Says California Representative Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon), in a letter to Rumsfeld, in response to CNN airing what is nothing less than our troops being killed in terrorist sniper snuff film.
Calif. Republican Asks Pentagon to Remove Embedded CNN Reporters
SAN DIEGO, October 21, 2006 – The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee asked the Pentagon on Friday to remove CNN reporters embedded with U.S. combat troops, saying the network’s broadcast of a video showing insurgent snipers targeting U.S. soldiers was tantamount to airing an enemy propaganda film.
The tape, which came to the network through contact with an insurgent leader, was aired Wednesday night on “Anderson Cooper 360” and repeated Thursday.
In a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., wrote: “CNN has now served as the publicist for an enemy propaganda film featuring the killing of an American soldier.” The letter was also signed by San Diego-area Republican congressmen Darrell Issa and Brian Bilbray.
Obviously this is a great idea and I completely support it. Whether or not it will happen is another thing. Is it too much to ask for there to be some sort of repercussion for spreading the propaganda of the enemy? This effort deserves our full support. I’m also proud that it’s congressmen from my home state who have led the way on this. Express your support to these men via their congressional websites here:
Further coverage is here from the San Diego Union Tribune.
As you all know I usually have too much to say..but believe it or CNN has muted me. I simply am in shock as to what they did. I can not compute that this is any where near journalistic integrity. Arrest them. That is what I said, arrest them. I demand to know the source of this video, how it got into CNN hands and the purpose of running it.Actually, I suppose we all know the purpose of running it..so sad it is sickening.
You wouldn’t have seen this in Korea or WW2. I think embedded reporters is a bad idea. The advent of cable television and news as entertainment puts reporters with political agendas in the mix with our brave soldiers in harms way. When a war is being prosecuted, all should defer to the Pentagon.
Thank God, CNN wasn’t around during the Revolutionary War! Come to think of it, neither were the Democrats…!
WMD’s now equals: Weapons of Mass Democrats!
Nate
How is it that CNN acquired this footage from an ‘insurgent leader’ when they – CNN – are suppose to be embedded with US troops? It is the US troops who are protecting the CNN ‘journalists’ and putting themselves at risk for a network ran by a demented butterhead who isn’t sure whose side he is on – and stated such just a few weeks ago.
Frankly, I’d rather see our troops freed from the manipulative lens so they can do the job they are suppose to do: kill the evil people and blow things up!
I wish to add one more thing: God bless that young soldier and his family. I cannot even begin to imagine how this soldier’s family must feel right now.
This is a horrible situation, but I don’t think we’re hitting on the main point yet. What would be gained by CNN showing footage of an insurgent attack? It would further turn public opinion against the war in Iraq because it shows the horrors of war that most people would never experience. CNN has defended this practice as simply being honest.
Yet, when was the last time CNN showed footage of the positive things we’ve done in Iraq? Hard to remember, isn’t it? Yet, wouldn’t THAT show the honesty of war as well?
Such is the duality of this situation, and yet no one is holding CNN accountable for showing the “brutal honesty” of only one side of the Iraq war.
I read recently that a poll of US “journalists” found that most of them, by a wide margin, felt no loyalty to the US was due in their coverage of wars in which the US was a belligerent. Considering that most of them, even from the hallowed Columbia Journalism school, are required to take remedial writing courses by their real world employers, I am not surprised at either their stupidity or arrogance. What the US does not need in any war is some slimeball sensationalist “embedded” with our troops and thereby laying the added responsibility of his/her/its protection on our troops in combat. “Reporters” should be kept far from the front lines and the country where the battles are being waged. They should get their informaiton from the military informaiton office, and their employers whould be required to print it. If we want snuff films and treason we can always get that from the other side via the internet.
What CNN did was beyond sickening. For all of those who bash FOX news for their coverage, I would say this. One of the reasons FOX does so well is NOT because it’s a “Republican” network. I happen to be a registered Democrat (at least for now) who leans right of center and supports the war. I suppose I’m a classic “Tammycrat” in many ways. But the reason I like and trust FOX News is because when I see their coverage and the personalities they have on, there is no doubt that the network is FOR America and wants the USA to WIN.
Sadly, the rest of the MSM does NOT leave me with that impression. And this CNN journalistic atrocity only cements that impression in my mind.
Two Words: Eason Jordan. Why is anyone surprised that CNN would accept a snuff film from a terrorist and run it?
CNN and other MSM types are actively supporting the enemy in its goal of running America out of the Middle East. CNN and people like Cindy Sheehan and Murtha believe the terrorists are freedom fighters that are liberating Iraq from America. They believe that America is in Iraq so that companies like Halliburton can get some big no bid contracts. It’s sad to believe that CNN would use a propaganda film produced by the enemy to support their leftwing political agenda right before an election.
I don’t think that should be any embedded news people. They become someone else that the troops have to take care of and worry about their safety. Once in a great while I would see a news person in Vietnam, but they were not embedded.
Kudos to Representative Hunter, but I don’t believe he went far enough. I think the administration should also ban CNN from all Executive branch new conferences and briefings, and if I were the president I would start by publicly dismissing CNN’s White House correspondent.
Hopefully our troops over there have found out about this. When they aren’t around to save a CNN butt, then, well, too bad……