Former POW Jessica Lynch is now a civilian, and is not shy about speaking her mind in re: the Pentagon’s portrayal of her capture and, in particular, her rescue.

In an ABC interview quoted in this Washington Post story, she says “I’m no hero. . . I’m just a survivor.” She also laments the over-dramatic rescue coverage (“Yeah, I don’t think it happened quite like that”) and expresses her irritation at being used as the Pentagon’s poster soldier.

CNN covers the same interview, as does the New York Times, which includes this quote, absent from the other two stories:

“From the time I woke up in that hospital, no one beat me, no one slapped me, no one, nothing,” Ms. Lynch told Diane Sawyer, adding, “I’m so thankful for those people, because that’s why I’m alive today.”

It would have been very, very easy for her to just accept and support the Pentagon’s initial version — a blonde Rambo bravely fighting off Iraqi hordes, only to be captured and held in an enemy prison hospital, under heavy guard, awaiting her fate until a daring commando rescue spirited her away — instead of telling the truth, especially in light of the gung-ho war effort. There were no other survivors from her group; hers would be the only voice. It’s impressive that instead of doing so, she tells the truth — that she was terrified, that her gun jammed, that she fired not a shot, that she remembers no mistreatment in the hospital, and that the treatment she did receive saved her life. She thanks her rescuers, too, of course, though she still wonders why they filmed her rescue.

Surely the reason isn’t “calculated PR,” right? I mean, we can completely discount the reports from hospital officials that they attempted to alert US forces of Lych’s whereabouts as soon as she was stable, right? Surely the Pentagon wouldn’t manipulate something like this for public opinion, right?

I just wish I was sure.