and Josh write the letter, hoping that it would find its way to them to let them know that we’re sorry. We’re sorry for the system that we were involved in that took their father’s life and injured them. If there’s anything I can to do help, I would be more than happy to.
“Personally, I believe the first attack on the group standing by the wall was appropriate, was warranted by the rules of engagement. They did have weapons there. However, I don’t feel that the attack on the van was necessary…. And where the soldier said [in the video], ‘Well, you shouldn’t take your kids to battle.’ Well, in all actuality, we brought the battle to your kids.
“I think that the bigger picture is what are we doing there? We’ve been there for so long now and it seems like nothing is being accomplished whatsoever, except for we’re making more people hate us.
“I don’t say that Wikileaks did a bad thing, because they didn’t…. I think it is good that they’re putting this stuff out there. I don’t think that people really want to see this, though, because this is war.… It’s very disturbing.”
Greg Mitchell is author of more than a dozen books, including his latest on Bradley Manning and "The Age of WikiLeaks." His new book on Iraq and the media is "So Wrong for So Long."
After a flurry of publicity, the episode soon faded from the media, although three major WikiLeaks releases followed last year, all allegedly coming via Private Bradley Manning.
Ethan McCord first spoke out in an interview published by Wired online on April 20, 2010, after the release of the video to testify that he was on the scene that day and helped rescue two badly injured children (who were riding in a van driven by their father who had tried to helped the wounded only to be killed himself) and carry them to a vehicle that took them to a hospital. He has since continued to protest what happened that day -- and the war in Iraq.
Most notably, he would be featured in a film that would earn an Oscar nomination. Here is a link to the film's site. UPDATE: See comment by McCord in my Comments section below.
Below is an excerpt from my The Age of WikiLeaks book—recounting the surprising interview McCord gave shortly after the release of "Collateral Murder." See my post earlier today about the reaction, three years ago, to the video.
* * *
[image error]One of the most remarkable interviews relating to this whole episode came to light on April 20, 2010, when Kim Zetter at Wired revealed that she had located and interviewed one of the soldiers in the video.
He was Ethan McCord, 33, the father of three who had left the Army after seven years and was now living in Kansas. In the video, McCord was seen carrying the 10-year-old boy, Sajad, from the van to seek medical care. He had recently posted a letter online—with fellow soldier Josh Steiber—asking Sajad’s family’s forgiveness and backing the WikiLeaks release of the video.
McCord described his shock at seeing people “destroyed” on the ground and finding the badly injured children in the van, helping a medic take the girl to a nearby building, and then coming back for the boy. After carrying Sajad to a Bradley, “I got yelled at by my platoon leader that I needed to stop trying to save these mf ’n kids and go pull security….
“After the incident, we went back to the FOB [forward operating base] and that’s when I was in my room. I had blood all down the front of me from the children. I was trying to wash it off in my room. I was pretty distraught over the whole situation with the children. So I went to a sergeant and asked to see [the mental health person], because I was having a hard time dealing with it. I was called a pussy and that I needed to suck it up and a lot of other horrible things. I was also told that there would be repercussions if I was to go to mental health.
“I’ve lived with seeing the children that way since the incident happened. I’ve had nightmares. I was diagnosed with chronic, severe PTSD. [But] I was actually starting to get kind of better.… I wasn’t thinking about it as much. [Then I] took my children to school one day and I came home and sat down on the couch and turned on the TV with my coffee, and on the news I’m running across the screen with a child. The flood of emotions came back. I know the scene by heart; it’s burned into my head. I know the van, I know the faces of everybody that was there that day.
“I did see a video on YouTube after the WikiLeaks [video] came out, of the children being interviewed.… When I saw their faces, I was relieved, but I was just heartbroken. I have a huge place in my heart for children, having some of my own. Knowing that I was part of the system that took their father away from them and made them lose their house…it’s heartbreaking. And that in turn is what helped me and Josh write the letter, hoping that it would find its way to them to let them know that we’re sorry. We’re sorry for the system that we were involved in that took their father’s life and injured them. If there’s anything I can to do help, I would be more than happy to.
“Personally, I believe the first attack on the group standing by the wall was appropriate, was warranted by the rules of engagement. They did have weapons there. However, I don’t feel that the attack on the van was necessary…. And where the soldier said [in the video], ‘Well, you shouldn’t take your kids to battle.’ Well, in all actuality, we brought the battle to your kids.
“I think that the bigger picture is what are we doing there? We’ve been there for so long now and it seems like nothing is being accomplished whatsoever, except for we’re making more people hate us.
“I don’t say that Wikileaks did a bad thing, because they didn’t…. I think it is good that they’re putting this stuff out there. I don’t think that people really want to see this, though, because this is war.… It’s very disturbing.”
Greg Mitchell is author of more than a dozen books, including his latest on Bradley Manning and "The Age of WikiLeaks." His new book on Iraq and the media is "So Wrong for So Long."
"Wrecking Ball" Re-Visited
One of the great albums of our era is getting a three-disc re-issue this week and tour. It's Emmylou's Harris's genre-bending 1995 Wrecking Ball produced by Daniel Lanois (fresh off U2) with all of his trademark murk and rumblings and burps. She's also doing a few dates with Lanois. Album features songs by Steve Earle, Neil Young, Lucinda Williams and introducing Gillian Welch. One cut, by and with Lanois:
Jesse Winchester, A Look Back
There's a report--now debunked--that great songwriter Jesse Winchester has died at 69 from cancer. In any case, his Facebook page did report him going into hospice care recently. Far from a household name, but drew wide acclaim more than 40 years ago,with a debut album, featuring such as "The Brand New Tennessee Waltz" produced by Robbie Robertson at the height of The Band's influence. Also famous because he was a Vietnam war draft resister living in Canada and could not tour for many years in the USA. In fact, when I was at Zygote in 1971 (before re-starting Crawdaddy), we went a write to Montreal to interview him. Check out his mid -1970s albums for some great stuff especially. Here are a couple selections. First, obscure "Isn't That So." Below, he reduces Neko Case to tears on TV.
LIke a Very Loud Hurricane
One of my favorite Neil Young songs, here live last month by the great Alejandro Escovedo, with Peter Buck and a lead violin.
Baghdad Bob: Where Is He Now?
Talk about 15 minutes of fame that didn't end quite on time. Of course, his front-page status ended after Baghdad fell, 11 years ago this week, but Saddam Hussein's chief spokesman, Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf, remained a comedy icon for months, maybe years (you can still buy the t-shirt and coffee mug), for his over-the-top claims that all was well until he needed to flee as the Americans took the city. Miraculously, he was never charged with anything and went on to be a TV anchor, sans trademark beret. He now lives--quietly, we hope--in the UAE. Some of his greatest hits:"No, I am not scared, and neither should you be."
"Be assured: Baghdad is safe, protected."
"We are in control, they are not in control of anything, they don't even control themselves!"
"I have detailed information about the situation...They are achieving nothing; they are suffering from casualties. Those casualties are increasing, not decreasing."
"I blame Al-Jazeera."
"I would like to clarify a simple fact here: How can you lay siege to a whole country? Who is really under siege now?"
"We're giving them a real lesson today. Heavy doesn't accurately describe the level of casualties we have inflicted."
"This is unbiased: They are retreating on all fronts. Their effort is a subject of laughter throughout the world."
"The force that was near the airport, this force was destroyed."
"Our estimates are that none of them will come out alive unless they surrender to us quickly."
"They hold no place in Iraq. This is an illusion."
"You can go and visit those places. Everything is okay. They are not in Najaf. They are nowhere. They are on the moon."
"God made us victorious."
