Glenn Greenwald Has Said Kind Things About The Armed Forces, As It Turns Out

Yesterday, writing about the recent online dust-up between Time Magazine's Joe Klein and Salon's Glenn Greenwald, I pointed out that Klein levelled a significant and ugly charge: that Klein had "never seen [Greenwald] write a positive sentence about the US military," which then leads to the assertion, "Therefore, I have seen no evidence that he cares one whit about the national security of the United States. It is not hyperbole, it is a fact." Klein, in his very next sentence, averred, "I am not a religious reader of Greenwald...it's possible that I missed extensive posts in which he praises the Armed Forces or makes positive suggestions about how to track possible communications between terrorists abroad and their confederates here." I pointed out that the juxtaposition of these two sentences presented something of a contradiction.

That said, I was remiss in not following one critical angle, here. It should have occurred to me: "My, my. Wouldn't it be awfully embarrassing if it turned out that Glenn Greenwald had, in fact, spoken highly of the Armed Forces?" Well, one of John Cole's commenters set out to prove that, armed with Google and sixty available seconds, Klein could have actually found out for himself whether or not his claims were accurate. You'll never guess what he found!

[Klein:] "I have never seen him write a positive sentence about the US military."

OK this took 30 seconds to find:

[GREENWALD:] You don't have a monopoly on supporting the troops. I know a lot of people who vigorously oppose the war in Iraq and not a single one of them direct any of their anger about the war or opposition to it at the soliders, including me. Even soliders who fight in unjust wars are typically honorable and brave.

another 5:

[GREENWALD:] What kind of moral monsters would knowingly advocate policies--such as keeping Guantanamo opened and using "enhanced interrogation techniques"--which our top military leaders and the Commander-in-Chief have clearly stated will help America's enemies and directly result in the deaths of the brave American men and women serving overseas (and that's to say nothing of their support for a totally unnecessary war that sent more than 4,000 American soldiers--and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis--to their deaths)?

So...that's awkward!

PREVIOUSLY, on the HUFFINGTON POST:
Joe Klein Is Now Warblogging With Critics, Forever

[Would you like to follow me on Twitter? Because why not? Also, please send tips to [e-mail] -- learn more about our media monitoring project here.]

Comments

[Kebric]

Even if Mr. Greenwald had never written a positive statement about the military can anyone explain to me how that relates to caring about national security? Why would an absence of flattery be the equivalent of disinterest for security? I sense a flaw in logic here.

[jealousmonk]

I don't know whose job "praising the military" is. But it would be the journalists job to investigate the statements veracity.

[mountclemens]

Joe Klein is a good example of major media garbage. I was a journalist for a daily newspaper and tv. I know the difference between a liar such as Klein, and an admirable journalist/columnist such as Glenn Greenwald.

Many of you don't remember, I'm sure, that Klein wrote a fine "novel" about Clinton's first primary-election season. The title: Primary Colors. That book came out under the author name of "Anonymous." Nice ploy to get attention. But when repeatedly asked if he was "Anonymous," Klein lied. He said he wasn't the author of the book.
---- A real journalist doesn't do that. A reputable professional person doesn't do that. Now you know Joe Klein.

Glenn Greenwald is one of the great independent political columnists of our time.
Read him and learn. Read him and enjoy. Read him and become a better citizen. We NEED better citizens, some of whom will become the better Congresspeople and presidents that we so desperately need.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/

[Dredd]

Good points.

I, like many others, spoke highly of the military because of their conduct in the First Gulf War. When they took prisoners they said "now you are safe, do not worry" and then proceeded to treat them in a manner that brought honour to our nation.

But to whitewash them for heinous activity such as obviously trying to overthrow the foundational principles of civil government, and insert their own interests in their stead, is pure propaganda and by definition, no journalist will do that. Only propagandists do that.

http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2009/09/getting-caught-is-only-no-no.html

[calloy]

Joe, you reeeeally need to check into rehab. Take Christopher Hitchens with you.

[tfoley]

Is that the best you could find in regards to a positive sentence.....WOW

[miles120]

Isn't referring to our military men and women as brave and honorable positive?

[GeorgeP922]

Jason, love ya but you shoudn't throw rocks in a glass house, especially when in your house, your BOSS has FOUR stories about Dianne Soyor up.

Now I don't know if it's his crossing over to the other side politically (as rebublicans seem to love Diane) or if you guys are getting paid by CNN, FOX, and ABC for these weekly love stories on them, but it's going to blow up sooner then later.

The honeymoon won't last forever, one day another liberal media group will stand up.

And it's a shame too, as you Sam, Ryan, and many others make up a great DC staff.

Why are you not the editor for media?

[SewaneeLeftist]

It'd be awkward if Mr. Klein cared about how simple it would have been to find this out, but it sounds as if evidence is not what's driving his opinion here.

[keepyourheaddown*]

klein is a loser

[valkyrie607]

Well, THAT was only a matter of time.

Whenever Joe Klein writes, "I don't have the time to check and see if I'm wrong, but I'm going to say this anyway..." you can generally assume that he's wrong.

[greysells2]

Why is a food fight between two journalists news? He said; I said.

[oceanlover]

Truth baby...truth. It's about the truth...
Then there are those who don't care for such concepts... i.e. folks like you.

[ProfessorDuh]

Klein is, and always has been, just a word weasel. He's only upset because he's being held accountable for what he said.

[bored2tears]

Why is it that media people think civilians are *so* interested in media people?

[valkyrie607]

"Establishment journalists have a very significant impact on the world. They enthusiastically believe that to be true when it comes time to building their egos and establishing their own importance, but they instantly and emphatically deny it when it comes time to holding them accountable for what they do...

What they do and how they think matters. They're the filters through which the citizenry hears about and understands the actions of the government. They can illuminate or deceive, disrupt or enable wrongdoing by the powerful, refute or amplify propaganda, expand or narrow the scope of accepted ideas. They play a major role in whether we start wars, torture people, live under lawless leaders, maintain massive wealth disparities, allow a tiny group of corporations to own and control government. They constantly go on TV. Their claims are aired to millions. They're given access to the most powerful people. They're the public face and voice of the largest and most powerful corporations in the world. They're paid a lot of money.

It's every bit as legitimate -- and as vital -- to hold them accountable as it is political officials themselves."

--Glenn Greenwald

[SewaneeLeftist]

wow, valkyrie, good answer, good quotation

[mountclemens]

Yes! Agreed with the main commenter and with SewaneeLeftist.

Glenn Greenwald is one of the great independent political columnists of our time.
Read him and learn. Read him and enjoy. Read him and become a better citizen. We NEED better citizens, some of whom will become the better Congresspeople and presidents that we so desperately need.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/

[Inquisitr]

A fake Liberal lied?

Cuz that's never happened before

[thepoliticalcat]

Joe Klein purports to be a journalist and works for TimeWarner, the media conglomerate that gives us such wonders of the media world as AOL and Time magazine. Mr. Klein is best remembered for his rather effusive praise of Gee Duh my a's conduct of teh War On Iraq. Apparently, Mr. Klein's failure to fact-check and hew to accepted standards of journalistic integrity and accuracy have led Mr. Greenwald, among others, to criticize his reportage, or lack thereof. And this has Mr. Kline in a shorts-bunching tizzy. It's all too "dog bites man" for me, I'm afraid.