British Royal Marine KIA saving reporter

[Deror]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/09/raid-afghanistan-journalist-diplomat-questions

What are y'alls thoughts on reporters in combat zones?

 

[nittany03]

http://www.neptunuslex.com/2009/09/09/standards-2/

He says it better than I can.

 

[mmx1]

http://www.neptunuslex.com/2009/09/09/standards-2/

He says it better than I can.

Apples and oranges to compare a slight against the family of LCpl Bernard for a tragedy already done with endangering lives by prematurely releasing information as he (or you) suggest they should have done. The AP held onto the photo until well after the LCpl's burial before releasing the photo.

Or would endangering journalists or refusing to rescue them sate your rage?

The NYTimes on its practices in war zones and weighing the risks they take:
http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/john-burns-discusses-sultan-munadi/

 

[scoolbubba]

Journalistic integrity...when it suits them.

Kill a story by ignoring it? You betcha, so long as it's one of their own and not one of those stupid uneducated dumbass kids fighting a war somewhere else.

This is one of the reasons I rarely read the Times. Its a rag wrapped in the reputation of respectable paper. I'd rather get my news from the WSJ, or even the BBC any day of the week.

 

[mmx1]

What does this have to do with integrity? Is that a codeword for "they don't act like we want them to act"?

 

[scoolbubba]

No, but it's what they invoke everytime they publish something that causes unnecessary anguish to a service member's family, endangers troops, or provides aid and comfort to our enemies. In that context, it has everything to do with this topic, and serves to highlight the Times' hypocrisy.

 

[HuggyU2]

What are y'alls thoughts on reporters in combat zones?

In this case, the reporter was warned not to go to the site, due to hostiles. He chose to ignore it.
The fact they lost a Special Forces soldier to save this guy is a tragedy. Had he done what he was told, it would have been avoided.

And this reporter will probably end up on Oprah "telling his story", and getting a book deal in the proces.

 

[jtmedli]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/09/raid-afghanistan-journalist-diplomat-questions

What are y'alls thoughts on reporters in combat zones?

Unnecessary and out of place. Noncombatants don't need/shouldn't to be that close to the action.

 

[pourts]

If everything in the article is true, that guy was dumb to run out into gunfire with hands up shouting "journalist." Whether it was stray bullets or intentional that is stupid.

 

[Flash]

In this case, the reporter was warned not to go to the site, due to hostiles. He chose to ignore it.

If reporters only went where the military told them they could go there wouldn't be much real news out of the war zones at all. There always has and always will be quite a bit of friction between a free press, who wants all the information it can get, and the military, which operates in an environment where the less information out in the open the better. The military has lied to the press before, even during OIF, so to ask the press to completely trust the military is a bit much for some of them. On the other hand, if this is the second time you have gotten snatched in a war zone then you might want to rethink how you do your job.

Unnecessary and out of place. Noncombatants don't need/shouldn't to be that close to the action.

Then how are regular citizens supposed to find out what is really going on? If civilian reporters were not in the war zones reporting on what was going on then the news would look an awful lot like wht I watched on AFRTS, which is not much more than 'feel good' fluff.

P.S. For the OP, pay closer attention to detail. The soldier killed was from the British Army's Parachute Regiment, he was not a Royal Marine.

 

[A4sForever]

If reporters only went where the military told them they could go there wouldn't be much real news out of the war zones at all....

WHO GIVES A FLYING FUCK if there's 'real news' or not coming out of a 'hot' war zone ... ??? Flash ... you are so disappointing on so many levels ...

This reporter-gerbil went where he was specifically told NOT TO GO ... he got captured (why, oh why did "I" get captured ... ??? ... I'm such a good person ... and soooooooooo much 'smarter' than these military Neanderthals in any case ... )

He didn't follow the righteous & correct advice he was given ... he got taken ... it cost the life of a British stalwart to free him ...

The reporter is a useless a piece of shit that cost the life of someone that matters. The ONLY way this 'reporter' can redeem himself is to devote a LARGE portion of the rest of his life to this Brit soldier's family.

 

[mmx1]

Bullshit. He was traveling to investigate the well-publicized incident of the bombing of the fuel trucks. Real news keeps us honest. It keeps us from being flat-out lied to about what our forces are doing as in the "Friday Follies" of Vietnam. And if we're on the up and up, it gives credible independent reporting of our activities that carries more weight to outsiders than just the PAO saying everything's A-OK.

He was there doing his job, so were the Brits.

And FYI, the initial reports are that there's not a lot of local outrage from officials or villagers regarding the airstrike, indicating they're accepting some degree of culpability on the part of the deceased. That's the sort of "real news" that should be getting covered, especially through non-military channels.

 

[A4sForever]

Bullshit....

What?? You and Flash are some kinda' tag-team???

He backed up your stupid comment on the other thread ... and now you return the favor??

You both disgust me ... neither one of you have a clue.

 

[mmx1]

I'm not backing anyone up, I'm responding to you.

 

[A4sForever]

I'm not backing anyone up, I'm responding to you.

And you still don't have a clue ...