Better PR Training Needed

Major Kelley Thibodeau, spokeswoman for the task force of American military personnel based in nearby in Djibouti explains: "Officially, we haven’t put anybody in Somalia. The Americans don’t go forward with the Ethiopians. They are training Ethiopians in Ethiopia."

Seriously? Here's how this is supposed to work. Major Kelley is talking to her superior officer: "What should I say if reporters ask about our involvement." Colonel so-and-so replies, "officially, we haven't put anybody in Somalia." Major Kelley, when asked about this by a reporter, either replies "we haven't put anybody in Somalia" or else refuses to answer the question or somehow evades it. Whatever she does, she can't just repeat "officially, we haven't put anybody in Somalia." That gives the whole game away! She might as well just say "we've secretly put people in Somalia" at this point.

Comments

Or she could say "the Ethopians in Somalia are communicating with Americans".

Posted by Nicholas Beaudrot | December 26, 2006 3:24 PM

Also I'm pretty sure "Kelley" was at least occassionally a boy's name in the '60s.

Posted by Nicholas Beaudrot | December 26, 2006 3:27 PM

Its like that Monty Python skit:

"May I take this opportunity of emphasizing that there is no cannibalism in the British Navy. Absolutely none, and when I say none, I mean there is a certain amount, more than we are prepared to admit..."

Posted by beowulf | December 26, 2006 3:40 PM

The article does indeed refer to the good major as a "spokeswoman".

Posted by huh | December 26, 2006 4:13 PM

Didn't say anything about "over" Somalia. Is over in? Depends on what the meaning of is is I suppose ;->

Who cares anyway? It has to be done.

Posted by Purple Avenger | December 26, 2006 4:32 PM

Also I'm pretty sure "Kelley" was at least occassionally a boy's name in the '60s.

But why would the Army Hire a man to be a "Spokeswoman", as the NYT article describes her?

Posted by Chad Okere | December 26, 2006 4:59 PM

But why would the Army Hire a man to be a "Spokeswoman", as the NYT article describes her?

Hazing.

Posted by Nicholas Beaudrot | December 26, 2006 5:19 PM

Whatever she does, she can't just repeat "officially, we haven't put anybody in Somalia." That gives the whole game away!

It's a leak and a denial in one sentence. I'm impressed by the efficiency.

Posted by David Tomlin | December 26, 2006 7:23 PM

Nicholas: Kudos for my first honest LOL of the day. Extra points for the minimalistic style.

Posted by torrentprime | December 26, 2006 8:56 PM

This is a little strange but last night I was taking a taxi home with a friend and the driver was talking about his two sons in the army. They were both captains stationed in Somalia. My friend and I were both under the impression that there were no American troops there. The father was just happy that they were there and not in Iraq. Not sure what this means but thought I would pass it along.

Posted by ziller | December 26, 2006 9:01 PM

US policy isn't to intervene directly in Somalia - we're not supporting the Ethiopians anymore than we were supporting them prior to the Islamist rise in Somalia. US policy is to support a regional peacekeeping force, funded by the US and composed of Ugandan troops, to create a buffer between the courts and the TFG so negotiations can take place in good faith. The Ethiopian attack is, despite all the chatter and gossip, not in the interest of anyone, really. We're not backing them or using them as a proxy. The courts having been trying to provoke conflict between Ethiopia and Somalia. Why? Because the courts aren't very popular among Somalis, but Ethiopia is really, really hated. Start a war against Ethiopia, then rally Somalis under the banner of jihad against an aggressive neighbor, and there you have it - leadership over the majority of Somalis. This isn't in the American interest, and the people working on US policy towards Somalia are smart enough to know this.

Posted by Anon | December 26, 2006 9:32 PM

This isn't in the American interest, and the people working on US policy towards Somalia are smart enough to know this.

Of course they are.

Anon: 1. Are you an employee or contractor of the United States government, civilian or military? 2) Are you posting blog comment threads because it's your job? These are real questions, not rhetorical ones. Please answer separately.

Posted by Jim Henley | December 26, 2006 10:58 PM

Maj. Kelley Thibodeau is a female who's in the Air Force and is the Public Affairs Officer for CJTF-HOA.

Posted by zzz | December 27, 2006 8:45 AM

1) No.
2) No.

Honestly, I'm a crazy lefty moonbat, etc, and I know the people who are working on this, and they're also crazy lefty moonbats. Bleeding hearts, one and all, trying to actually accomplish something. Doesn't anybody recall that the vast majority of the civil service vote Democratic?

Posted by Anon | December 27, 2006 11:22 AM