Question of the day: Where did the DNC get its IED footage? Update: The answer, partially; Update: Source video link added
Many veterans and bloggers are e-mailing about the DNC’s latest anti-war ad against McCain, which features a scene with two soldiers standing in the foreground as an IED goes off. The ad implies that they are US soldiers in Iraq. The ad is featured right now on the front page of Democrats.org in a splashy contribution plea.
The question for many outraged readers is: Where did the DNC get the video footage?
Here’s the ad on YouTube:
One writer speculates about possible sources of the video:
The footage appears similar to film taken by jihadists who videotape IED explosions that kill American combat troops. The jihadists place the video on the internet to tout their “kill Americans” campaign success. The Army estimates that more than 6,500 jihadist Web sites promote violence against America and American troops.
Many U.S. media outlets have refused to air excerpts from such videos for several reasons – including out of respect of the servicemen and women depicted in the videos.
The DNC apparently does not agree. Calls to the DNC for comment and for information about the footage went unreturned.
Or maybe the DNC got the vid from CNN.
You may recall that the DNC has blundered before in its exploitation of US troops for political statements. If they can’t tell the difference between American and Canadian soldiers, they’re certainly dumb enough and indifferent enough to our men and women in uniform to incorporate jihadi propaganda into their campaign ads.
Contact info for DNC is here.
Main Phone Number:
202-863-8000
***
Update 11:56am Eastern. We have our answer via LGF. You won’t be surprised: “[T]he IED clip comes from Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11. It’s at about 1:35 in…”
Here you go:
Follow-up question: Where did Michael Moore get the footage?
And another: Did the DNC just happen to use the same source or did they ask Moore for permission to use the clip from his movie?
Update 12:12pm Eastern. Reader redlegtruax e-mails:
Saw your post about the DNC ad, am not a registered poster so I can’t comment there. I believe that scene with the two Soldiers is from right after the invasion when the insurgency was becoming more active and roadside bombs were first named Improvised Explosive Devices. A news crew (don’t remember what organization, might have been NBC as I used to watch them back then) was with an American patrol, they spotted an IED. Two Soldiers stood behind a palm tree trying to get a better look at the object in question. The device exploded, the Soldiers were unharmed but ran from that spot immediately (as any of us would). So no one died, but the DNC is trying to make you think they did. Still in bad taste, but not as bad as showing insurgent footage of actual deaths.
***
Bob Owens: “The soldiers are on screen for just a split-second, just long enough for viewers to see that there was an explosion, but not long enough to know if the soldiers pictured survived uninjured, if they were wounded, or if they were killed. More than 3 full decades after the last U.S. soldier left Saigon, the party of Bill Ayers still revels in the imagery of blowing up U.S. soldiers as part of their political expression.”
Milblogger Greyhawk points to the source video link at Getty Images and adds:
In reviewing the ORIGINAL source video, I’m not even sure the soldiers were “attacked” – based on their “post-boom” actions that’s really not clear. Moving to cover with weapons ready would be a more obvious response, but even from the longer clip I’m uncertain. That might be a controlled det – found enemy device intentionally detonated. There’s no arguing that they either didn’t expect the explosion right then or if they did they underestimated the size. Again, these guys don’t appear to be responding to an immediate threat – but I don’t know with complete certainty. The DNC certainly wants the viewer to believe they were attacked – perhaps even killed. So you can definitely credit the DNC with skillfull editing, in addition finally finding US soldiers to use in an ad.
The odds of actually capturing an attack on video are fairly slim. Unless you’re a reporter engaged in an actual combat op you’re just not going to have a camera rolling at the opportune moment. Even Mike Yon doesn’t have many such examples, and he’s spent more time with troops than anyone. (Even with the Farah photo he didn’t get the shot of the attack itself.) Unless you’re embedded with the guys planting explosive devices (or detonating found ones) you’re just not going to get a good video of the explosion.
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Trackbacks
- The Rude News » Blog Archive » Democrat’s Praise IED Video In Attack Ad
- Moonbattery
- Right Voices » Blog Archive » The DNC Pulls A DNC On Their McCain Attack Ad
- RNC Echoes Conservative Blogs, Looks Even Dumber Than Usual » Oliver Willis
- Oblogatory Anecdotes/Ad blows up in DNC's faces
- Charlie Foxtrot - Images and their Messages
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Uh, hun, I’m a military spouse, I’m pretty much used to both war and ill-informed comments like yours. Your support is not evident in the way you mock folks like terrig. I don’t give a rat’s butt what your political affiliation is. I doesn’t take much to not be informed or uninvolved in any way.
Again, if this subject isn’t meaningful (as it isn’t with many Americans), you never served or don’t have family who’ve served, or just support the troops “for show,” then why do I care about your opinion?
You should care what I think, being that you’re talking about a war (or mocking it) that my husband (and terrig’s) are involved in. It’s a fact in both our lives, if not yours. You’re involved in the war how?
If you’re serious about the Iraq War that’s one thing, but if you’re here to laugh at people who support it, the troops, and the troops’ families, you do yourself and us no favors. Then again, why the hell does your opinion matter when disinterested Americans don’t seem to be bothered (of both political persuasions) with understanding what’s going on or even serving?
Mocking the troops/their families=pointless story, right?
caligulajones said:
I agree with this in principle only. I happen to agree with those Democrats who make medical care for the troops their platform Tammy Duckworth is such a person. Unfortunately, she lost in the last election but there are those Democrats out there (few and far between) who support what I think is reasonable and right.
ok emjem, the only opinion that matters is yours, got it.
So being insulting to terrig proves what? How much you support the military? I’ve lived with the cutting remarks from family and friends about who I’m married to. Do you have any idea what that’s like?
Sausage: how does showing terrorist propaganda videos help American perception of the war? It’s only good if it’s negative, right?
Terrig: it’s easy for many Americans to just wish the war away or pretend they “support” the troops while they undercut the mission with a cutting remark, a protest, or sympathizing with the devil. I wish your husband continued good health and Godspeed, may he only know the continued success of the mission and not the disinterest of a fickle American public.
I can’t speak for the DNC, and there are quite a lot (perhaps the majority) of pacifists / anti-war types who just really don’t respect the soldiers at all. On the other hand, there are also a lot of people who find this sort of thing
callous, stupid, and not any more respectful of soldiers. If you’re so glad to be sending 100,000 soldiers to die, then why are you offended when you’re reminded what that death looks like? My brother’s in the army, and I can’t imagine how the level of commitment affects the fact that these men are dieing. If my brother got blown up I wouldn’t take any comfort in the fact that other people are committed to continuing to be blown up.
Is exploiting these soldier’s deaths for political gain offensive? Yeah. Is euphemizing their deaths for political gain offensive? Yeah, and more so, because euphemisms fail to recognize the gravity of the fact that people are dieing. No matter how offended you are by people caring about soldiers dieing, I’m ten times more offended by your attitude that it’s fine by you “for every drop of blood we shed.”
Hey, I’ll leave all the snarky, “terrig slide back under your rock” comments alone then. It IS your opinion and has nothing to do with me.
Were you even interested in discussing this topic or making snarky remarks? Because if that’s your whole point in being here, I can call up one my liberal relatives and hear them go off on the war for the UMPTEENTH time.
Thanks but no thanks.
emjem24, I’m really not here to be snarky…i just don’t see what the ruckus is all about over this video.
emjem24, I’m really not here to be snarky…i just don’t see what the ruckus is all about over this video.
Mister P,
Please note my /sarc tag.
I don’t need any convincing. He said he had them and tried to thwart efforts to prove otherwise and subsequently got a long overdue spanking.
Scooter,
Personally I value emjem and terrig’s opinions more than yours. You have proven yourself to be little more than a bitter troll, clinging to potty language in the absence of your ability to make a valid point. Go run with scissors somewhere.
Personally I could care less what you value CC…so there ya go.
Okay, then let’s cut to the chase. Would your attitude have held up under World War II, where many men died? Generals conducted the Normandy landing knowing that those men landing on those beaches would be shot/bombed to pieces. How is that any different than the point Bob in Myrtle Beach made?
Should we just pull out of Iraq? Any one who is commissioned as a US military officer or an enlisted person knows that they might fight in a war. My husband’s in the military. Terrig’s husband’s about to deploy. We’re both fully aware of the dangers they face.
Bob made a really good point. He wasn’t trying to be heartless but war is heartless and it will never cease being that way just because it’s unpalatable for Americans who either don’t believe in war or don’t have the guts to be in the military.
People over in Iraq (and Afghanistan) are well aware of the IED situation and changing landscape. Yes, we WILL lose folks from the IED’s but we’re adjusting to that situation too. If you’re going to say that all we’re doing is just deploying more people to get blown up then you’re missing the whole picture.
Somewhere along the way this country lost its guts. We no longer know what it takes to conduct a war and FINISH it properly. The people who cry about death and whine about loss are doing so because they never agree with it (or aren’t even directly impacted by it). Both political parties have wrung every last drop of political blood out of the Iraq War until it has become no better than a hot potato, both for the government and the American people.
One more point: if the airing of a terrorist propaganda video of the killing of a US soldier is somehow viewing the whole landscape of war, then you’re getting one slice of what’s going on over there.
Of course, you don’t see any fuss in the DNC using terrorist propaganda video showing terrorists killing military men and women just so they can win an election to end a war as anything fuss worthy.
I noticed you don’t answer any questions. How is what you’re doing in any way a discussion or dialogue?
At least Rusty will stay and answer questions (that he likes). I’ll give him props for that.
How is what you’re doing in any way a discussion or dialogue?
Well, i post you respond, hence a discussion..if I get jumped on for what i say, i will respond in kind dear.
And both sides are doing whatever it takes to win the election. regardless of who wins, we aren’t ever going to leave Iraq, EVER, NEVER. I’ve accepted that. Have you?
Great minds think alike!
…And, did you know, that there are still people, who will vote for Democrats, because McCain is a Poopy-head?
I wonder, what level Democrats have to sink to, to get them to change their minds?
So the party who thinks this is ok wants to run the country? That’s far scarier than “President McCain”.
Those left wing nuts and all there ilk are just sick. If HC or Obumma end up as the president “baton down the hatches”. I suspect that the people in Germany didn’t think anything real bad could happen before Hitler won an election.
AlohaGuy said: #64
ROFLMFO! You must work for NSA!
remind me again, how many 9/11 hijackers were Iraqi?
ZERO #117
Emjem24, does the video show troops actually dying?
I’m way late but I can tell from that still image that movie is from Michael Moore’s movie. I watched the movie in the theaters and I will never forget the explosion as it reminds me of the realities of the jobs our men and women undertake over there.
Why did I pay $12 to watch that movie you might ask? I paid the money to develop an understanding of what America is up against with the anti-war movement and how this was a considerable effort by the anti-war movement to peddle a series of lies, fabrications, half truths and distortions to gain support for their cause.
Furthermore I’m laughing at Scooter’s denial for the crap he/she is stirring up.
oh yea rommsey..speaking of lies , fabrications, and half truths and distortions…lets talk about what got us into iraq in the first place tough guy..keep laughing..
regarding #117-#118
Dumber than a dump-truck o’donuts.
They tell on themselves, every time.
Hi Emjem, CC, & all, had to take a break and then my daughter got home from school. I thought my head was going to explode then my little soon to be 4 y/o decided he wanted to have a good cry because he missed daddy.
DarkKnight, I know that was directed at Emjem but what does it matter? Do you think the CNN showing of soldiers in the cross hairs about to die was nothing? Perhaps you did, I don’t know. The fact is, does it really matter? It’s a video clip of people being blown up and it really doesn’t matter if you’re not personally blown up, you can be killed by the concussion of the bomb as happened to a friend of ours in 05.
Rommsey, you’re a braver soul than I. I know it’s good to understand their mindset but I am not up to it. So, I thank you for sitting through that thing. My s-i-l saw it and bought it, hook, line and sinker.
if you can prove us wrong Frank, go right ahead..i won’t wait up
Fewer than were dying each month, during the mid-1990s and 2000 — allegedly — due to the sanctions imposed as a condition of a cease-fire (not an ‘end to the conflict’) from Desert Storm?
Why go half-throttle?
We could talk about American Idol.
go away then little fella
Did I hit a nerve? Were you not hugged enough as a child?
heh
Looks like, Michelle has a self-appointed blog sweeper/janitor.
heh
No lies, fabrications, half truths, or distortions from our side got us into Iraq, scooter. Those things we get from your side.
And for alamedaman, nobody on our side ever said that any of the 9/11 hijackers were from Iraq. That’s another liberal lie, fabrication, half truth, and distortion.
Is Mr. McCain going to keep pulling punches in this campaign. He was all over the NC GOP for their ad, what does he think about this one.
I wonder if he learned his lesson about off the cuff remarks? I would have rebutted we are still in Europe and Japan after 50 years and how many billions there? We should start pulling back our presence in Europe use the assets to assist the War in Iraq.
I love how the liberals love there little sound bites and get all hot and bothered when Mr. Wright’s are used against him.
awww yes..its always the other side telling the lies, where does it all end?..haha
If the 9/11 hijackers weren’t from Iraq, and Osama wasn’t in Iraq, why are they part of the GWOT?
GWOT is a joke dude..if it weren’t we’d have invaded Saudia Arabia, Pakistan, and Iran. get it?
…because…dude
bwahahahahah !!!
someone throw a net over these jokers.
frank, i thought i told you to go away? lol you usually do as you’re told…
scooter, I do get it. I was asking these leading questions to show these false conservatives that nation-building and spending trillions of dollars overseas is NOT the way of the right.
And here we have a clear view of the local trolls supporting the troops.
/sarc
Your hatred for the troops and support for the terrorists is duly noted.
…because, after all, we are the only true “conservatives” on the stage…dude
hahhahahah
Thanks #137…you’re totally right, seems as though none of these so called conservatives have a problem with this never ending war and increasing debt. Lights are on, but nobody’s home.
hey JHSII..get back in your bunker!
I do agree with what you are saying because I have seen a careless and recklessness on the opposite side before. Just like you I do not think that the message here is feed our soldiers into the war machine, numbers be damned.
Usually I remind people that my son and husband did not, actually, sign up for military service to die — they are not committed to dying! They are committed to defending our Country and keeping us all free — unfortunately death is a job hazard in this line of work. They are committed to their jobs, their oaths and they are committed to never backing down in the face of danger. Death is not something they go looking for.
I thought you could relate to that.
So what do our enlightened trolls believe is the “real” reason we invaded Iraq?
I see scooter is trying to prove that he’s incapable of intelligent, mature thought – but then we already knew that, it’s a hallmark of the left.
[ring - ring - ring]
Scooter36: “hullo?”
alamedaman: “Hey Scoot, dude…What’cha doin’?”
Scooter36: “I’m jes’ sittin’ here, with my bong in one hand, and a box of Screamin’ Yellow Zonkers in the other.”
alamedaman: “Yeh, me too…boring…Let’s go over to Michelle’s blog, and like, totally stir up some sh!t…dude”
is that how it went down?
#142..seems like its to get a foothold in the ME for future endeavors..and to build some Vatican City sized bases…but no, im sure you and JHSII are going to tell us we did it to liberate the peoeples…uh huh.
Frank & JHSIII, he said he wasn’t going to wait up for your responses. Guess it’s dinner time and mom told him to get out of the basement and come up and eat his dinner.
Great little story there, Frank!
Well why don’t you and the other kos kid tell us why we’re there. I mean, you’re not going, neither is your friend. Please enlighten us. We’re still in Germany and Japan, you know that right? When did that war end? Oh yeah, that was 1945, a mere 63 years (nearly) ago.
Frank, you’re short a few dudes, but still funny hahaha…
Terrig…rock..under it…now. thank you.
Scooter, dinner is ready, mommy wants you out of the basement now. Scooter, it’s dinner time, you need to get your butt out of the basement and eat what momma prepared for you.
So your saying Scooter that the Democrats who voted to send us into Iraq (along with the Republicans) all had the wool pulled over their eyes by the evil booooosh who only really wanted to conquer a section of the ME and build big bases?
Cause if so I have a bridge I would like to sell you.
Well it’s been real, it’s been fun, but not real fun with the know it all trolls. Good night all and to the trolls, I hope you have a pleasant evening in the land of oz.
whats for dinner Terrig? Im on my way..cya in a few momma
Its possible grizzlyman….so wheres that bridge at now? lol
lol this is funny, I barely comment here, and when I don’t follow the standard STAY IN IRAQ FOREVER and THE LEFT SUCKS ASS line, I get called a troll. I didn’t realize being a TRUE conservative was out of the norm with people who call themselves conservative. Whatever though, I’m not going to get pulled down into catty, internet-tough guy (or girl) banter.
Wow, it looks like scooter got something partially right. I’m impressed. That must have really hurt.
Note that I only said partially.
The part that you did get right was to use Iraq as a staging area for future engagements – much as we used France for a staging area to go into Germany in WWII.
I like the sarcastic comment though, about “liberate the peoples”. As if you care about anyone being liberated from a totalitarian regime.
hey alamedaman…it is funny isnt it? funny but sad, oh well..im going over to terrig’s for some supper, she makes a killer mutten! later
Terrig – scooter already said he’s going to crawl under his rock now.
“seems like its to get a foothold in the ME for future endeavors..and to build some Vatican City sized bases”
you make that sound like it’s a bad thing …
i knew you’d find that comment funny, considering you don’t care about the people either.
no, shmuckaroo..if thats the mission, sweet, lets do it..lets start eradicating right?
None of those lines here.
Then why did you come ehre with the “catty, internet-tough guy (or girl)” attitude?
that’s what we’ve been doing for 6 years, dumbass, yer just too stoopid to realize it …
Bridge to Nowhere
Absolut proof that scooter is a troll.
and a hypocrit.
i think we had passed the “proof” threshold several hours ago …
go get em shmuckaroo!
I have it on good authority, that not only do Scoot n’ alameda have opposable thumbs, but opposable toes as well.
I mean, how else can you talk on the phone with your hands full?
alrighty cowards..i’m done for today..you guys are good fun..i’ll cya tomorrow =)
Another cheap shot from scooter at Buckaroo – followed by calling all of us cowards.
scooter is the typical liberal, can’t think for himself, and doesn’t want to.
Useful idiot indeed.
im sorry. you’re right, you aren’t cowards. you’re just not very smart. lol
Welcome to the scooter show.Thought he would never leave.You can get all those type videos on military.com.Lots of jihad videos on ync.com if you can keep from busting your screen and get past the lousy porn.
Terrig, you asked the question “Does it really matter?”
The question was directed to emjem24 (because she posted in post #110 that the video did indeed showed soldiers dying.
I did not see anywhere that was proven, so I was making sure I had not missed anything. I was asking for clarification.
Indeed, I am aware that people are dying both immediately from IED’s and as a result of injuries (such as concussions, etc.).
It is interesting that some people (not sure if this includes you) who attack the media like CNN or NBC for broadcasting these images of soldiers at war, will then turn around and complain that:
1) Americans are not aware the human cost of the current Iraq War
2) Americans are not aware of the reality and seriousness of war
3) the media isn’t broadcasting enough images of the dangers solidiers are facing.
Now, as far as political purposes, some people may feel that changes the situation. They are entitled to their opinion. But I hypothesize that the message political groups may be trying to convey may be tied to what they are seeing in the polls.
From previous discussions between the two of us in the past, I don’t think that you are a fan of polls.
But consider these statistics:
According to the Pew Research Center, only 28% of Americans are able to correctly identify that over 4,000 soldiers have died in the War.
This was a drop from 54% of correct responses in August 2007.
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/762/political-knowledge-update
A Gallup poll taken April 18th-20% now says that 63% of Americans going into Iraq was a “mistake.”
http://pollingreport.com/iraq.htm
You asked the question “Does it matter if the video shows soldier’s dying?” That will depend on who you ask because some may feel that Americans need to be exposed to what is going on over there (some will use that position to support the war or some will use that opinion against the war).
IMHO.
We’re not the pones who said:
and then came back 11 minutes later to project.
So you don’t actually have an answer.
I just looked back through your posts and noticed that you haven’t actually done anything except insult. I guess you really are a waste of time.
We liked it better that way. At least the other trolls have a point and usually attempt to get that point across.
I just can’t believe what is happening to this country. So sad. I’m glad my dad is not here to see what has become of the country he fought and bled for in WWII. Here is a copy of what I sent to the DNC.
Army wife
To relate to what you said, one must have an innate understanding of duty… alas, that is rare among “certain ” posters. My personal thanks, for your husband and son’s unselfishness and sacrifice, as well as yours, maam!
Dark Knight, I don’t think the American people care to be quite frank and many such as are trolls would rejoice in seeing Soldiers die. That’s my opinion. I am aware of the fact that many get pleasure out of their deaths (little girly man being one of them). Personally, if my husband gets killed I don’t want the press there. I don’t want him to use his death in their anti war slanted reporting. When we were at Arlington for the funeral of one of our groomsmen the press was there. The report that came out though was not what the family wanted, they were disappointed. This was in 05 when everything was supposed to be good.
So in my opinion I don’t think that most Americans care one way or another as long as it doesn’t involve them personally.
Why would we beat a dead horse? This is the same dead horse that the anti-war types have had over 5 years to demonstrate and fail epically each time.
Why am I a tough guy all of a sudden, because I don’t put up with your crap?
Listen, you keep stirring up crap and we’ll keep mocking you.
Should read our trolls not are trolls.
Perhaps I should have made this more plainer. No, I am beyond being bothered with the fact that the American people don’t care. I think they cared in the first year but like everything else they got bored with it pretty quickly. I think in the beginning it was cool to put a yellow magnet on your car, but come to think of it, I see even fewer of those these days.
Unlike in WW2, where everyone was involved in some way-most people aren’t. The number of people serving in Congress has fewer vets than ever and it’s only getting worse. Immediate family members serving are also few and far between these days.
No, no one signs up to die when they join the service. I understand that as well as my husband. I was in because I was inspired by Ronald Reagan to be a part of something greater than myself. My husband joined for similar reasons and for the opportunities he would be afforded. Sorry if you don’t get that.
would someone tell me where and when the heck we found those pesky WMD’s?
Hundreds have been located and destroyed Scooter36. Unfortunately they are the stereotypical WMDs the media painted in your thick skull.
should read aren’t*
MNUSMCDavid, I hear what you are saying, and I agree!
Thank you too, sir, for your service as well!
That was my point in my post… that public awareness of the War is down. So my question is, in your opinion, do you want the American people does it bother you that only 28% can identify the 4,000 death figure? Do you want people to become more aware? If so, how?
Huh? Don’t get what? I never questioned why you got into the Army. And I never EVER said that people sign up to die when they join the service. Who was this comment directed to?
Dark Knight, that wasn’t directed to you, it was spaced for a reason. Speaking only for myself, I think that most Americans don’t care unless they’re directly related to it. I don’t know if it would make any difference.
Terrig, you never mentioned who the “you” is in your sentence.
At any rate, in your opinion, the media coverage doesn’t have an effect on if Americans care. You say “most Americans don’t care unless theyre directly related to it.”
So, I ask you straightforward, in your opinion…should images from the war zone be used for political purposes (either in support for or against)?