[Peace-discuss] Intriguing message to me from a US Army soldier

[Randall Cotton]

Here's a little intrigue for those interested:

Today, I was somehow addressed directly by a 1st Sgt. Ken S. Heller, 101st
Airborne, from Iraq (presumably as part of an activist mailing list he
somehow obtained). I have no idea how this wound up in my inbox. Did anyone
else get this?

The upshot (though it's a little hard to decipher) is that, according to
Heller, the "Coalition Provisional Authorities" (read "Paul Bremer") is
apparently planning to take over Mosul TV and essentially dismantle and
rebuild it to its own liking. If you'll recall (and I do), Mosul TV cropped
up in the news a while back because someone in the 101st Airborne (Charmaine
Means) refused orders to seize the station and post troops there. That is
covered in a Wall Street Journal web article referenced in Heller's e-mail
below (and I just checked that it's still alive).

Though I was skeptical at first, this is not a hoax. I run Internet mail
servers for a living and can identify forged e-mail (from the header
information). This message is authentic. Also, Ken Heller checks out as a
military journalist in the 101st Airborne Division (e.g. his name is
credited in the "Iraqi Destiny" military newsletter at:

http://www.centcom.mil/Operations/Iraqi_Freedom/Iraqi_Destiny/Issue27.pdf

So apparently, we have what might appear to be a soldier-activist on our
hands. Problem is (and I'm sure this surprises no one), the US Army itself
has been an oppressive censoring force on Mosul TV for months. The following
Washington Post article sheds some light on that:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A6
1699-2003May15&notFound=true

It is telling, though, that an authentic example of resistance to U.S.
designs in Iraq showed up in my mailbox from an actual U.S. soldier on the
ground.

R

----- Original Message -----
From: <ken.heller at us.army.mil>
To: <recotton at earthlink.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2003 1:19 PM
Subject: Mosul, Iraq, TV Main Station Opening


> Sir/Ma'am,
>
>  I invite your attention to the enclosed release on Mosul TV as the
station was mentioned in one of your articles as clipped below and also
request your attention to an upcoming problem. Maj. Gen. David H. Patraeus,
commander of the 101st Airborne Division currently in Mosul, has rehired MAJ
Charmaine Means, which when you do the research via the WWW you will find he
fired her for protecting the station, and challenged her and her 8-man team
of soldiers to take care of the TV station, helping to rebuild its main
facility, to continue the employment of the 120 families in the region, and
to evolve it into a fair and independent media outlet with his and the
Division's full backing and resources. We have strived to do all of this
without the Coalition Provisional Authorities backing. CPA is now attempting
to take over the station, fire all the employees, rename it as part of its
Iraqi Media Network, employ only 25 personnel of their choosing and to
basically censor the freedom
>
>  of choice and freedom of the press the Iraqi people have come to value.
We are currently looking for non-governmental sponsorship for the station
and for someone to continue to care about its evolution to a free and
independent outlet with the freedom to provide local news coverage to the
residents of Northern Iraq. I would request your support in getting this
message out before the station is taken. As a journalist in the military I
have a hard time believing this is the right move for the CPA to take but no
one in Baghdad wants to take the time to come down and look at the ground
here and make an educated decision. If you could assist in this endeavor it
would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help
>
> Ken
>
>
>
> - A U.S. Military officer was relieved of duty after she refused an order
to
> seize a Mosul TV station because "military officials were uncomfortable
with
> the station's programming"  (ed. note: Wall Street Journal article
covering
> this is at:
>
> http://wsjclassroomedition.com/wsjtoday/war/03may08_story2.html

[following is a news-release that Heller also provided in his e-mail -
Randall]

Pfc. Mary Rose Xenikakis

22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

July 4, 2003 - Official Opening



TV MOSUL



MOSUL, Iraq - The official opening of TV Mosul, July 2 (Wednesday), marked
the first step on the road to free press for northern Iraq.

The significance of the event was not overshadowed by the participants who
included the mayor of Mosul, Gahnim al-Basso, and Brig. Gen. Jeffrey J.
Schloesser the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), assistant division
commander for support, who both came to express their support for the
regional television station.

Al-Basso cut the streamer at the entrance of the facility to begin the
festivities. Independent journalists from throughout the region also came to
catch a glimpse of history in the making through their, now free, camera
lenses.

"I congratulate the people of Mosul as well as the people of the Nineveh
province," Schloesser said. "I think this new independent television
channel, Channel 7, is a wonderful step in the right direction for
independent media. It shows progress down a democratic path. As you know,
the foundation of democracy lies in a free media, so I think this is a
wonderful, wonderful thing."

Schloesser continued the live broadcast in fluent Arabic for the next 15
minutes about Coalition Forces' continuing efforts to bring security and
peace to the region.

This is the first time since Saddam ruled the country that journalists can
go into their communities and report on what they want without direction
from a regime according to many local journalists. Before the war the
station served as Saddam's Baghdad-news downlink station for the Ba'ath
Socialist Party.

Initial estimates of the damage by Coalition Provisional Authority
contractors said it would take $180,000 and three months to make the station
operational. The challenge came June 9 when Maj. Gen. David H. Petraeus,
commanding general, 101st Abn. Div. (AAslt.), tasked members of the U.S.
Army's 22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, from Fort Bragg, NC, to have
the main station effectively operating by June 23 - just 14 days later. Maj.
Charmaine Means, a public affairs officer and team leader with the
detachment, worked with regional broadcast manager, Ahmed Jassim Mohammed,
by providing for the needs of the station while sticking to the principle
that "the man who builds his own house will love it more." One of those
needs included being paid. With her help and that of others, the employees,
received April's back salary from CPA June 13, but no more, unlike the
majority of government workers throughout Iraq who have received April, May
and June's payments. With this assistance the focused efforts to rebuild the
station began the same day with the help of all 120 regional employees of
Mosul and Sinjar TV and Radio.

Another division contribution through Means came in supplying the station
with little more than $15,000 from the commander's discretionary fund to buy
cabling and basic building repair materials to replace what was destroyed or
stolen during the war. The division also provided security so the employees
could work freely to keep their channel on the air without the concern of
looters or local intimidation. Jassim and his team had Mosul TV fully
functional three days ahead of the commanding general's request.

The station currently uses 1970s equipment to produce their regional news,
which makes it hard for them to operate at the standard needed to keep up
with modern technology and information needs.  Most of the equipment is
either created locally by craftsmen or salvaged from scrap parts as they are
available around the region.

Jassim held an informal grand opening for Petraeus, June 23, to show what
his employees had done and what they are able to accomplish if given the
opportunity.  Petraeus gladly took advantage of the opportunity to provide a
tape delayed interview and other updates to the Ninevah province populace.

The official opening, Wednesday, was an open house for regional journalists
and other special guests to see the possibilities of the future in free
press.

As U.S. troops entered Mosul two months ago, Mosul TV provided programming
to the city through their emergency station, Channel 9, retransmitting
international news during this tumultuous period. They received no pay,
operated with minimal equipment and stayed on the air to keep the people of
Mosul informed while voluntarily accepting programming contributions from
the Coalition Forces' 22nd MPAD.

The importance of Mosul TV to the division is in it serves as direct
communication for more than 100 kilometers outside the city limits to the
diverse peoples of the province informing them about the contributions local
coalition forces provide. The 22nd MPAD created the Arabic-language program
Iraqi Freedom News and with the help of the 40th Public Affairs Detachment,
Fort Campbell, Ky, ensures it airs at least four times a week.

Petraeus's vision is to assist the media of Nineveh province to become
independent, fair, and impartial. Media employees understand and fully
support this vision in an effort to bring continued peace to the region
through better and open communication.