March 30, 2003
BOUGHT:
Arnett, On Iraq TV, Praises Treatment Of Reporters (Joe Flint, March 31, 2003, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL)Veteran television correspondent Peter Arnett, who has been covering the war with Iraq for NBC News through an arrangement with National Geographic Explorer, went on Iraq's state television network and praised Iraq's treatment of journalists.In a transcript of Arnett's comments during the interview, he seemed to praise Iraq's Ministry of Information, saying it has "allowed me and many other reporters to cover 12 whole years since the Gulf War with a degree which we appreciate and that is continuing today." [...]
Arnett's comments are sure to stir controversy since some media outlets, including CNN, Arnett's former employer, have been booted out of Baghdad. Also, two reporters from the Tribune Co.-owned (TRB) newspaper Newsday are missing after being expelled from Baghdad and the paper has said it believes its journalists are being held by the Iraqi government.
Mr. Arnett is a traitor to his adopted country, his profession, and simple human decency. For the second time in twelve years he's serving as a propaganda mouthpiece for our enemy in wartime. He is our Lord Haw Haw and should be tried and shot.
MORE:
Iraq May be Holding Newsday Journalists (1010 WINS, Mar 30,
2003)
Two Newsday journalists who disappeared from Baghdad may have been detained by Iraq's government, the newspaper's editor said Saturday.Posted by Orrin Judd at March 30, 2003 8:25 PMReporter Matthew McAllester and photographer Moises Saman were last heard from Monday, and the newspaper has been unable to obtain information about their whereabouts from Iraqi officials, said editor Anthony Marro in a statement.
Journalists expelled from Iraq have told Newsday that security officials on Monday came to the Baghdad hotel where they were staying and questioned reporters. Some were taken from the hotel.
There ought to be some veiled threats made at least, so that he worries a bit about entering the US. If the Eurocrats can threaten to arrest Kissinger, we can at least threaten the same with Arnett.
Posted by: Paul Cella at March 30, 2003 10:13 PMHe lives in Virginia, or did.
Posted by: oj at March 30, 2003 11:34 PMSpeaking purely on a practical level, at what point does this type of thing become "aid and comfort to the enemy"? I would think his comments come awfully close.
Can we just fire the entire journalism profession and replace them with blogger-dom? Really, could we do any worse?
Everyone has their purpose.
I recall reading that Lord Haw Haw's imbecilities actually increased the Allies' morale, and Tokyo Rose's sweet voice strengthened resolve of US forces in the Pacific (as well as provided entertainment).
Seize his Va. property and investigate his finances to see who pays for his lifestyle in America. It wouldn't surprise me if Saddam has bought some Arnett, Inc., stock.
Posted by: Melissa at March 31, 2003 1:07 AMSupposedly, he did the interview as a "professional courtesy." Does the "profession" of journalism count uniformed mouthpieces on Iraqi National TV as members? I guess a doctor would be expected to treat Mengele, for free, as a professional courtesy.
Posted by: The Other Brother at March 31, 2003 5:35 AMNow that both NBC and Nat'l Geo have severed their relationships with Arnett, the story's about done. Arnett apologized (profusely) and he has paid for his poor judgment. I hope he makes it safely through the rest of the war. Sometimes a life sentence is more satisfying than capital punishment.
Posted by: Doug at March 31, 2003 8:02 AMThough, if one were inclined to give Arnett the benefit of the doubt, one may wonder if he did it for reasons of self preservation.
Since I imagine that reporters may forget, in the light of the hysteria generated by this campaign, that Saddam is, in fact, quite a bit more than a tad "worse" than Bush....
No doubt when this is all over, Arnett will claim "self-preservation" for his statements. Except that his statements are consistent with his behavior for the past few decades, including not just 1991 but also "Tailwind" and his reporting from Baghdad during the past few months. What finally got him into trouble here is that he was giving opinions on things about which he knew absolutely nothing, like the war plan, or his obvious statisfaction at providing aid and comfort to Iraq and its allies.
Between him and "Geraldo!", it's been a good day for responsible journalism.
Barry,
I thought the same after his Iraqi TV interview, but changed my mind after watching him live this morning. I think he truly empathises with the Iraqi people. I also think he never quite understood that PGW II is not at all like PGW I. He and the rest of the US and UK reporters had no business broadcasting enemy propoganda from the enemy's freaking capital during a war. I hope and pray BBC and the rest can get their folks out of Bagdhdad before things get too squirrly.
I never heard any such doctrine of "professional courtesy," but I've only been in the biz for 40 years.
Of course, I'm a print guy. Maybe electronic "journalists" do it differently.
A guy we know at the paper copied this email he sent to MSNBC. I cannot vouch for this story, but I can say he is who he says he is (I've stripped off his name and cleaned it up to cnform to Orrin's rules of propriety):
"Subject: MSNBC's "expert combat reporter"--Peter Arnett
"Claims a 1/2 hour snippet of Peter Arnett analyzing the war situation with
Iraq. You guys gotta be desperate for copy, paying that bastard for any ****
he shovels your way.
I almost killed him in Vietnam after he landed in a LZ in a chopper to
evacuate a large cache enemy supplies we had captured after a gun fight.
I was 1st Infantry Division battalion reporter at the time, and began to
escort him to these supplies in the jungle.
"How many Americans killed!" he demanded."
"None," I proudly replied.
"Hold that chopper," he yelled, "nothing newsworthy here he chimed."
I instinctively aimed my rifle at his back as he hustled back to the
chopper, my finger curling around and tightening the trigger. My excellent
training in fire discipline saved me from a jail sentence.
I guess we could've pumped some enemy rounds into his body, claiming he was
killed by the VC. Everybody would have backed me.
Sincerely,
(name deleted)