BUMPED: Michael Yon Calls B.S. on Rolling Stone’s “The Kill Team” Story
I bumped this from the ZipWire because it’s caught fire throughout the day. Michael Yon takes exception to the Rolling Stone article that has taken liberties with the alleged “The Kill Team” story that has been dubbed as “Obama’s Abu Ghraib,” which the MSM isn’t touching.
(Michael Yon Online) — Seldom do I waste time with rebutting articles, and especially not from publications like Rolling Stone. Today, numerous people sent links to the latest Rolling Stone tripe. The story is titled “THE KILL TEAM, THE FULL STORY.” It should be titled: “BULLSHIT, from Rolling Stone.”
The story — not really an “article” — covers Soldiers from 5/2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) in Afghanistan. A handful of Soldiers were accused of murder. It does in fact appear that a tiny group of rogues committed premeditated murder. I was embedded with the 5/2 SBCT and was afforded incredible access to the brigade by the Commander, Colonel Harry Tunnell, and the brigade Command Sergeant Major, Robb Prosser. I know Robb from Iraq. Colonel Tunnell had been shot in Iraq.
The brigade gave me open access. I could go anywhere, anytime, so long as I could find a ride, which never was a problem beyond normal combat problems. If they had something to hide, it was limited and I didn’t find it. I was not with the Soldiers accused of murder and had no knowledge of this. It is important to note that the murder allegations were not discovered by media vigilance, but by, for instance, at least one Soldier in that tiny unit who was appalled by the behavior. A brigade is a big place with thousands of Soldiers, and in Afghanistan they were spread thinly across several provinces because we decided to wage war with too few troops. Those Soldiers accused of being involved in (or who should have been knowledgeable of) the murders could fit into a minivan. You would need ten 747s for the rest of the Brigade who did their duty. I was with many other Soldiers from 5/2 SBCT. My overall impression was very positive. After scratching my memory for negative impressions from 5/2 Soldiers, I can’t think of any, actually, other than the tiny Kill Team who, to my knowledge, I never set eyes upon.
The online edition of the Rolling Stone story contains a section with a video called “Motorcycle Kill,” which includes our Soldiers gunning down Taliban who were speeding on a motorcycle toward our guys. These Soldiers were also with 5/2 SBCT, far away from the “Kill Team” later accused of the murders. Rolling Stone commits a literary “crime” by deceptively entwining this normal combat video with the Kill Team story. The Taliban on the motorcycle were killed during an intense operation in the Arghandab near Kandahar City. People who have been to the Arghandab realize the extreme danger there. The Soviets got beaten horribly in the Arghandab, despite throwing everything including the Soviet kitchen sink into the battle that lasted over a month. Others fared little better. To my knowledge, 5/2 and supporting units were the first ever to take Arghandab, and these two dead Taliban were part of that process.
The killing of the armed Taliban on the motorcycle was legal and within the rules of engagement. Law and ROE are related but separate matters. In any case, the killing was well within both the law and ROE. The Taliban on the back of the motorcycle raised his rifle to fire at our Soldiers but the rifle did not fire. I talked at length with several of the Soldiers who were there and they gave me the video. There was nothing to hide.
Michael Yon has pretty much declared war on Rolling Stone Magazine. His FaceBook posts throughout today on the matter have escalated, and blogs are now supporting his ire.
Posted by Maggie on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at 12:20 am | 
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I have nothing but admiration for Yon, completely trust him and his judgment- glad he’s calling BS on this, I’ve been waiting for someone to do so.
And the MSM will pick up this excellent piece in 3, 2, 1……….
I believe Michael Yon implicitly. Rolling Stone is a liberal rag, not to believed when it comes to reporting about our troops.
The Rolling Stone isn’t just any liberal rag, they clearly have an agenda against the U.S. military and our efforts in Afghanistan. They’d prefer to publish pieces that will get Generals removed and articles that spark anger against Americans, but they have never published anything on the atrocities committed by the Taliban on their own people. The Rolling Stone probably sees them as nothing more than freedom fighters, disregarding their horribly ruthless code of laws enforced in areas they control.
Langley you got that right.
I just hope this doesn’t start more of the petty, immature, blog wars w/Blackfive and others. Such a turn off.
Good for Yon for speaking out.
I love how Yon puts into context the ‘Kill Team’ in a minivan vs. the entire brigade in ten 747s …
He’s not allowing to be done to these soldiers what was done to our military years ago in the MSM with Abu Ghraib.
The Taliban comparison is a good one in the MSM here.
We are NOT allowed to generalize with Muslims/Islam because of the supposed small percentage of terrorists in their vast numbers … But the MSM, and at times our politicians, seem not to have a problem damning the whole of our military for the actions of a few sons of bitches in their ranks.
Further proof the Main Stream Media cannot be trusted. Thank God for WZ and other blog sites for spreading truth.
Yeppers…this has gone viral.
F#ck the msm…their agenda is and has been more than obvious…of all venues.
Pictures and 24/7 non-stop blather would still be top story if this were Bush or any Repub Prez…they do not come anymore blatant or phony than the hypocritical msm…and we all know it.
Proof is in the pudding with this one.
We won’t forget…ever.
Rolling Stone published Generation Kill which every modern Marine I have ever met says is the most accurate piece written about them ever.
“It should be titled: “BULLSHIT, from Rolling Stone.””
An Yon’s can be called “Hey look at me everyone! Look at me!!”
Or maybe “My misleading BS where I only object to 1 video which isn’t part of what they’re accused of”
Didn’t any of you actually read it?
He doesn’t contend anything they wrote other than stating he didn’t see anything they’re accused of. Well ok, that makes 2 of us. The difference being, I’m not falsely accusing their reporting of being inaccurate just so I can yet again remind everyone I’ve got a war story about the same squad.
In the meantime, Rolling Stone is reporting on guys who were convicted by the military and handed 20+ year terms. If you think that’s BS because of what video they embedded on their website, well you can pretend that if you like.
But remember, Yon was embedded with the same company – which is pretty much the only point of his article.
@ Rupaula
I think all credit there should go to the writer, not the mag. All they really did was let him publish what he wrote. David Simon knocked it out of the park rewriting it for the HBO series too.
I don’t trust or buy RS anymore. After what I saw they did to prop up the messaih in 2008, they are nothing but a mouthpiece for the fraud, and they seem to hate the US militlary, and do everything to make servicemembers, leaders in the military look bad. RS is nothing but a piece of trash.
I used to subcribe to them until 2008, I cancelled it then.
BTW, who is Michael Yon? if someone can please explain, thanks.
Micheal Yon wrote the very excellent book,
http://www.amazon.com/Moment-Truth-Iraq-Greatest-Generation/dp/0980076323
for those of you who haven’t read it, I highly suggest you do.
I’m glad he’s speaking the truth.
Sue Roling Stoned for libel. Sue them into the ground. Print is dead, the time to strike is now. Rolling Stoned has had it’s run, and
it’s time to go.
@ColinFirthsPants
“He doesn’t contend anything they wrote other than stating he didn’t see anything they’re accused of. Well ok, that makes 2 of us. The difference being, I’m not falsely accusing their reporting of being inaccurate just so I can yet again remind everyone I’ve got a war story about the same squad.
##################################################
Then you haven’t read Yon’s story either…
I guess you missed the part about the two Talibunnies on a m/c who were shot
because they were armed and trying to attack our troops…
Rolling Stone is falsely reporting that story…
Yon is correcting RS literary assault on good men..
Try reading before making an ass out of yourself….
@Rob…..Oh you mean that little part of the story??? Libs ignore major parts of stories like that all the time….it’s their nature! In my mind it was the biggest part of the story. Colin Fancy Panthhhs needs to haulass!
I refuse to arm chair General the “kill team”. Because like I said before “Shit Happens”! Furthermore, I know some of you have experinced it, but for those that haven’t, imagine what you were doing at 18 or 19 years old . Strange country,strange people, the smell of death in the air,jacked on testostorne (hell your 18-19),scared shitless, horny as hell(you really want to fuck, but that ain’t going to happen), homesick for friends and family, homesick for “normal”, but you can never be that again, sad for lost or seriously fucked up “brothers in arms”,miss your dog, a “cold” beer, and yet inspite of what I mentioned and so much more, you carry on to the best of your ability, for your buddies and country!
I was directed to RS a couple of days ago (I think by Drudge), I tryed to read article but could not. The little voice in my head kept saying ” you don’t have time to waste on this bull shit”!
Yon or RS? Yon all the way!!
The Marxists love to discredit our military when they get a chance. Tough to do these days as rogues within the ranks are few and far between. But when they find something its hearalded to the world with much gusto as the USA needs to be discredited. Yon has the right take on this story. Shame the lefties didn’t spend the time exposing Bradley Manning; but of course he is one of them.
When President Bush was in office, all we heard was “Abu Girab”, “Waterboard”, “Torture”, “Close Gitmo”. Now that WTF is president, we hear absolutely nothing. Their responsibility for each of these incidents is very little, but is absolutely the same. The difference is the media is still running cover for WTF.
The prison population iin the US is 2 million
the population is 307 milliion, if you just count Americans,that is…
or roughly about .006 percent.
Mathematics says, you get a big enough group, you get some criminals
Differance is, in America they go to jail, in the ME they become President and lecture the UN on Human rights.
Everyone knows what Rolling Stone is and its agenda. The left is going crazy because its agenda is failing. Media Matters (spooky dude) has declared war on Fox because its telling the truth about Obama and his bunch of communists and anti-semites that have taken temporary refuge in the White House. We just have to keep putting the truth out there and the American people will see what kind of people that are in charge in this country and in the next election cycle we can start cleaning house of these vermin.
Rolling Stone should stick to writing what it knows– drugs and rock n’roll.
Anyone who would see RS as any sort of authoritative source for current events or policy is as high as the RS writers.
I have a lot of respect for Michael Yon and his ACTUAL journalistic ethics– the reason he’s not writing for the MSM. Read him for “boots on the ground” reporting/analysis of our military in action.
Normally, I would disagree with everything Michael Yon says…. he is in fact known in my small circle of friends as Yonclown the Twinkie Destroyer. However, I can’t find fault in this blog. I agree whole heartedly that the “Kill Team” were a handful of soldiers… 3 or 4 if I remember correctly. First time for everything…. and as much as it pains me to say it…. Well Done Yonclown the Twinkie Destroyer.
American soldiers kill innocents for fun and Yon gets angry at those that report about it. Fascinating.
islamic fighters kill innocents for fun and Yon is threatened for reporting it.
Fascinating.
To battle bad journalism Michael Yon goes to Glenn Beck to be interviewed. Oh, irony.
To battle bad journalism Weiner goes to Ed Schultz to be interviewed. Oh, irony.
Michael Yon is a propaganda mouthpiece. Never thought he’d show his colours this openly though.