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A Pictorial Response
From the Troops in Iraq to John Kerry-Truth!
Summary of the eRumor: This eRumor is a picture of a
group of soldiers in Iraq holding a banner with a message to former
presidential candidate John Kerry. The message is written
with misspelled words and child-like printing, their way of responding
to a statement he made during the 2006 election campaign.
The Truth: John Kerry was not running for
president in 2006 but he was campaigning on behalf of various Democratic
congressional candidates for midterm elections. On October 31,
2006, he told a group of California students that individuals who don't
study hard and do their homework would likely "get stuck in
Iraq." It caused an uproar of anger from supporters of the
troops. The reaction was so strong that Kerry had to stop making
appearances for candidates. He later apologized and said that it
was a joke that had gone wrong. A spokesperson said he meant to criticize
the president, not the troops.
Meanwhile, a picture started circulating that apparently showed American
GIs in uniform holding a sign that said ""HALP US JON CARRY-WE
R STUCK [the "K" was backwards] HEAR N IRAK."
Meanwhile, there was speculation about where the picture actually came
from. An article in the New York Post on 11/2/06 said it may have
been taken by a group of soldiers from the Minnesota National Guard in
Iraq. They quote a staff sergeant who said he recognized the
insignia of the Minnesota National Guard in the picture and that he
believes it was taken in Iraq because all of members of that unit have
been deployed there. ABC news said the picture had been taken in
Talil in Iraq, which is where the Minnesota soldiers are stationed.
