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Dead U.S. Soldier in Anti-War Video 'Alive and Well'
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ShareJanuary 08, 2007 8:00 AM
An Iraqi insurgent propaganda video, containing what is described as a Christmas message from a U.S. soldier taped just before he was killed, appeared on dozens of Web sites and on the al Jazeera network.
But a lot about the video does not add up, including the fact that ABC News found the supposedly dead soldier is "alive and well" and present for duty, according to a U.S. Army spokesman at Fort Campbell, Ky.
"There are a whole bunch of lies on that tape," said Lt. Col. Ed Loomis at Fort Campbell. "It is nothing but a total fabrication."
THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDS
A producer at al Jazeera said it would change its description of the video after learning from ABC News that the soldier was not dead.
The tape begins in dramatic form with the title "Lee's Life for Lies."
Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.
It is supposedly a Christmas greeting from a U.S. soldier, Specialist Lee Kimball Tucker, sent to his family in Florida before he was killed.
First there are scenes of Tucker celebrating his birthday with his buddies.
Then a cut to an attack on a U.S. Army humvee and its aftermath.
An insurgent narrator says the insurgents found a computer flash drive in the wreckage that belonged to Tucker and purports to play it.
A voice says, "Dear Mom and Dad, I'm so glad I could send you my third Christmas greetings letter."
Watch the beginning of the Iraqi Insurgent Video.
Lt. Col. Loomis told ABC News that while the pictures appear to be authentic, it was a case of Tucker's identity being stolen in Iraq.
The voice identified as Tucker says he and his fellow soldiers became violent and reckless searching for insurgents.
"The crimes by our soldiers during break-ins started to merge, such as burglary, harassment, raping and random manslaughter," says the voice. "Why are we even here? The people hate us."
Laura Mansfield, an Arabic language analyst and publisher of a newsletter "Strategic Translations" that tracks jihadi websites, said this is a new trick in the jihadists' propaganda campaign.
"This is part of a very shrewd campaign to reach a U.S. audience, soldiers and voters," she said. "It is in English and forgives most soldiers and Americans, calling on them to help end the war."
Also on the tape is a description, supposedly from Tucker, of how soldiers buy their way out of dangerous night patrols and gun turret duty with cash and drugs.
"The marijuana-rolled cigarettes are the rare currency capable of buying or changing anything. The drugs goes all around here," says the voice.
And it ends with a final denunciation of U.S. leaders and policy.
"What we are doing here is so disgraceful; our acts are shameful," says the voice. He then signs off, "Specialist Lee Kimball Tucker."
Watch the video where the voice professes his anti-war sentiments.
All very powerful from a dead soldier, except for the fact that Lee Kimball Tucker is not dead.
His family says he returned from Iraq in May and was with them over the holidays so he would not have been sending any messages home.
There will be an internal investigation at Fort Campbell to determine how the insurgents got a hold of the home video of the soldiers, and Fort Campbell officials are urging all soldiers to take further precautions against identity theft.
Tucker's mother Pam of Fort Worth, Texas, told ABC News that Tucker is not anti-war and that he could be returning to Iraq later this year.
January 8, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (158)
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Last time I checked, propaganda videos released by the insurgency don't constitute "anti-war videos." The title of this article is misleading.
Posted by: Christopher | Jan 8, 2007 12:44:00 PM
What's the difference between this and CBS 60-Minute story on Pres Bush's reserve service? Looks the terrorists learned well form CBS and all the other 'news' sorurces in the US.
Posted by: schowtab | Jan 8, 2007 12:46:57 PM
My comment? I am highly impressed that there are, to my knowledge, seven more sane and knowledge Americans. Now if there were only more of us in the traditional media. I was surprised when Dan Rather moved to some sort of Hi-Def news channel. Won't that show more clearly how genuinely wrong he really is?
Posted by: David | Jan 8, 2007 12:58:44 PM
It's amusing to see people making a false analogy argument that since insurgents release anti-war videos and "librals" [sic.] also have some anti-war opinions, ergo liberals are in some ways analogous to the terrorists.
Apparently it is now true that if you say anything against the war or US policy you are "just like the terrorists".
Posted by: John | Jan 8, 2007 12:59:17 PM
One would have to question as to whether or not this is an Iraqi insurgent propaganda video, or our very own governments handy work. Another troubling aspect; Spc.Lee Kimball Tucker appears to "not" be speaking out, nor is he making any statements, or public appearances. Nowhere, do we see that 'anyone' has physically seen, or personally spoken with Spc.Tucker. I must agree with Ian, verbiage in this message is interesting to say the very least and raises more questions. Kit
Posted by: Kit Atkins | Jan 8, 2007 1:01:15 PM
The arab world is full of misleading lies, to conform its sheep like people to follow thier insane leaders. This just shows how bias and motive driven the al Jazeere network is. Although the suppressed people of the arab world live under these false-hoods, with out question.
Posted by: Jim | Jan 8, 2007 1:02:41 PM
One would have to question as to whether or not this is an Iraqi insurgent propaganda video, or our very own governments handy work. Another troubling aspect; Spc.Lee Kimball Tucker appears to "not" be speaking out, nor is he making any statements, or public appearances. Nowhere, do we see that 'anyone' has physically seen, or personally spoken with Spc.Tucker. I must agree with Ian, verbiage in this message is interesting to say the very least and raises more questions. Kit
Posted by: Kit Atkins | Jan 8, 2007 1:04:59 PM
How interesting indeed! Some good news for a change copming out of Iraq and what's the first message on this particular thread?
"If this was a true event, and our soldiers were proven to be murderers, rapiest and the rest, you would see this on every left wing blog in the world...."
Conservatives whine and moan about the "MSM" only concentrating on the bad stories, then say they make up stories and people out of whole cloth, as was the case with Michelle Malkin and Iraqi Police Captiain Jamil Hussein and then when it turns out the person is real, they refuse to apologize for their absurdity, and then whine some more whine good news comes out.
Well, at least conservatives are consistent in their selective outrages.
Posted by: Phillybits | Jan 8, 2007 1:05:23 PM
Let's see how much play this gets on other US news outlets. It oughta be the lead story. I agree with the other poster, we need to combat this type of Islamic propaganda and quickly. I'm sure the exposure of this story as a fraud disappointed Nancy Pelosi and her ilk.
Posted by: Ed Stanowicz | Jan 8, 2007 1:06:21 PM
Al-Jazeera??? That little film ended with a voice-over: "This B.S. paid for by friends of Pelosi"!!!
Posted by: Philip | Jan 8, 2007 1:06:41 PM
Shocking as it is that the MSM has decided to pick this story up - kudos to ABCnews.com - I'm feeling like the real motive, rather than an effort to report truth, is an effort to say to Al Jazeera, "Stay off our turf - we're in charge of anti-US propaganda in english!"
Posted by: tfhr | Jan 8, 2007 1:09:24 PM
Huh, John, not all who claim to express a voice of dissent over the war are terrorists but those who do are aiding the enemy. It is exactly what the Islamo Fascist enemy is hoping for. Divide and conquer. This enemy has learned well from the Communists in Vietnam. We cannot allow them to succeed again. 3000 dead Americans in NYC!! Isn't that enough to convince you the states are too high to lose?????
Posted by: Ed Stanowicz | Jan 8, 2007 1:10:07 PM
So, ummm, dead or alive, did the soldier actually make those accusations against the military and description of the situation in Iraq, or was the alleged video/voice false?
If he actually made the statements, then there is at least some truth to the so-called propaganda.
Also, are we now putting the anti-war crowd in the same crowd as Iraqi insurgents? Oversight or malicious demonization of people who are simply against the bombing of foreign countries and civilians so that the vast military industry can make billions?
Posted by: Tom Reid | Jan 8, 2007 1:11:02 PM
Huh, John, not all who claim to express a voice of dissent over the war are terrorists but those who do are aiding the enemy. It is exactly what the Islamo Fascist enemy is hoping for. Divide and conquer. This enemy has learned well from the Communists in Vietnam. We cannot allow them to succeed again. 3000 dead Americans in NYC!! Isn't that enough to convince you the states are too high to lose?????
Posted by: Ed Stanowicz | Jan 8, 2007 1:11:26 PM
Speaking of propaganda....
Shills.
Posted by: John T. | Jan 8, 2007 1:12:54 PM
There are so many gullible people in the United States who believe this. However, I do no fault the igorant 13th century murderers the US is fighting, I blame Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Dick Durbin, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Russ Feingold and all the other assorted anti-American liberals rooting for the enemy. Their words have power as we have seen repeatedly.
Posted by: Donna | Jan 8, 2007 1:16:01 PM
"our soldiers during break-ins started to merge, such as burglary, harassment, raping and random manslaughter,"
Sound like John Kerry's 1972 testimony and 2005 seneat speach.
He should have copy written it.
Posted by: Charles | Jan 8, 2007 1:18:16 PM
What about all the lies the US Governement has been telling us all about this WAR? What about their propoganda. What about the "clear and present danger of WMD" that was all BS too, how different than this?
Posted by: Anon | Jan 8, 2007 1:23:38 PM
Interesting how Mr. Reid will not tolerate the demonization of anti-war activists while he characterizes our response to the murder of thousands of innocent civillians as "the bombing of foreign countries and civilians so that the vast military industry can make billions." Only liberals may name-call, haters!
Posted by: Cheryl | Jan 8, 2007 1:28:40 PM
Propaganda by the left wing media? Why don't you people get off your high horse and try watching something other than Fox News for a change. Everyone knows that that channel is a joke. Liberals may be against the war, but anyone who believes that liberals WANT us to lose, clearly is mis-informed and shouldn't be making any comments whatsoever. The fact is folks, the white house is trying to paint this cheery picture that everything is going swell over there but the reality is that this is Vietnam all over again. In fact, Military Times (try using the "liberal media bias" bull on this one) did a poll and found that only 1/3 of troops actually support Bush. WAKE UP YOU SHEEP!
Posted by: jon | Jan 8, 2007 1:32:02 PM
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