At General Sanchez’s CENTCOM briefing to reporters following the Aces of Clubs and Hearts Operation in Mosul, Iraq yesterday, a reporter asked the following question:
Q: Thank you. General, I’d like to try and see if you could address more of the first question which we had from our colleague up front. The Americans are specialists in surrounding places, keeping people in them, holding up for a week, if necessary, to make them surrender. These guys only had, it appears, AK-47s, and you had immense amount of firepower. Surely, the possibility of the immense amount of information they could have given coalition forces, not to mention the trials that they could have been put on for war crimes, held out a much greater possibility of victory for you if you could have surrounded that house and just sat there until they came out, even if they were prepared to keep shooting.
There is a reason that senior officers like General Sanchez handle these press conferences and NOT First Sergeants.
A: Sir, that is speculation. General Sanchez’s.
A: Stand up Mr. Reporter and follow me (leading him out of the briefing tent and looking over shoulder), the rest of you are welcome to join us. Stand right here if you would Sir. If everyone else could step to the side please. Thank you. Tom, would you bring me an AK-47? Thanks. (walking 25 meters away from reporter) Mr. Reporter, Sir, this is “just” an AK-47, it fires a 7.62 mm round at some 3,000 rounds per minute. (leveling the weapon at the reporter) I’m now going to shoot it at you, don’t worry, I’ve very good aim, I won’t hit you. If you’d be more comfortable laying behind those sandbags feel free. When I’m done, I’d like you to ask me your question again, I don’t think I heard you properly.
Like I said, you rarely see dusty old First Sergeants fielding reporters’ questions ; ) Sgt Hook out.
Posted by Hook @ 0711 zulu | | Permalink
This post is filed under: Reconstructed
