Letter to Commander of Lithuanian Special Forces
I sent this letter directly to the Commander of Lithuanian Special Forces
How very strange, I took Yon's word to be compliments. I had no idea they were controversial at all..Just goes to show.
To: Aitvaras CommanderMichael Yon
From: Michael Yon
Sir,
The words I wrote about Lithuanian Special Forces were meant as the highest praise. Yet I understand that those words have been widely misinterpreted in Lithuania. One Lithuanian journalist contacted me saying that normally a gigantic story in Lithuania spawns around a 100 comments on their website, but that this one about my commentary on Lithuanian Special Forces has gotten well over 400 comments.
A number of U.S. military personal have reached out to me privately in defense of Lithuanian soldiers. My long time readers realize that my reference to LithSOF being a "weaponized version of Borat" was tongue-in-cheek. I did not realize that there are so many Lithuanian readers of my work, or how some might take offense to those four words, when the rest of the story was clearly very complimentary of LithSOF. And so I am writing this apology to Lithuanian readers and to you not to take pressure off of me from you; but to take pressure off of me from American soldiers who greatly respect the Lithuanian Special Forces. Our soldiers admire the courage and competency of Lithuanian soldiers, and their willingness to kill terrorists. And so our soldiers don't want four words from a writer to damage their relationship with your Special Forces. One key American officer contacted me this morning saying of you: "a leader and warrior any American would be proud to serve alongside under any circumstances."
A Lithuanian journalist contacted me and I was very clear that my words were meant as highest compliments (if tongue in cheek), but apparently that interview did not percolate as widely in Lithuania, if it was printed at all.
Sir, I think the real Borat here is me. It takes special "skill" to insult an entire country with only four words. I should have realized that certain types of journalists might take those comments and run with the opportunity to spin, yet I simply had no idea that apparently huge amounts of Lithuanians are reading my work.
And to those people, I say now, America respects Lithuania. American soldiers have only one complaint about Lithuanian soldiers: There are not enough of them!
Sir, please consider me -- an embarrassed American writer -- to be a friend of Lithuania who will be more precise with his words in the future. If I am not careful, I'll have to deal with American soldiers who energetically come to your defense.
Very Respectfully,
Michael Yon"
How very strange, I took Yon's word to be compliments. I had no idea they were controversial at all..Just goes to show.
3 Comments:
sorry, but i think that you are standart foolish american. if you don`t really now about Lithuania, please don`t write shit!
The report in question was about the soldiers stationed in Afghanistan and the reporter is covering the war, so not writing is not an option. But I am sure that he has been misunderstood. If you go back and read it for yourself I am sure you will agree. If you need a link I will find it for you.
Tomas
Michael Yon it's very kind of you that you decided to explain your article about LithSOF.
Any way it served for us (Lithuania) in good way.
Now people become more curious about LithSOF contribution in Afghanistan.
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