A little elemental logic...
while every lie is a false statement, not every false statement is a lie.
Discuss.

Lisa, New York,

"Shuffle back to Fox news Lisa and quit taking cheap shots at people who have already suffered to much."
By the way, I'm a Democrat and don't watch Fox News. I simply hate when people misstate the facts and then don't care because it doesn't fit their particular idealogy or viewpoint. Facts matter.

Lisa, New York,

"Lisa, Are you forgetting that there was a highly orchestrated PR campaign based on Ms. Lynch? "
Again, you and others are completely mixing up two separate events. Lynch's argument was that she was made into a "hero", with stories of her fighting until she was out of ammunition, etc. I pointed out that those erroneous claims were made only for a very short time after the incident (mere weeks) before they were clearly understood to be false. (Check the Washington Post, June 17 2003) This can be clearly attributed to the "fog of war" rather than an orchestrated lie.
The incident everyone seems to be pointing to in these comments is the Special Ops raid on the hospital. She was not made into a "hero" in that case (merely a victim) though the Special Ops may have been made to look like heroes. I never argued that wasn't PR. Of course it was. Please re-read everything I've written, stop mixing up two separate events and please go back and read, as I have, the original news stories.

Lisa, New York,

Lisa, i would be curious to hear your definition of a lie.. The pentagon and Bush government used these episodes to coverup their own weaknesses and also paint a false picture of the events. If that is not lying , what is ?

Hamad lone, Thornton Heath, England

I clearly recall PVt Lynch's story, as well as her "heroic" rescue from the clutches of the Iraqi doctors. It wasn't much more than a photo-op if I recall correctly.

But I wonder where the Post received its information for the story.. hrrm.. perhaps the Pentagon?

Mike, Dallas, Texas

Lisa,
Are you forgetting that there was a highly orchestrated PR campaign based on Ms. Lynch? You accuse her of being "...a little disingenuous with her anger". Oh really? They video taped the special ops storming the hospital for crying out loud; not exactly in line with your lame "fog of war" excuse. To bad you aren't one of the Americans who "...are capable of determining their own ideals for heroes, and they don’t need to be told elaborate lies.” Shuffle back to Fox news Lisa and quit taking cheap shots at people who have already suffered to much.

David, Vancouver, Washington

this is worrisome because obviously these are not the only missteps by this administration. compared to other untruths, the ones discussed here are relatively harmless.
the US remain a disciplined country of high moral standards. this is for example illustrated by the fact that these matters are being publicly discussed. jessica lynch deserves kudos for telling the truth instead of bathing in a false hero image. it is very honest on her part. i hope and trust that the US, under new leadership, will restore the well-deserved respect they have historically enjoyed in the world.

anna, perth, australia

These "people" (and I do use the term hesitantly), are the worst examples of leadership and responsibility... ever.

Liars, charletains, villians, evil, murderous, selfish, greedy people I wouldn't want in the same room with my 6-year old.

The whole lot will not only go down in history as Worst Ever™, but will go into prison and experience their own betrayal 3-fold or more.

D. Law, Everytown, USA

"Over here, the memory of the incident was of a military raid on an empty hospital, after the Iraquis had tried for days to return her to her army...."

You're confusing two separate events, d'argent. There was the initial ambush in which Lynch was injured and others were killed and THEN, days later, there was the raid on the hospital where she was being held/treated. The radio transmissions I was referring to were from the initial ambush not the hospital raid. Do try to keep up.

By the way, even the Iraqis admitted that Iraqi fighters had only left the hospital THE DAY BEFORE. It's not as if they were never there. The Americans had no way of knowing the Iraqi fighters had so hurriedly vacated the premises.

Lisa, New York,

The expression "fog-of-war" springs to mind. However, S.M.O.G. would be more appropriate as in : "systematic media opportunity to gag".

Robbie Rohan, Great Chart, Kent, UK

" I don't think anyone deliberately "lied" but rather used a "feel-good" story that they believed at the time to be true."

With citizens as half-witted as this, why would the US government need to lie?

John Lynch, Oswestry, UK

The Pentagon did not "concoct" a hero story for Jessica Lynch, the American media did that. Later as the truth became known, that same media claimed the Pentagon did it. This is now established mythology, which Jessica repeated.

The Pentagon did, however, screw up the Pat Tillman death though. They deserve every bit of condemnation they get for that.

John, Birmingham, Alabama, USA

Paleeeesss!!!! I remember this. I live here in big old bad USA. The news media built her up more than the Pentagon. Anything to bash the US. The media in this country lie thru their teeth daily, then push the blame on their political enemies.

Darla, West Virginia, USA

Lisa, NY: were the iraquis really making radio transmissions praising their enemy's fighting abilities - male or female? Maybe they did not understand the concept of propaganda? Over here, the memory of the incident was of a military raid on an empty hospital, after the Iraquis had tried for days to return her to her army....

d'argent, London,

All the politicians who are in favor of this war should grab a gun, (Lord knows we have plenty of them) and their sons and daughters and go out on patrol in Iraq. They too could have wonderfull heroic stories written about them regardless of how they were killed or injured. Oops...I forgot for a moment. They have to stay back here and leave the suffering to others why they keep trying to get more money to perpetuate this mess. It's OK though, they are already heroes in their own minds.

Tom Bowler, Glen Ellyn, IL/USA

"The false story was that she emerged guns blazing, ran out of ammo and depite being wounded was even ready with a knife before being captured."

It wasn't "false". It was misattributed. There was an Iraqi radio transmission that referred to a "blond soldier" who fought bravely before being captured. In the fog of war, it was assumed this referred to Lynch. It later emerged that this probably referred to a male blond soldier caught in the same ambush named Sgt. Donald Walters, who was separated from the unit before being captured and killed. Several gun magazines were found near the location of Walters' capture, suggesting that he may have, indeed, fought until he ran out of ammunition. Before capture, Walters was shot in the leg, and stabbed three times with a bayonet. Iraqi eyewitness reports indicate he was captured and executed. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Walters )

Lisa, New York,

As usual the truth eventually appears but governments , especially in those countries where media appearance is considered important to them selves, continue to ignore this simple fact.
As a wise man once told me, "It's not the fact that they lie to you that upsets me, it's the fact that they think I will believe it."

Just how stupid do the media people think we are, remember what another wise person said, "I can tell when he is lying, his lips are moving."

As long as we fail to question what our govewrnments tell us, either through indifference or due to a mistaken belief that it is unpatriotic, then the application of spin will continue unabated.

The clever answers that are given to strightforward questions, the qualification that allow denials to be truthful when they are not, should also be queried.

If a person or government is not involved in deceit or unacceptable practices a simple NO is the only answer necessary.

Clifford Bury, New Territories, Hong Kong

It's disappointing to find out that Jessica's story wasn't true, because I had found it quiet inspirational, but I'm not surprised to hear that it was all a lie either. Kudos to Jessica for having the guts to tell the truth and prove once again that there's no such thing as an honest politician.

Hammer, Orlando, FL

Gosh, Matt Winkler, London, just think. If those brave Arab tribal soldiers can do all that to the UK and Britain with slingshots and arrows, imagine what they'll do with a nuclear bomb!

James P, Sacramento, California

Regi Agulha Jr, São Paulo, is completely right. Wars are completely useless, and I wish more people had this perpective.

Sheeva, London,

We are getting too lazy minded as people. Only 64% of U.S. voters bothered to vote: I take this to mean that one in three U.S. citizens does not care about democracy or anything much barr their own private affairs.. So what could one expect from such an apathetic country, but a government that believes it can easily twist the facts.

Here is an example of what I mean about lazyness.: The UN weapons inspector said in 2003: "Iraq has on the whole cooperated rather well so far with UNMOVIC in this field. The most important point to make is that access has been provided to all sites we have wanted to inspect and with one exception it has been prompt." It took me less than 60 seconds to find this on the web.

Had anyone taken five minutes to read this in 2003 on the web instead of believing the mainstream media, they would have seen the entire Iraq conflict in a different light.

Now U.S. combatants are tellng us the truth. At last.

I take my hat off to them.

Stefan, Melbourne, Australia

There appears to be within the Army general staff a culture of deception that it believes enables it to perform its missions without accountability or conformance to the laws and treaties that bind its nation. In such a state it grows contemptuous of the society which sends it into harm's way without concern. It defines itself only in terms of the primacy of its mission without any belief in principles. It reflects the motivations of the current civilian commander be it Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld or Karl Rove.

Bill Keller, BASKING RIDGE, New Jersey

I wish that you Europeans would recognize that the majority of Americans did not vote for the man who looks like Alfred E. Neuman. The majority of us agonize as you do, so please don't lump us all together with the neocons.

Unlike you, however, we have no really pratical way to be rid of him, except with the passage of time. It is unfortunate, but the best we can do is to try to contain the damage he will do.

Jerome , Milton, Wisconsin

Imagine a world where in less than 3 years time you will be able to pop back and see everything that went on, who said what, when and why and nothing can be hidden. Would it be a better world? Of course it would as there would be nothing to be gained in lying but we don't live in that world ..... not yet. When the lights go on it is going to be very messy, we should start thinking about these things now, how should we react, ..... or should we even react at all?

John, Dundee, UK

I am shocked by the venom spewing forth by the commentators here. Can you imagine the Anglo-American alliance having won World War II with the ideology currenly held by the left in both countries. Friendly fire incidents are far less commom today than ever before as air support and artlllery have become far more accurate. Such incidents are still tragic. Letters home to greiving parents always portrayed the dead as heros (the sometimes unfortunate truth was left out)
As to Lynch the first stories were that the supply company fought well - later changed to ill cared for rifles jammed leading to capture. The media in all liklihood did not play up the reality because the unit had a high percentage of female soldieres who are not by law in ground combat units and should not have been in combat. I do not remember the Pentagon playing up the heroism of Lynch - although they may have gone overboard on the rescurers.

Chip Smith , Houston, Texas

Extraordinary Rendition - Torture by Proxy - Collateral Damage, all expressions new to most people's vocabulary and all designed to confuse people and discourage them from asking too many questions. Now we have a new kid on the block:
"The Pentagon has said that there was no attempt at a cover-up, merely “errors of judgment which created the perception of concealment”. Or perhaps "Innocent and blameless decisions made in good faith by honest and trustworthy politicians but resulting in public confusion and misinterpretation of the facts. "There, that should do it - get it on the wire as soon as possible".
The groundwork for deep mis-trust of all things political is being well and truly laid by our 'leaders' on both sides of the pond. Perhaps we are seeing the beginning of the end of 'Party' politics as we know it. The most successful companies in the world are run by one board of directors, each responsible for his own watch. Just think, no Tony or Dubya..bliss!

H. G., Riga, Latvia

I begin my comment with a quote from another contributor

QUOTE "I am saddened that Ms Lynch suffered so much physical damage the trauma has affected her mental ability to recognize when she is being used to discredit the service men who saved her life and discredit the Iraqi who risk his life for her.
A reader, America, USA" UNQUOTE

Sir - you obviously did not listen to this intelligent young woman's testimony. She emphasised that the real heros were the men who saved her - both Americans and Iraqis. She could not understand why she was manipulated in this way.

Further the mother and brother of Pat Tilley were very articulate people. They argued passionately and with conviction about their disbelief in the lies told by the current government merely for policital purposes. Here you have a family who produced a real American hero - football star and army corporal with the classic all-american good looks. Yet his image has been defiled by the propaganda of a government. 1984!

don, Sydney, Australia

And then the Pentagon lets the true agenda out - The 'errors of judgment' that created the 'perception of concealment' means that the Pentagon failed to prevent the American Public from perceiving the truth!

Next time, try using a completely fictitious character!

Phil, Tahuya,

Firsly the comment made by Matt Winkler, I have worked in Iraq for 2 years, what are you talking about war , lost? its not a game of chess? we are still here in Iraq infact was only mortared yesterday, but i don't see anyone here running for Jordan or turkey yet? by the way i am English and It was not just the US who went to Iraq!The Lynch story is a fine example of political spin, in fact its actually a type of brain washing which seems to have taken hold within the american culture in particular the "lets kick butt" attitude and our way is the right way , I am beggining to wonder if the old Cold war tactics are creeping in to effect within the bush administration Americanism could be related to communism at the other end of the scale perhaps? i Guess when you recruit soldiers from some of the poorest Ghetto's in america then the only thing these people understand is "The Real American hero"!

pete jones, london , uk

Remember the Iraqi soldiers in Kuwait taking babies out of incubators and leaving them to die on the floor so the incubators could be stolen? Total lie, invented by an advertising company paid by the US Government! You'd think even the barely sane CIA would be realising by now that we've seen through their ludicrous excesses. Well of course they know we have. It's not their lies that are disturbing, they've always lied. The worry is that they know that we know they lie - and they couldn't care less. "You can fool all the people some of the time .." Etc. Well the US doesn't fool any of the people any of the time, anywhere, any more. And such is their overweening arrogance that there is not the slightest shame when they are found out.

eric, harrogate, uk

Jessica Lynch must now be persona non grata with the American feminist movement. But she should be saluted for finally pulling down the curtain and revealing the truth to the American people about combat and its realities.

David Ruppert, Arlington, Virginia, USA

It seems that the reader Thad from Seatle is basically excepting the situation as part of war strategies. To conform is to lose your identity. Yes, governments of all kind, from the Americans to the Brits all the way to Latin American will do anything to promote war for public approval. Why? Because going to war in fact doesn´t make any sense.
It´s important to fight against these kind of politics and show the war for what it is: Useless, economical, one man wins and 10 million die, parade of violence.

Regi Agulha Jr, São Paulo,

I think Murph is a little confused. The false story was that she emerged guns blazing, ran out of ammo and depite being wounded was even ready with a knife before being captured. The US forces then supposedly later stormed into the hospital which of course had Iraqi soldiers guarding her while she pluckily called out to guide them to her. Reality: she was injured in the crash, did not fire a shot, was treated by Iraqi doctors and handed over by them in full cooperation with the Americans. NOT a MINOR error Murph! It's called full scale LYING from start to finish for propaganda reasons.

Faustus, London, UK

There is a time and a place for these retrospectives, and it's when the fighting is over, we don't need trendy left wing, breast beaters undermining the guys and gals at the front who are putting their lives on the line so we can fight these nutters far away rather than in our back yard.

Ian, Margate, UK

Ad-hominem attacks on Lynch or anyone else are beside the point. Her moral purity is not at issue: what is perfectly clear is that the US Armed Forces chain of command exercised deliberate, systematic, cold-blooded deception in an attempt to spin the news.

Any citizen or legislator who is willing to accept this kind of blatantly dishonest behaviour deserves the kind of government they are likely to be stuck with if they do not put their collective feet down right now.

Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,

The Lynch case seems to have been more a matter of wild rumors being reported as fact before all the facts came in than anything else. There's nothing very sinister there.

The Tillman case is at heart a simple friendly fire tragedy of a type that's all too common on the confused battlefields of today. I doubt there was really any serious upper-level cover up of the sort that has been rumored. Had this happened, one might have expected it to take much longer than six weeks or so to be exposed. It was probably mainly a matter of lower-level bungling.

What's sad is that the military's poor handling of these incidents--and the fact that the invasion of Iraq has proven a horrible mistake in the first place--has overshadowed a great deal of genuine heroism in the armed forces. Now many people will refuse to believe anything good about the troops. Lions led by donkeys!

D.L. Anderson, Crossett, AR/U.S.A.

The lies are so many ...many here in the Gulf ,sadly believe all that is American ,is all that is false.Americans are such wonderful people and they dont deserve this.We all have so much to celebrate when Bush leaves ..

Krish, Dubai,

The peculiar thing is that this exact story i.e. the fabrication surrounding her capture was reported as early as September 2003 - just Google "Jessica Lynch" and the first few results tell the sorry tale. So why are the media acting "surprised" all over again 4 years later? Could it be that our memories really are that sho- oh, what was I talking about?

Edwin, Tokyo,

E J Murray. Ever seen 'Wag The Dog'? Hollywood did get there first I'm afraid. Although it seems that this is a story that could be applied to a number of wars on 'terror'. Justify the means by inventing the ends is one thing, invent the means too? Wow. Go Bush! Bleurgh.

Pippa , Liverpool, UK

and America wonders why the world doesnt trust them?!?
America wonders why there is such anger towards them....?!
What liars

tom, london, uk

So? Welcome to the neo fascists! The Nazis also built their 1000-year "home land" on a tissue of lies. Read what Naomi Wolf has to say about the Ten Steps To Close Down an Open Society. The American administration is one big propaganda machine that couldn't tell the truth even if water-boarded. No wonder there's so much anti-American feeling around! The world is asking, when will American citizens have the bottle to protest en masse instead of leaving dissent to a few brave souls like Cindy Sheehan, and now Lynch and Tillman.

Mike Mitchell, Spalding, England

The Bush administration is going down in flames and hopefully it will take privatization, warmongering, and class warfare with it.

fefe, austin, tx

She behaved better than those disgraceful money grabbing pansies of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines in Iran.

Peter, Bristol, England

Lisa, wake up, you're being so naiive. Unbelievable, they did not lie deliverately? What do you think they do every day? Wake up and start watching news from out of state.

Francisca, Toronto, Canada

It's easy to knock Jessica Lynch for not coming out with this earlier but she must have been intense pressure from th emilitary to parrot their line. It is of course a distraction from the main story that the US military is willing to tell almost any amount of lies in order to shelter themselves from the reality that they have lost this war just as they lost in Vietnem.

They invaded Iraq but they cannot subdue it and they certainly cannot bring peace nor democracy to that country. Its time for them and all those that support this misadventure to take their heads out of the sand, stop telling lies, swallow their pride and get out

Mark, Newcastle,

The funny thing is that TV man is right.. no one does care about this or anything like it. Just like 99% of the rest of the crap that is Media generated.. ohh my god.. someone lied.. well, I never!

MAC, Pittsburgh, PA

Lisa, don't you think they might ve mentioned the simple fact that the one who went down fighting was a woman?

I don't think i was an "understanable mistake"
If Lisa beleives that thn she is rather uninintelligent and far too trusting of her govt .

It was a deliberate falsification inolvig a lot of army and government and a lot of lies, a gullible media and publc willing to believe rather than questions.

I remember that at the time the facts were reported in some media. how she was rescused by a Special forces raid on the hospital when there was no resostance and no enemy presence. The story was very fishy right from the stat

kev lax, Shanghai, China

What a waste of time and money. How about using these resources for solutions. B

George, Pequa,

This was not such a bad lie after all. And not really shocking for there was not much invented about here, thn making here a bit of a heroine.
This was just some standart war-time propaganda.
Feel's bad to say so, but I believe stories like that are being told every day, when an officer explains why some of their fellow soldiers died.

Anyway... Who still trusts the American Government?

Phill, Toronto,

Maybe a "Penatgon" is a new name coined for an institution of liars.

Robert Carey, Brisbane, Australia

To be accurate, the word heroine should be in quotes: "Heroine" attacks Pentagon over lies about her capture.

Taki, Lapa,

Unbelievable, simply breathtaking article. They really respect us don't they? This is not the land of the free from where I'm looking.
“Errors of judgment which created the perception of concealment”. .
You have top hand it to them. What a line.

However at my end of the food chain you still get fired, lying doesn’t help.
It's called accountability. Very rare in corporate and government circles in the west.

Their stuffed.

Douglas , Crawley, W Sussex UK

And to think al-Jazeera is practically outlawed in the States for supposedly spouting extremist propaganda...

The United States of Hypocrisy?

Mike H, London, UK

"Our government is no less guilty of propaganda than any other government in the world" -Carmen, Nashville

How is that a good thing?

Pete, Cov,

OIL, OIL OIL. It's all OIL.

War in Iraq is planned and started because of OIL.

John Doe, Columbus, OH, USA

Ms Lynch you are being a true hero by fighting the real enemy - the enemy within our system. Public is still allowing Bush to succeed by not coming forth. Anyone who voted for Bush has blood on their hand and by doing nothing that blood tastes more like sweet candy - if you believe in God you deserve what,s coming to you.

Fraz, toronto, Ont

Whenever something is stated or written by a mudslinger, it shows! Once this country realizes that repulicanism should die with Yeltsin, and that Democracy is the progress of civilization, we will have a far, far brighter future. As for the administrative policies of war, when were they ever refined? War is barbaric at best. Once the source of the bomb making (which I already figured out) is addressed, all of the other immaterial matters will properly go away. When are the troops coming home? .... too much confusion!!

Patrice Bernier, Norwich, CT USA

I was not surpriced at all in hearing Jessica Lynch expose her military bosses as well the US media for spinnign the story. I also believe that the full truth is yet to come out. I remember that some news organisations were reporting that it was an Iraq hero who helped rescure Jessica Lynch. It was because of that man she is alive today. I hope Pentagon investigates the real incident and gives credit where cridit is due.

Z. Hussain, Rochdale, UK

Murph, no one needs to sling mud at the administration - they have such a gift for slinging it on themselves that all we have to do is stand and watch.
As for our system, while parliamentary democracy has its failings, there are times, and this is one of them, where the US system could benefit from the option of a vote of no confidence....

Linda, NY US,

The great irony is that while the US is being fed bilge about Rambo soldiers, the really uplifting stories come from modern Iraq, where brave Arab footsoldiers armed with makeshift weapons are fighting, and winning, against psychotic storm-trooperswith state of the art technology from the US and UK. All the lies in the world don't change the fact that the US went to Iraq and LOST! All your casualties have been in vain. The million Iraqis that have been killed by this conflict ...died for nothing. It was all a pointless, costly waste of time. There are no heroes here, just an embarassing mess and a large pile of bodies that will motivate generations of Arab militants.

Matt Winkler, London,

I seem to recall it was the Washington Post that started the trumpeting of Pvt Lynch's ordeal not the Pentagon.

Stan(expat), USA, USA

I agree with Lisa from NY. I don't remember any lies surrounding the Jessica Lynch event, or even any falsehoods. I donno what Lynch's problem is....

Ken Blakely, Blandford, UK

This is a civilization in corruption.

Dean, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Lisa - They launched and filmed a huge "rescue mission" (and market it as such) to pick her up from hospital when Iraqi doctors were attempting to release her into US care anyway!

Richard, State College, PA

Come on people, smarten up. It's called war propaganda and all sides do it, have done it and will continue to do so. Oh, BTW, Tokyo Rose sends her regards.

Eugene, Heidelberg, germany

Impeach Bush!

Crispin, London, UK

If Jessica Lynch is reading any of these comments - you just gained your heroine status for real. Putting the politicians and spin doctors very publicly in their place - that's a far more valuable defence of your constitution than any military service you have ever done.

KR, Stockport,

Wake up and smell the coffee America! Since when did the armed forces of the United States not shoot up their own and their allies and then not lie about it

Jo, London, UK

Whoever invented the insane term friendly fire? We need to call it what it is stupid disastrous injurious mistaken identity or bad aim!

erika morgan, blackdiamond , washington state

Pathetic!

m masters, n york, US

As Americans we should be able to believe in what our government says, but how can we do so after hearing so many lies?

Greg, Haarlem, Holland

"My how things change......."

She must have finally plucked up the courage to tell the truth.

My brother was a soldier in Yugoslavia, and his version of events was often quite different from what the media and the government came up with.

starling, Lancaster,

A dishonest war...waged for profit by dishonourable men.

Garth Strong, Sherman Oaks, USA/CA

In the BBC site "Have Your Say" there is a section devoted to why America is not popular and Americans reviled throughout the world.


This story sums that up.
Most Americans are honest and good citizens.
But they are led by cheating, lying fraudulent politicians that don't give a monkeys to what the country wants providing that they get their fame, glory and money.

And we are getting as bad.

Jeremy Bell, Martock, England

Its funny...I recall the whole Jessica Lynch thing as her being rescued in a hospital shouting out "I'm and American Soldier!"...not that she "went down fighting" as this article suggests was the main story at the time. So is she refuting the inital reports of the incident which are always inaccurate? Or is it once again the media seizing on a minor error and blowing it the hell out of proportion? And why did they only quote one line of her testimony? Maybe the rest didn't support the pretense of the author who is only concerned with slinging more mud at a White House.

Murph, Madisonville, USA/KY

Ever watched the film the running man!! Hollywood and Arnie got there ages ago! So what will happen now? Probably nothing, our democracies in the west, underneath the surface seem rather empty sometimes.

Arron, Bristol, England

Our government is no less guilty of propaganda than any other government in the world. Bush and his cronies are spinning these tragedies into "happy endings" so that Americans will continue to support their war. We support the troops, as some of them probably don't really want to be there and the rest are just doing their jobs. However, I DO NOT support Bush and his war or his LIES !

Carmen, Nashville,

Do the good folks in the UK wonder why this comment page is filled up so many comments from the US? Or why students at Virginia Tech were reading the BBC during the recent shootings? More and more people in the US have lost faith in the glitzy high-tech propatainment circus that passes for news in that country ... the same propatainment circus that would print anything and everything given to them by the Pentagon about Ms. Lynch or Mr. Tillman and is now just as happy to print stories about a coverup.

Tom, Göteborg, Sweden

How the Bush administration survives without any serious attempt to bring it to task for its disastrous, and in many cases apparently illegal (certainly immoral) handling of the entire Iraq affair, is as much a comment on the failings of the western democratic system as it is on the administration itself.
I genuinely despair at the ever more apparent failings of our political system and institutions.

David, Hong Kong,

How am I to know that "Icantsleep" doesn't work for the Pentagon? The consequence of some deliberate lying is that of course we are less inclined to believe anything we hear from a government source.

Kevin Thompson, Reading, UK

I am saddened that Ms Lynch suffered so much physical damage the trauma has affected her mental ability to recognize when she is being used to discredit the service men who saved her life and discredit the Iraqi who risk his life for her.

A reader, America, USA

I imagine it would be possible to find instances of friendly fire deaths in every war since gun powder was invented. Perhaps even deaths by friendly archers happened in ancient time. It doesn't excuse the lies or omissions by military leaders in any conflict, recent or past. In most cases I would guess it was feared the troops, and those at home, would be demoralized by the thought of dying at the hands of your friends. Truth is even more important In today's world, with instant media coverage ready to pounce on real or perceived errors by those in charge. It would be painful to be told your loved one died by friendly fire, but less painful than to hear a lie.

Barbara Bullard, Milwaukie, Oregon

So what is new? This is all media and political propaganda!
During World War 2 , the great President FDR ( democrat) even sided with a mass murderer named Joseph Stalin ( who killed about 20 million Russians) to help defeat Hitler!!! Even Lyndon Johnson lied about the war in Vietnam and cost Americans over 58,000 death!

Thad, Seattle,

The Bush administration has compromised the integrity and credibility of our military commanders by the administration's steadfast refusal to acknowledge their limitations, admit their mistakes, solicit bi-partisan ideas and cease their mendacity. I lived through the Nixon years...the corruption, lies, paranoia and crimes of that period pale in comparison to those perpetrated by Rumsfeld, Cheney, Rove and Bush. America has really been subjected to the corrosive pursuit of a failed imperialistic venture in Iraq that promises to destroy our dwindling reserves of integrity. Everybody say 'so long' as the conservatives flushes us down the toilet.

Raman, Franklin, Tennessee

The Bush regime should be impeached. They have the blood of millions who've been killed and crippled on their hands. The war was based on lies, just like the so called "presidency" of Bush. Get them out of our White house!

JOHN, AUSTIN, TEXAS

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Jessica Lynch hit the motivational speakers circuit shortly after returning- I saw her in Charlotte, NC. Funny she didn't bring up all this when she was on stage way back then. My how things change.......

icantsleep, Charlotte, NC

In the front page link to this article "Pentagon" was spelt "Penatgon".

Logan, London,

Makes a change for Hollywood not to get in there first!

E J Murray, Kerry, Ireland

I think Ms. Lynch is being a little disingenuous with her anger about "lies". The story I remember reading later is that there were Iraqi radio transmissions heard talking about a "blond" soldier who did go down fighting bravely in the ambush Lynch was involved in. This was falsely assumed to refer to Jessica Lynch. It later emerged that it was a different soldier, a blond male soldier named Sgt. Donald Walters, that the transmission was referring to. It's an understandable mistake in the fog of war which was then used as a morale booster. I don't think anyone deliberately "lied" but rather used a "feel-good" story that they believed at the time to be true.

Lisa, New York, NY

Just one lie after another...
Why should congress care when the public, frankly, doesn't give a damn?
Back to the TV!

Stewart, Sarasota, FL

I am not shocked that stories of lies and deciet are coming out. However, what worries me is the extent to which the government in the US has been involved in such shanangains. In times of war the first causalty is honesty, the second are civil rights and the third innocent lives.

The Bush administration has quite a bit of blood on their hands.

Affad Shaikh, Los Angeles, USA

What's wrong is wrong. This is wrong. It looks like the military is still up to the same old games it did when I was in Vietnam in '70 and '71. It tried, then, to make an unpopular war more acceptable by inventing paper heroes rather than face the onslaught of an aggravated public. I can remember people getting purple hearts and bronze stars for the most ridiculous reasons, cheapening the experiences of the soldiers who really deserved them.

For Lynch and the family of Tillman, I am deeply sorry for such dishonorable behavior on the part of senior officers and politicians.

I guess some things just never change.

James P, Sacramento, California

Every day I see bumper stickers on people's vehicles that say "support our troops," as though anyone could possibly be AGAINST our troops. More and more it seems to me that the Bush Administration sees our troops as mere means to an end, puppets to be manipulated however they need to be in order to make this war seem like something noble. A war perpetrated by a lying government is a fraud with murderous consequences. I'm happy to see that the voices of these people who put their lives or the lives of their families on the line are being heard. In speaking up, they are being true heroes.

"The truth will set you free."

Megan, Madison, WI

I'd look at the spelling of "Penatgon" in the title on the main home page - last time I checked the nerve centre of the American military was called the Pentagon. Of course I may be wrong

Ian Bullock, Nottingham,

Another Vetenam storie....history repeating herself.....our government lying again. I can remember my father in Vetenam and we (as family) were living in Thailand. My father would send us pitchures of dead soliders and activities that made it to us put would have been censered had they been sent to the US by our government.

Sad citizen

Sad citizen, San Diego, ca