Re: US killing spree continues

While the death of journalists is troublesome, let us be perfectly clear on
a couple of things.

1. According to this article, the insurgents and terrorists are responsible
for the vast majority of these deaths.
2. The statement that the US soldiers do not take adequate care to protect
these journalists is an oppinion, not a fact.
3. Of course accidental deaths would be a result of US forces, because they
are the largest contingent in Iraq.
4. These journalists are there because of the war, they know it is
dangerous, and they will seek out stories even in dangerous situations.

So, at least get the facts straight before you knock our soldiers.

Carl

"Rifleman" <steve.day1170@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:df4c8n$onn$2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Allies, Innocents, each other and journos all victims of the US military,
It
> scares me to think the US has nuclear and Chemical weapons.
>
>
>
> INSI NEWS RELEASE
>
> US forces second biggest cause of journalist deaths in Iraq
>
> Brussels, 29 August - The death of a Reuters soundman brings the
total
> of journalists and support staff known to have been killed by US forces in
> the Iraq war to 13.
>
> Eighty-one members of the news media have died since the war began
in
> March 2003, according to figures compiled by the International News Safety
> Institute.
>
> More than half - 50 - were murdered by insurgents and other
> unidentified gunmen and bombers. American firepower is the next most
> significant cause of death.
>
> There is no firm evidence that US forces have deliberately targeted
> the news media. But there is widespread suspicion that American troops do
> not take adequate precautions to try to ensure the safety of journalists.
> None of the other Coalition forces has killed any journalists.
>
> "Journalists are a vital pillar of any democracy," said INSI
Director
> Rodney Pinder. "It is doubly disturbing when they are killed by armies
that
> fight in the name of democratic values."
>
> The vast majority of the journalist dead are Iraqi, like Reuters
> Television soundman Waleed Khaled, 35, killed in Baghdad on Sunday. Iraqi
> police said he and wounded cameraman Haider Kadhem, were shot by US
forces.
>
> Journalists and other newsgathering staff from 16 countries have
died
> since the war began in March 2003 - almost three a month. Iraqis,
practising
> press freedom for the first time after decades of dictatorship, have taken
> the brunt of casualties with 57 dead.
>
> This reflects their role as the primary providers of news of the
> war.Most of the television news footage of the conflict seen around the
> world comes from Iraqi camera crews like Khaled and Kadhem. Iraq is simply
> too dangerous for foreign journalists often to emerge from highly-guarded
> compounds in the capital.
>
> Iraqi journalists are often caught in a kind of free fire zone
between
> insurgents and Coalition forces. They are targeted by the insurgents as
> instruments of occupation. They are suspected by many Americans of being
> agents, unwitting or otherwise, of the insurgency.
>
> They cannot openly identify themselves or their vehicles as Press
> because of the likelihood of attack by terrorists. But when they move
around
> unidentified they are vulnerable to US soldiers who suspect every civilian
> in the vicinity of a violent incident may be a threat.
>
> In addition, several Iraqi and other Arab news staff detained by the
> US military have complained of abuse and humiliation by captors who seem
> unable or unwilling to believe they can be genuine journalists and not
enemy
> agents.
>
> Khaled's companion, cameraman Kadhem, who was wounded in the back
and
> was the only known witness of the incident was detained by US troops and
was
> still being questioned 12 hours later. No explanation was given.
>
> Reuters still seeks the release of a cameraman arrested by US forces
> three weeks ago who is being held in Abu Ghraib prison. US military
> officials say he will face a judicial hearing but have given no access to
> the journalist or say what he is suspected of.
>
> Reuters Global Managing Editor David Schlesinger called for an
> immediate thorough and impartial investigation into the killing of Khaled.
>
> The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists has said that the US
> military often seems "indifferent and unwilling" to launch an adequate
> investigation or take steps to mitigate risk to journalists in Iraq.
>
> The International Federation of Journalists, in a letter to
President
> Bush earlier this year, called on the US government to end all speculation
> over killings of journalists and media staff by providing "credible and
> convincing" reports on fatal incidents.
>
> US military officials have discussed ways to improve safety with
news
> executives and press freedom groups. An internal Pentagon report on the
> shooting of Reuters cameraman Mazen Dana in August 2003 even produced
> recommendations that could provide a greater degree of safety for
> journalists on the battlefield, but few are known to have been
implemented.
>
> Iraq persists as the most dangerous location in the world for the
news
> media.
>
> As well as the Iraqis, the war has claimed the lives of journalists
> from Algeria, Argentina (2), Australia (2), Britain (3), Germany, Iran,
> Italy, Japan (2), Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Poland, Spain (2), Ukraine
and
> the United States (4).
>
> In addition to those killed by terrorists and US forces, seven died
in
> crossfire, two were killed by Iraqi soldiers before the fall of Saddam
> Hussein, one was believed to have been shot by Iraqi troops working with
the
> Coalition and eight died from accidents or health-related problems.
>
> By comparison, the Vietnam War claimed about 70 news media deaths
over
> 20 years.
>
> INSI has held two safety training courses in Iraq for Iraqi
> journalists and plans three more in coming months. Applicants should
contact
> INSI Deputy Director Sarah de Jong by e-mail sarah.dejong@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
or
> by phone +32 2 235 22 01.
>
> Any questions about this article, please contact Rodney Pinder on
> mobile +44 7734 709 26 or e-mail: rodney.pinder@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
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