The American Spectator

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General Confusion

4.28.09 @ 6:01AM

FOR THE RECORD
Re: John R. Guardiano's Censoring Military Leaders:

Mr. Guardiano states that Lt. Gen. Elder was one of the senior leadership that was fired by Sec. Gates. This could not be any further from the truth!

In the story, he wrote:

"Generals and Admirals are afraid to speak in the climate created by Gates," says Dr. Rebecca Grant, a senior fellow at the Lexington Institute.
As Defense Secretary, Grant notes, "Gates has fired a service chief, [former Air Force General Michael Moseley]; two service secretaries, [former Army Secretary Francis Harvey and former Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne]; and a combatant commander, [Lieutenant General Robert J. Elder, Jr., the former Joint Combatant Commander for Global Strike at the U.S. Strategic Command]."

We have contacted Dr. Grant, who said has never done an interview with Mr. Guardiano. He apparently contacted her and she declined to do the interview. She states that Mr. Guardiano pulled the quotes from an interview she did with another reporter, Nate Hale from the Examiner, then inserted the names himself, apparently not researching the topic at hand.

We request a retraction to the story and a written apology from Mr. Guardiano to Gen. Elder for his lack of responsibility as a reporter.

In your business we are certain that accuracy is paramount, and in this case it did not happen. The lack of responsibility demonstrated by your reporter is the reason we demand a retraction and an apology.
-- M. Erick Reynolds, TSgt, USAF
8th Air Force, Public Affairs
Barksdale AFB, Louisiana

John R. Guardiano replies:
I certainly want to be fully accurate and always aspire to be fully accurate. That's why, prior to publication, I called and spoke with the Lexington Institute to confirm Dr. Grant's remarks. I erred by not initially crediting the Norfolk Examiner with her quote.

The reference to Lieutenant General Elder was not made by Dr. Grant and should not have been bracketed within her quote. I regret these two mistakes, which have been fixed online.

However, based on my own independent reporting I stand by the substantive point: Lieutenant General Elder, I am told, was, indeed, forced into early retirement by Secretary Gates. This does not reflect poorly upon the General. He has, by all accounts, served our country with great honor and distinction. I salute him and his service.

WHO WILL REGULATE THE REGULATERS?
Re: Philip Klein's Wrestling with Capitalist Pigs:

It's easy for conservatives and libertarians to agree that those who profit through fraud should be punished and that one of the few proper functions of government is to enforce the rule of law. As a libertarian, however, I must disagree with Klein's conclusion that "For conservatives, prudent regulation focused on improving disclosure is a noble goal." As Klein goes on to point out, "government regulators are also susceptible to corruption, conflicts of interest, and poor judgment." What we need is LESS regulation and MORE personal responsibility. Caveat Emptor. Whether it's a firm buying derivatives, a borrower agreeing to a loan, or an insurer guaranteeing against risk, let the buyer beware. More regulation creates a moral hazard whereby the consumer believes that risk has been magically eliminated by an all-knowing third party, and thus even risky practices are perceived as safe. Why does Klein believe that suddenly these regulations will work, when all of the previous regulations have put us in the position we find ourselves today?
-- Dave Peterson

A KNIFE TO A GUN FIGHT
Re: Peter Hannaford's Obama and the Dogs of War:

The latest twist on enhanced interrogation techniques comes from The United Arab Emirates, where, it has been revealed, a prince of that country whose name I will not repeat, personally committed atrocities, which I also will not repeat, on a former business associate whom he believed had cheated him out of about $5,000.

And had it videotaped for his pleasure.

Letter to the Editor