obama in afghanistan

[tamaith]

>Subject: From someone serving in Afghanista

Hello everyone,

As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted >to pass along that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an >hour on his visit to 'The War Zone'. I wanted to share with you what >happened.

He got off the plane and got into a bullet proof vehicle, >got to the area to meet with the Major General (2 Star) who is the >commander here at Bagram.

As the Soldiers where lined up to shake his hand he blew >them off and didn't say a word as he went into the conference room to meet >the General. As he finished, the vehicles took him to the ClamShell (pretty >much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball or work out >in with weights) so he could take his publicity pictures playing >basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to thank >them for their service.&nbs p;

&nb sp;

So really he was just here to make a showing for the >American's back home that he is their candidate for President. I think that >if you are going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would >thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you.

I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players >or the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants >to be the President of the United States. I just don't understand how >anyone would want him to be our Commander-and-Chief. It was almost that he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and our >great country.

If this is blunt and to the point I am >sorry but I wanted you all to know what kind of caliber of person he really >is. What you see in the news is all fake.

In service,

CPT Jeffrey S. Porter

Battle Captain

TF Wasatch&nbs p;

American Soldier

[tamaith]

just to be clear i got this letter via email from a good friend

[Kaisu]

Just to be clear, this is a hoax. If you check snopes.com you will find the facts. It isn't true.

[Just Plain Ruff]

was this letter written directly to the original poster or was it a copy from a friend of a friend of a friend?

[tamaith]

i wasn't in there obvioulsly but was snopes .com there to witness i am not saying snopes is wrong or wright. i just like to know how snopes knows thats all.

[Kaisu]

Check it out yourself at http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/afghanistan.asp

There are pictures and everything.

Home --> Politics --> Barack Obama --> Barack Obama in Afghanistan

Barack Obama in Afghanistan

Claim: Barack Obama "blew off" U.S. soldiers during a July 2008 trip to Afghanistan.

Status: False.

Example: [Collected via e-mail, July 2008]

HUSSEIN'S VISIT TO AFGHANISTAN

Hello everyone,

As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted to pass along that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an hour on his visit to 'The War Zone'. I wanted to share with you what happened. He got off the plane and got into a bullet proof vehicle, got to the area to meet with the Major General (2 Star) who is the commander here at Bagram. As the Soldiers where lined up to shake his hand he blew them off and didn't say a word as he went into the conference room to meet the General. As he finished, the vehicles took him to the ClamShell (pretty much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball or work out in with weights) so he could take his publicity pictures playing basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to thank them for their service. So really he was just here to make a showing for the American's back home that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you are going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you. I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants to be the President of the United States. I just don't understand how anyone would want him to be our Commander-and-Chief. It was almost that he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and our great country.

If this is blunt and to the point I am sorry but I wanted you all to know what kind of caliber of person he really is. What you see in the news is all fake.

In service, CPT Jeffrey S. Porter

Battle Captain

TF Wasatch

American Soldier

(married and father of 6 children)

Origins: Tales of prominent Democrats snubbing or acting rudely towards military and security personnel (and tales of those personnel responding in kind) have been a common form of political rumor over the last few decades, so it was probably only a matter of time before an example of such popped up during the 2008 presidential election cycle.

The above-quoted account of Senator Barack Obama's supposedly "blowing off" military personnel in Afghanistan started hitting our inbox almost immediately after the senator's visit to that country during his July 2008 trip to the Middle East. According to an Army spokesperson (as quoted in the New York Daily News) the details recounted in that message are false:

The latest chain e-mail smear against Barack Obama: He "blew off" troops at an Afghan base to shoot hoops for a publicity photo.

The e-mail claims Obama repeatedly shunned soldiers on his way to the Clamshell — a recreation tent — to "take his publicity pictures playing basketball."

"These comments are inappropriate and factually incorrect," said Bagram spokeswoman Army Lt. Col. Rumi Nielson-Green, who added that such political commentary is barred for uniformed personnel.

Obama didn't play basketball at Bagram or visit the Clamshell, she said. Home-state troops were invited to meet him, but his arrival was kept secret for security reasons.

"We were a bit delayed ... as he took time to shake hands, speak to troops and pose for photographs," Nielson-Green said.

In a follow-up blog entry, the Daily News reported that the e-mail's author has recanted his original message:

In

his e-mail, the Task Force Wasatch "battle captain" beefed about the Illinois senator supposedly breezing into Bagram Airfield this week and blowing off G.I.s on his way to a staged photo-op to play basketball.

"I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants to be the President of the United States. I just don’t understand how anyone would want him to be our Commander-and-Chief. It was almost that he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and our great country," the captain wrote.

Now the Bagram captain is dialing back, having signed the viral e-mail with his name, rank and unit — a possible violation of military regulations barring political statements. This morning, he sent [us] a new statement (punctuation corrected):

"I am writing this to ask that you delete my email and not forward it. After checking my sources, information that was put out in my email was wrong. This email was meant only for my family. Please respect my wishes and delete the email and if there are any blogs you have my email portrayed on I would ask if you would take it down too. Thanks for your understanding."

In addition to the official military denials, the following Department of Defense video shows Senator Obama meeting, talking, and eating breakfast with U.S. troops in Afghanistan (and includes a brief interview with a soldier who noted that Obama "took time out of his schedule to come over and visit with us, not just at this camp but at other surrounding camps in Afghanistan"):

We also received a flood of messages from U.S. troops who encountered Senator Obama during his Middle East trip (in Afghanistan and elsewhere) and reported quite different experiences than what was claimed the original e-mail. The following is a sampling of the more printable ones:

BTW, we have been cleared to discuss it now, but I did meet Obama. He came through here on Friday, his first stop in theater. He was with 3 senators and loads of secret service. One of the senators was from RI, and we just happen to have one of the two people here from RI, so she got to have lunch with her senator.

My folks and I spent about the last 4 days leading up to his visit jumping through hoops to get radio comms, etc. straight. He went from the plane to the chow hall and shook everyone's hand and ate lunch with a select few. I did meet him and shake his hand. There was pictures taken, but there were only a few who were allowed to take pictures, so I don't know if I can a copy. He asked me where I was from and what I do here. I told him I was in Communications. He then asked what part of the Communications field, which I then replied I was an Operations Flight Commander, I get into everything. :-) He laughed.

I guess the biggest thing about seeing him in person is he extremely skinny. I guess he doesn't get time to eat. Ha, Ha.

There was a Civil Engineer NCO who told Obama his son was going to vote for him. Obama asked him how old was his son, and he said 8! Obama ended up flagging down one of scribes and got the guys home address so Obama could write his son and thank him for wanting to vote for him.

I am an officer in Afghanistan and took photos of Obama greeting the troops. He was very cordial and likeable.

I don't know who this captain saw, but it wasn't the Barack Obama *I* just saw in Afghanistan. Unlike most of the pols who breeze on through for nothing more than brief photo ops before leaving he was warm, friendly & engaging (as much as security would allow) with the troops he met and he was genuinely interested in us and our mission and how we could best serve our country. When Obama went to Jordan a few days ago they said "The guy gets it. Sharp, aware and a very good listener. He doesn't seem stuck in preconceived positions." Those are the qualities *I*'d like to see in my Commander in Chief. While Obama was out visiting the troops, what was John McCain doing ...?, playing golf with his rich cronies (Bush Sr.) in Kennbunkport and whining about how much press coverage Obama was getting. Definitely *not* the qualities I want to see in my Commander in Chief.

Personally I think any officer who would publically gripe about not getting "thanked" for his service by a civilian is a disgrace to the military.

CPT Porter wasn't even there. He claims Obama went to play basketball with troops, which isn't true. Obama went to the Headquarters buildings to have meetings with the Generals and then he flew to meet soldiers at Jalalabad. CPT Porter lied and said that he played basketball with troops at Bagram, when fact of the matter is - is that he got this info from reading the newsheadlines that say he played bball in Kuwait. I met Sen Obama and I've also submitted photos of him in Afghanistan for you to view. He thanked me for my service and was forever grateful for the sacrifices me and my family are making while I am out here.

I am disgusted to be serving alongside a liar like Captain Porter, I hope he gets court martialed for lying.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported that it was unlikely the e-mail's author would face any disciplinary measures:

Utah Guard spokesman Hank McIntire said soldiers need to make sure they "separate their private views with what they say when they're in uniform."

"When you send out an e-mail, you just never know where it's going to end up," he said. "It's becoming more and more difficult to have a privately held opinion, so you have to be doubly careful what you say and who you say it to."

McIntire said he did not expect Porter to face any disciplinary measures, noting that the captain appears contrite for having sent an e-mail with inaccurate information.

Last updated: 26 July 2008

[tamaith]

when i got it there was only 1 or 2 other emails that was sent to my friend so i believe its a copy that was sent to a friend to a friend. ...

[tamaith]

i went on snopes and saw it i was just asking is / how do you know that the website is legitimate who says their facts are correct is the letter posted factual i don't know.

[Kaisu]

I'm sure that you can weigh all the information presented and come to a relatively reasonable conclusion. How much sense does it make that any political candidate would visit a place like Afghanistan while on the campaign trail and then act in a way designed to cost him/her votes? Even the most stupid candidate would treat all he/she came across with the utmost of sincerity and friendliness. Everyone has an opinion, but there are informed, reasonable and logical opinions and then there are stupid ones. It's up to us to judge.

[Mateo_1387]

considering all the pictures, facts, and everything snopes has to offer, plus the fact that the website is dedicated to finding the truth, I'll call it legit.

Also, who is to say the email is not true, I do not see any so called "facts" within the email.

But since were are on the subject of questioning, who is to say this reality of mine does not truly exist, but is maybe someone else's reality? :?