March 15, 2008
Winter Soldier: Compliant Media and Message Control
After some online negotiations months ago The Iraq Veterans Against the War agreed to allow what can be called "opposition" milbloggers to attend the Winter Soldier Investigation now being held in Silver Spring, Maryland. One of those milbloggers, Thus Spake Ortner (TSO), a combat veteran of OEF, reports at The Sniper about interaction with Steve Vogel of WaPo:
"Walking back with the private goon (jk) run into Wash Post reporter (Vogel?) interviewing Vets For Peace guy. So I say hey, just wanted to let you know that the 'so called hostile bloggers' are in the back row in case you want to talk to us and provide some balance.
We waves me off and says no...."
That is followed by interaction with the IVAW's Geoff Millard:
"Maybe being thrown out, wait one. (Geoff Millard let me know they are monitoring Sniper, and apparently I violated a rule by talking to the Post guy. Which is odd since I had his people with me and was told it was okay. Whatever, they said I could stay. Whupee! Honestly didn't know.)"
Bruce Kesler of the Democracy Project puts the episodes in context.