‘Hit pieces’ connected to Growler denial? | Letter

Did an anti-Navy, (former) Al Jazeera reporter influence DNR Commissioner Goldmark to deny traditional Navy training in the Olympic Forest and Congressman Kilmer’s public criticism of the Navy’s NEPA process?

March 18, 2015 2:00 am

Editor,

Mr. Dahr Jamail, listed on the Al Jazeera website as an active reporter, launched two hit pieces against the Navy and made outlandish statements in his “Truthout” coverage.

Please Google “Jamail Truthout Interview Growler” to listen to the unreal pack of lies.

We would expect the anti-Navy opposition groups to prop up Mr. Jamail as their hero — and they have. He is prominently cited by many of the “Protect our Peninsula” leaders as a true authority on this issue.

This is the same group that packed Congressman Kilmer’s town hall meetings and flooded the DNR with phone calls — from their Facebook site. Unfortunately, it appears that both politicians have willingly fallen for this tripe. This is amazing given the congressman’s assignment to the House Armed Services Committee. Does he know that he is following a second-rate Al Jazeera reporter?

Lets look at the real issues:

Noise: The Navy aircraft will be flying at 6,000 feet. There is no “noise issue,” particularly for the opposition group leaders who live 80 miles away in Port Townsend. Many of us live very close to the base with aircraft flying at 200 feet — no issues.

“Radiation: The Navy emitters are equivalent to a TV truck — 80 miles from Port Townsend. This poses no hazard, despite Mr. Jamail’s assertions that these emitters will “melt flesh.”

We implore Commissioner Peter Goldmark, Congressman Kilmer and other political leaders to not be fooled by this second rate Al Jazeera reporter and his anti-Navy, anti-Military groupies. Please read understand that he is behind this movement — don’t be fooled.

Scott Smith

Oak Harbor