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In the line of fire

16 comments on In the line of fire

In the line of fire
: This is a terribly dangerous war for journalists. In just the last 20 hours, an al-Jazeera employee died in crossfire by the network’s offices and a Reuters cameraman died [update: and an Italian TV cameraman also died] when U.S. forces fired on the hotel where journalists are staying, believing they were being fired upon from the hotel. In that Reuters update, the International Federation of Journalists is attacking both sides in the war. But over on Command Post, they’re quoting Fox saying that Iraq is using journalists as human shields.

Every journalist’s death gets more attention than any soldier’s because, of course, journalists cover journalists.

But there’s no getting around the fact that every journalist covering this war put his or her life at risk. And let’s not forget — my fellow laptop pundits — that they risked their lives to get us the news.

: UPDATE: The NY Times summarizes the danger: 10 journalists killed in this war.

16 responses to “In the line of fire”

  1. Gray Avatar
    Gray

    You called it crossfire? But al-Jazeera office was attacked by two precise-guided missiles. That was attack on TV company office – like two days before these killers attacked the convoy of Russian diplomats. Like later today another american killer shooted Reuters office.
    American troops won`t become killers – just because they already are.

  2. Theresa Avatar
    Theresa

    Hey “Gray”
    This is war. Those journalists are sitting in the middle of a major battle. What the hell do you expect? Smart people move away from bombs when they are falling. You are obviously confused, the guys winning are not the murderers who use children, women and old people as shields that would be the bad guys, the iraqi military. I’m sorry those journalists died, but for God sake, they obviously feel the story is more important than their own safety. At least they have a choice whether to be there or not. The innocent civilians being used by the iraqi scum don’t. As for the russian convoy. What the hell were they doing in Baghdad after the war started? Again, a choice they made. Dumb asses. God Bless America, our troops, and Mr. Bush.

  3. Gray Avatar
    Gray

    Theresa, can I ask you to read my post before the answering? `Cause it seems you did not.
    Those journalists (I mean al-Jazeera guys) were in their office when it had been hitted by two missiles. It were guided ones.
    What about Russian convoy – there was not a crossfire. Two jeeps came near to the convoy, watched at the flags and started to shoot. After then there was American convoy which was asked for help – but it passed. There were not Iraqis at all – just Americans and Russian.
    God bless Americans – to suffer their non-elected dictator.

  4. Akizetafive Avatar
    Akizetafive

    Confusion reigns. The Al Jazeera journos were sitting in their Baghdad offices; they didn’t go out into the middle of a battle chasing bullets. Other journos were in the Palestine Hotel when it came under fire.
    Really, shooting at journalists and diplomats is a bad thing and should be avoided, not just on humanitarian grounds but on the grounds of enlightened self-interest. Even the Ba’athists know that.

  5. Theresa Avatar
    Theresa

    Gray
    As I stated in my previous post, war is hell. All journalists take their chances when they choose to be involved in this time of thing. As for the russian envoy, unless you were at the scene and got a first hand account of what happened, I doubt your veracity. Again, let me restate the obvious, war is hell. The US military do their damndest to prevent non-combatant casualties. The iraqi scum cannot say the same. Besides, whose to say the incidents at the hotel weren’t caused by the iraqi scum using the reporters as shields. It has happened before. When the war is over all these types of incidents will be investigated and the truth will be known. Until then, non-combatants who have a CHOICE (key word here), need to get the hell out of the way. God Bless America, our troops, and Mr. Bush

  6. Gray Avatar
    Gray

    >>unless you were at the scene and got a first hand account of what happened
    To your regret – I have. I`ve heard live report from one of the journalists who were in the convoy – about an hour after the event.
    Read the truth which your “free” media will never tell you.

  7. Pithpott Avatar
    Pithpott

    That journalist wasn’t Russian by chance was he?
    Or Syrian? Or Lebanese? Objectivety ain’t your strong suit eh, Gray. Why the hell would the US military waste 2, million-dollar missiles targetting some Al Jazeera journalists? I expect we’ll hear lots more horse wallop from your barmy brigade during this war’s final phase, as you enter the gates of Whingers’ Paradise.

  8. Theresa Avatar
    Theresa

    Again, Gray, and I’m really getting tired of repeating myself, war is hell. Journalists CHOOSE to be in the thick of things hoping for a Pulitzer or whatever prize they are chasing (please don’t try and tell me they have altruistic goals here). They have a CHOICE. As for the russians, again, they made CHOICE to stay and also made a CHOICE to leave at the time they did. Freedom of CHOICE, Gray. Something millions of Iraqi civilians will soon (hopefully, God willing) have. The blood of coalition troops and innocent Iraqi civilians has been spilled to give them the opportunity to make CHOICES. They will soon have a CHOICE on whether or not they progress into the 21st century or revert back into the dark ages like so many other countries in the region. But, they will have a CHOICE. Because the United States and the coalition are giving it to them. God Bless America, our troops, and Mr. Bush.

  9. Andrea Harris Avatar
    Andrea Harris

    I think Gray’s use of the phrase “american killer” shows where he is coming from. And as for the missiles that hit al-Jazeera’s office being “guided” — that’s right, they are guided by devices that latch on to signals. Signals such as can resemble satellite phone uplinks — such as the journalists use. The military already warned reporters that things like this could happen if they weren’t careful — and for their trouble they got some hysterical British reporter yapping about how the US military is going to “target” journalists.

  10. Pithpott Avatar
    Pithpott

    “killers attacked a convoy of Russian diplomats”
    Exactly why do you suppose the convoy was sneaking into Syria of all places? Couldn’t they have simply driven to the US controlled airport and asked for an escort? Surely, the US would have ensured a safe passage, if only for a few political brownie points.
    Or, were the Russians afraid of being caught smuggling something incriminating?
    Or, maybe even someone important?
    The Cold War ain’t dead yet, its just gone underground.

  11. Gray Avatar
    Gray

    OK, let`s clear the situation.
    The al-Jazeera office in Baghdad had a flat roof. And there was big inscription on this roof – “TV AL-JAZEERA”. Killer-cowboy on the plane launched two missiles, destroyed the house and killed one reporter and two children on the first floor.
    Another killer of Americans was sitting in his tank, watched the hotel which was at 550 yards from him, fired and killed two journalists.
    So what? Who will repeat this this-is-the-war-God-bless-Bush-for-allowing-our-troops-to-be-free-and-kill-everyone-they-want fucking bullshit? You are right, Theresa, it is a freedom of choice – to kill civilians or not to kill`em. To your future regret – your troops made a wrong choice.

  12. Jim Treacher Avatar
    Jim Treacher

    Wait, I thought all the evil American killer-cowboys were “slaughtered”?

  13. Theresa Avatar
    Theresa

    Gray, easy fella, your blood pressure is going up. My troops, as you put it, are professionals and do their damn best to keep non-combatants out of this. Not so for the iraqi scum (might I assume they are YOUR troops??). Again, really getting tired of saying this, WAR IS HELL!!!! Who the hell cares what was written on the roof anyway. iraqi scum use hospitals, schools, mosques, people’s homes, and people to cover themselves. Besides the fact, Al Jizz was willing to take the risk of death or injury by being in the building during what I’m sure was a very LOUD fire fight and should have moved their dumb asses out of the building. The fact they didn’t only goes to highlight their obvious stupidity. This one’s for you Gray!! God/Allah Bless America, our troops, and Mr. Bush.

  14. Gail Avatar
    Gail

    Gray,
    Before the war started the humanitarian group Doctors without Borders (may be different depending on language spoken) said that *1.5* million Iraqis would die in this war and that’s why *it had to be stopped*. Even the Iraqis don’t claim more than 500 civilian casualties. We said we were going to be careful of civilians and we have busted our behinds doing it. Our soldiers have been in *more* danger, doing it. These particular journalists chose a spot right next to government buildings (in some reports, attached to them) which in any war is a prime military target. They took a chance. They lost.

  15. Pithpott Avatar
    Pithpott

    How do you determine the distance of 550 yards Gray? Did someone you know over there slip out amidst all those blackard killercowboys and pace it out with a yardstick, under a false white flag?
    Why wasn’t he murdered also? He would look way more threatening than a simple photographer leaning over a balcony pointing a long tubular photo lens at the tanks, wouldn’t he?
    Funny that, for a gray guy, everything in your world is either black or white.

  16. James Avatar
    James

    If you read the article Gray linked to, his own source says “It is not clear whether the shots that hit the convoy came from US or Iraqi forces”. They were driving past IRAQI positions at the time, and the Iraqis in question were firing – they convoy literally drove into a warzone.
    Gray, there was no “choice” to shoot at the diplomats involved. They drove into a crossfire, according to your own link, and there is no evidence they were targetted by either side. As for claims the two bullets found were fired by an M16, I would point out that is a short-range weapon, and the Iraqis use the same ammunition: since the Russians were nearer Iraqi positions at the time, it seems rather likely THEY were the source, not the US.