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June 02, 2004
More on the "Wedding Party"
Via Jen Martinez, here's another report on the "wedding" that wasn't, from USMC LTCOL Bill Mullen:
Just reviewed a classified brief on the supposed wedding - no way it was. Here are some unclass details I can provide (brief had lots of pictures to back up the details):- Weddings traditionally held on Thursdays in Iraq to take advantage of Friday as a day of rest - raid took place on Tuesday night.
- Only permanent dwelling at the site held large stocks of food, bedding, medical supplies (lots of these - was the wedding going to be a cage match of some sort or were the caterers just bad cooks?), ammunition and weapons, as well as an apparent document forging set up.
- Meat was still frozen solid, not prepared for a wedding feast and there were no stocks of dishes, plates, etc.
- Contrary to media reports, no "Nuptial Tent" was found and a 1KM area around the site was searched - any further away than that would just be too far for the catering staff to walk carrying all those huge platters of food.
There's more. Read the entire e-mail here.
Posted by Deb at June 2, 2004 09:03 AM
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Comments
Aside from not paying attention to details after the "event" becomes "old news," the lack of common sense by our beloved news media can be a hindrance. The comment about traditional wedding date could surely have been looked up by someone with an Internet connection and the ability to find google.com.
Returning to the matter of common sense, I believe most of our Marines and Naval personnel (heck even the Army and Air Force ;)) can identify a large group of people at a "wedding." All photos indicated that this locale, not excactly the Iraqi equivalent of a local country club or banquet hall, did not house a wedding party.
Then there's the ever present and demanding (sigh) matter of "details." The "nuptial tent" obviously was verified by no one. Thats sometime I was taught when I worked on the student newspaper in high school. We were supposed to actually verify details (ahem, personally in some reasonable fashion), before we printed them as "news."
It seems that teachers (as well as professors in journalism schools) used to teach their students the importance of accuracy. Anyone, like that NYT whiz kid reporter, can make up stories. Journalists are supposed to determine facts. Yes, that's the boring part of the job, and it can be a demanding and difficult job, but one does that first before drawing conclusions. We demand that of our juries in a court of law. Why not our infotainment performers who masquerage as "journalists?"
Thank you for this update.
Posted by: Steve at June 3, 2004 12:00 AM
You say the email is not from a man named LTC. Bill Mullen. I received the email from a MOH Recipient who has never passed on hoaxes, scams and junk to me before. The email I received has Pentagon address information as well as a phone number for a LTC. Bill Mullen. Could you tell me why you are positive the email is a hoax?
Jennifer Martinez sends
Posted by: Jennifer Martinez at June 3, 2004 01:37 PM
Hi Jennifer!
I might be missing something, but who said here that the email was a hoax? Not saying you shouldn't consider giving this Mullen guy a call though...
Posted by: Joker at June 26, 2004 11:16 PM
I am the originator and it is not a hoax. I am no longer at the Pentagon (changed jobs and moved - normal for the military). I put it out due to the frustration at the poor news coverage. I put in my old e-mail address instead of my current address info because of the flood of phone calls and e-mails I received about this (all good I might add - but distracting when you are in a job that is already too busy). Thanks for the support indicated on this site.
Posted by: Bill Mullen at November 11, 2004 05:12 AM
I am the originator and it is not a hoax. I am no longer at the Pentagon (changed jobs and moved - normal for the military). I put it out due to the frustration at the poor news coverage. I put in my old e-mail address instead of my current address info because of the flood of phone calls and e-mails I received about this (all good I might add - but distracting when you are in a job that is already too busy). Thanks for the support indicated on this site.
Posted by: Bill Mullen at November 11, 2004 05:13 AM
Hiring the right wedding planner will make your special day even better! Everything will be taken care of just like as to how you would want it. Seriously think about spending a little more money for a more satisfying result.
Posted by: NY Wedding Planner at March 20, 2010 02:15 PM