I’m having to attend to some work matters this morning and will post later about last night’s podcast but in the meantime, listen to Matt Sanchez.
It was truly an honor to speak to Matt, who was calling from a tent somewhere in Iraq. He called from a satellite phone and his connection was iffy at times, but this was an excellent podcast. While we waited for Matt to call in, Siggy and I were joined by Matt’s producer, Scott, and by Jennifer of Military News on Line Radio.
Special thanks to Siggy for his help. My own phone connection got cut halfway through the podcast and Siggy valiantly held the fort.
More blogging later.
UPDATE:
Siggy just posted,
Notwithstanding that Sanchez had some technical difficulties and called in late, the podcast was extended and turned out to be noting less than a terrific and eye opening examination of the realities in Iraq- realities that the MSM are not reporting.
Sanchez is one of only 33 reporters in all of Iraq – a nation that is geographically the size of Utah with a population that is equal to the states of New York and New Jersey combined. To put that another way and in perspective, there are more network news staff in Billings, Montana than there are in all of Iraq. Further, the majority of the reporters in Iraq are huddled in Baghdad hotel rooms, with no first hand experience in the field.
Not so Matt Sanchez. Unlike most of his journalist ‘colleagues,’ Sanchez is embedded with fighting troops and reports from the battlefront. He is as comfortable in remote regions along the Syriam border as he is walking down the streets in Baghdad or Basra. He has been in Afghanistan and has seen remote villages where the Taliban are welcomed and others, we they are scorned.
Sanchez puts the pictures broadcast from Iraq into the proper focus. His is a wide angle and panoramic view, unlike the deliberately cropped, and edited images and ideas that are the mainstay of the MSM menu.
We discussed how Iraqis regard the Americans and the little mentioned real cooperation between the Iraqi Army and our own troops. We talked about the missing WMD’ – a subject most Iraqis want to avoid and we talked about Al Qaeda in Iraq.
We also discussed the Shia/Sunni rift and Iran. Matt’ take on that will upend everything you think you know about Iraq.
