L'Affaire Meo Continues: Army Explains U.S. Chain of Command to NATO

L'Affaire Meo grows curiouser and curiouser. In light of recent revelations, it appears that a certain London-based newspaper does not quite grasp America's freedom of speech laws; and that a certain United Nations-spawned organization does not understand its own boundaries.

As discussed below, disgraced British journalist Nick Meo asked NATO's International Security Assistance Force [ISAF] to tell the U.S. Army to muzzle American milbloggers after we called out Meo for dissing our troops. But it appears that not only Meo, but also his employer, the Sunday Telegraph, made this absurd request.

According to a source with intimate knowledge of events: "It's true - [Meo] and the Sunday Telegraph actually believed ISAF would come running and yelling..." at United States Forces - Afghanistan and other commands.

It doesn't end there. I had assumed that ISAF (which has not responded to my inquiries) would have given Meo and the ST a quick lesson on American First Amendment Rights, and also on U.S. Army chain of command structure.

But, no. According to my source, the NATO-ites picked up the ball, and tried to run with it. "ISAF tried to get involved a little bit...." So yet another outfit, the Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, had to step in and explain to ISAF the chain of command, etcetera. As if CSTCA didn't already have their hands full fighting an actual war.

I don't think we've heard the end of this one.