Peter Arnett's comments

[Sparrowhawk]

Peter Arnett's comments on Iraqi Television amounts to treason and NBC and National Geographic Explorer that employ him should be blamed for contributing to what amounts a very serious Seditious act against our country and American soldiers fighting to liberate that nation.


In that interview he praises the Iraqi resistance and takes credit for inciting anti war sentiment back at home by his reports.

There is no doubt that he has gone over to the dark side and may he deserves to be there when the US troops come marching in, may they shoot first and ask questions later.


Any journalist should be incensed with Arnett’s remarks.

Whoever, when the United States is at war, shall willfully...promote the success of its enemies, or shall willfully...


As soon as I can find a transcribe of his statements I will post them here or if anyone finds a printed version of his statements please post them.

[Sparrowhawk]

http://www.newseum.org/warstories/interviews/images/jpages/hs/arnett.jpg


Arnett on General Schwarzkopf

http://www.newseum.org/media/ws/mp3/bio_arnett_1.mp3

[Sparrowhawk]

Arnett, On Iraq TV, Praises Treatment Of Reporters
By Joe Flint Of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL


NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--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."

(This story and related background will be available on The Journal's Web site, WSJ.com.)

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.

After speaking with Arnett, General Electric Co.'s (GE) NBC said in a statement that "Peter Arnett and his crew have risked their lives to bring the American people up-to-date, straight-forward information on what is happening in and around Baghdad." The network said Arnett's "impromptu interview with Iraqi TV was done as a professional courtesy and was similar to other interviews he has done with media outlets from around the world. His remarks were analytical in nature and were not intended to be anything more."

Arnett appeared on MSNBC, the cable news channel NBC owns with Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Sunday afternoon with coverage of coalition attacks. Arnett isn't employed by NBC but the network struck a deal with National Geographic, whose program "Explorer" airs on MSNBC, for the correspondent to provide war coverage for the network. He is one of the few Western television reporters remaining in Baghdad providing coverage for a U.S. network.

[mrbsox]

And coming up later tonight, on
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER

'How one mans decisions cost Coalition Lives'. Does The Constitutions First Ammendment allow for needless loss of lives. But first, continuing coverage of the 'War in Iraq'

:mad: :marine: :mad:

[firstsgtmike]

During Desert Storm, arnett was the reporter who stood in a crater caused by the bombing of a residential area in Bagdad the previous night.

he never was able to explain why there was grass growing in the crater.

I guess he just thought the grass was the result of an overnight Iraqi neighborhood beautification project.

[Sparrowhawk]

Transcript of Peter Arnett interview on Iraqi TV
Sunday, March 30, 2003 Posted: 10:06 PM EST (0306 GMT)


http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2003/WORLD/meast/03/30/sprj.irq.arnett.transcript/story.arnett.jpg

Peter Arnett

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. war plan has "failed," veteran war correspondent Peter Arnett told Iraqi TV in an interview that aired Sunday. Following is a transcript of that interview:

IRAQI TV HOST: Welcome in Baghdad, and our people know you, know your reports to CNN in 1991. Let us start with a question about the general image that you look now in Iraq.

ARNETT: Well, I'd like to say from the beginning that the 12 years I've been coming here, I've met unfailing courtesy and cooperation. Courtesy from your people, and cooperation from the Ministry of Information, which has allowed me and many other reporters to cover 12 whole years since the Gulf War with a degree of freedom which we appreciate. And that is continuing today.

HOST: (Translates into Arabic)

ARNETT: In answer to your question, it is clear that within the United States there is growing challenge to President Bush about the conduct of the war and also opposition to the war. So our reports about civilian casualties here, about the resistance of the Iraqi forces, are going back to the United States. It helps those who oppose the war when you challenge the policy to develop their arguments.

HOST: (in Arabic)

ARNETT: One other point. I've been mainly in Baghdad in the past few weeks. But, clearly this is a city that is disciplined, the population is responsive to the government's requirements of discipline and my Iraqi friends tell me there is a growing sense of nationalism and resistance to what the United States and Britain are doing.

HOST: (In Arabic first) What have you seen until now, have you been to some of these places where civilian casualties have been seen during these two days?

ARNETT: Yeah, I think American policy and strategy is the weakest when it comes to the Iraqi people. The U.S. administration is concerned with the possibility of killing civilians, because the international community is very concerned about the Iraqi people. President Bush says he is concerned about the Iraqi people, but if Iraqi people are dying in numbers, then American policy will be challenged very strongly.



http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2003/WORLD/meast/03/30/sprj.irq.arnett.transcript/arnett.interviewer.jpg
Arnett's Iraqi TV interviewer
HOST: (In Arabic)

ARNETT: For that reason, the Pentagon keeps saying that the civilian casualties, particularly in Baghdad in the last three or four days, at the market places -- the Pentagon says -- well they are Iraqi missiles that land amongst the people. They keep saying that, but of course the Iraqi government says they are clearly cruise missiles that hit the population.

HOST: (In Arabic)

ARNETT: For that reason the Pentagon keeps saying that maybe it is an Iraqi missile that hit the population and not a U.S.

Whenever I gave a report on civilian casualties on CNN (in the first Gulf War) the Pentagon and the Bush administration got very angry and called me a traitor.

HOST: (In Arabic)

ARNETT: However, when missiles hit the Al-Maria shelter in early February of 1991, killing nearly 400 women and children, the Bush administration had to admit that they were responsible. And when that happened, there was a different attitude to the war. They had to try and complete the war fast, because the world criticized that bombing very severely.

HOST: (In Arabic)

ARNETT: Clearly, the American war planners misjudged the determination of the Iraqi forces.

HOST: (In Arabic)

ARNETT: And I personally do not understand how that happened, because I've been here many times and in my commentaries on television I would tell the Americans about the determination of the Iraqi forces, the determination of the government, and the willingness to fight for their country. But me, and others who felt the same way were not listened to by the Bush administration.

HOST: (In Arabic)

ARNETT: That is why now America is re-appraising the battlefield, delaying the war, maybe a week, and re-writing the war plan. The first war plan has failed because of Iraqi resistance now they are trying to write another war plan.

HOST: Yeah. (Speaks in Arabic) Mr. Arnett Thank you very much. (Speaks in Arabic)

[Sparrowhawk]

Peter Arnett: U.S. war plan has 'failed'
Sunday, March 30, 2003 Posted: 10:11 PM EST (0311 GMT)

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The U.S. war plan has "failed," veteran war correspondent Peter Arnett told Iraqi TV in an interview that aired Sunday.

"The first war plan has failed because of Iraqi resistance. Now they are trying to write another war plan," Arnett said. "Clearly, the American war planners misjudged the determination of the Iraqi forces."

Arnett -- who is reporting for National Geographic Television and NBC News -- also said Iraq has given him and other reporters a "degree of freedom which we appreciate," this despite the fact that Iraq has expelled several journalists, including CNN's Baghdad team, and apparently has imprisoned two journalists from the New York newspaper Newsday.

Arnett is a member of the Board of Directors of the Committee to Protect Journalists, which is trying to locate the missing journalists.

"I'd like to say from the beginning that the 12 years I've been coming here," Arnett said, "I've met unfailing courtesy and cooperation, courtesy from your people and cooperation from the Ministry of Information."

Arnett told the Iraqi TV interviewer, who was dressed in an Iraqi Army uniform, that President Bush is facing a "growing challenge" about the "conduct of the war" within the United States.

"President Bush says he is concerned about the Iraqi people, but if Iraqi people are dying in numbers, then American policy will be challenged very strongly," he said. In the interview, Arnett said reports from Baghdad on civilians being killed are being shown in the United States, and "it helps those who oppose the war when you challenge the policy to develop their arguments."

He pointed out U.S. claims that civilians killed in an explosion at a downtown Baghdad market were the victims of Iraqi missiles, and that Iraq had said the missiles were definitely incoming coalition fire.


Arnett's Iraqi interviewer
NBC News issued a statement supporting Arnett, saying that Arnett gave the interview to Iraqi TV as a "professional courtesy" and that his remarks "were analytical in nature and were not intended to be anything more."

Arnett also said "clearly this is a city that is disciplined, the population is responsive to the government's requirements of discipline," and "Iraqi friends tell me there is a growing sense of nationalism and resistance to what the United States and Britain is doing."

The longtime war correspondent, who reported on the Persian Gulf War for CNN in 1991, said U.S. war planners miscalculated the will of Iraqis and he does "not understand how that happened."

He said his reports "would tell the Americans about the determination of the Iraqi forces, the determination of the government and the willingness to fight for their country."

[Barrio_rat]

Maybe immigration can do something right for a change and work with the FBI - revolk this guys citizenship (he obviously loves it in down town Baghdad) and never let him back in the states. Oh yeah, and seize his assets.

Perhaps the US Government didn't listen to this guy because; 1, he's full of himself... 2, he's a supporter of the enemy... and 3, because he really doesn't seem to have a clue.

Then again. Maybe he's a spy for the CIA.. covert for over 12 years - okay, maybe 2 if they caught him with some magazines he shouldn't have had etc etc etc - and he's spouting off all this stuff so that Saddam will do an interview with him, then good old Arnett will be a hero when he takes what looks like a pen and is actually a bunch of C-4 and blows Saddam (along with Arnett) to pieces on live TV... Well, it was a thought...

[wrbones]

You write bad movie scripts in yer spare time don't ya, Rat! "D

[Barrio_rat]

Nah, I try to see the 'other side of things' ... guess I've been reading Morning Coffee too much LOL

Finding the conspiracy theory somewhere keeps the mind busy. I don't say it 'is' I just pose the question 'what if'

Besides, O'Reilly said he'd do it (kill Saddam if given the chance to interview him)

[Barndog]

Yeah, O'Reilly is just another blowhard - just like the rest of the media dorkcheeses. Throws bombs, shoot 'em all, nuke 'em until they glow.......

(O'Reilly) .......Oh, I don't want to join the military. I might have to get muddy or actually do something with 'orders' attached to it. I dont like being told what to do.
(thats his purported lame-ass excuse for not - from a college roomie, just another no-nuts blowhard.. RIGHT RUSH???)

Pu$$ies.

Semper Fidelis, To the Corps

[wrbones]

NBC News
30 Rockerfeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

today@nbc.com

msnbcreports@msnbc.com

[wrbones]

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/community/email.html

[MillRatUSMC]

Has Mr. Peter Arnett crossed the line?
Words giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
Are grounds for one being tried for treason.
Now we might asked; where did he get his military training?
That he can make a judgement on our military plan.
Many might live to regret statements made in behalf of an enemy of the US of A.

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo

[jryanjack]

Heard this morning that both NBC and National Geographic have fired Peter Arnett.

[wrbones]

bob.wright@nbc.com


phil.griffin@msnbc.com

erik.sorensen@msnbc.com


ngt@nationalgeographic.com

[thedrifter]

Posted on Mon, Mar. 31, 2003

NBC severs its ties with journalist
By DAVID BAUDER
Associated Press

NEW YORK - NBC fired journalist Peter Arnett on Monday, saying it was wrong for him to give an interview with state-run Iraqi TV saying that the American-led coalition's first war plan had failed because of Iraq's resistance. Arnett himself called the interview a "misjudgment."

Arnett, on NBC's "Today" show on Monday, said he was sorry for his statement but added, "I said over the weekend what we all know about the war."

"I want to apologize to the American people for clearly making a misjudgment," Arnett said.

NBC had defended him on Sunday, saying he had given the interview as a professional courtesy and that his remarks were analytical in nature. But by Monday morning the network switched course and, after Arnett spoke with NBC News President Neal Shapiro, said it would no longer work with Arnett.

"It was wrong for Mr. Arnett to grant an interview to state-controlled Iraqi TV, especially at a time of war," NBC spokeswoman Allison Gollust said. "And it was wrong for him to discuss his personal observations and opinions in that interview."

Arnett, who won a Pulitzer Prize reporting in Vietnam for The Associated Press, garnered much of his prominence from covering the 1991 Gulf War for CNN. One of the few American television reporters left in Baghdad, his reports were frequently aired on NBC and its cable sisters, MSNBC and CNBC.

Sempers,

Roger

[felonysmom]

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- NBC announced Monday that both NBC and National Geographic severed their relationships with veteran war correspondent Peter Arnett.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/03/31/sprj.irq.arnett/index.html

[wrbones]

Time to dust off the ol' resume. I wonder where his next gig will be? Leavenworth, perhaps?

How long will sedition and treason be tolerated?

[greybeard]

He's already been hired by a London paper. The mirror I think. Should be a cozy relationship, since the paper is known for it's anti-war stance. An even better move tho, was the ousting of Geraldo Reveiro from Iraq. Haven't heard why yet.

[wrbones]

Rumor says that Geraldo blew it on opsec.

[top1371]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. military said Monday that Fox News Channel Correspondent Geraldo Rivera was being expelled from Iraq for divulging details of a future military operation, though later in the day a Central Command spokesman said he was not sure whether the newsman would be forced out.

"My initial report was that he had been asked to leave his unit and subsequently the country, but since then I've heard different reports," Lt. Cmdr. Charles Owens at Central Command said.

"Frankly, we have bigger and more important things to do." He urged a reporter to call Fox News to learn Rivera's fate.

John Stack, vice president of newsgathering for Fox News Channel, said Rivera "has not been told to leave" and that nobody from the U.S. military had contacted the network to say that Rivera is being removed.

What sparked the controversy was a Monday report by Rivera that U.S. military officials said violated an important Pentagon rule imposed on its so-called embedded correspondents working inside fighting U.S. military units. Rivera had provided crucial details of a future military operation, officials said.

In a live broadcast from the Iraqi desert, Rivera instructed his photographer to tilt the camera down to the sand in front of his feet so that he could draw a map. Rivera then outlined a map of Iraq, and showed the relative location of Baghdad and his location with the Army's 101st Airborne unit. The reporter then continued with his diagram to illustrate where the 101st would be going next.

"He gave away the big picture stuff," one stunned senior military official told CNN. "He went down in the sand and drew where the forces are going."

Rivera then reportedly provided another live report from Iraq on Fox hours after his expulsion was announced. Rivera said he knew nothing about the ordered expulsion at the time of the second report.

"In fact, I'm further in Iraq than I've ever been," he said. "It sounds like some rats from my former network, NBC, are trying to stab me in the back."

Rivera said he had heard nothing about being expelled until he called network headquarters for a scheduled live report.

"MSNBC is so pathetic a cable news network that they have to do anything they can to attract attention," Rivera said. "You can rest assured that whatever they're saying is a pack of lies."

A U.S. Central Command official said, "He is being pulled. He just doesn't know it yet. He has not gotten the word."

CNN Pentagon Correspondent Chris Plante contributed to this report.

[top1371]

LONDON — A British tabloid said Tuesday it has hired reporter Peter Arnett shortly after he was fired by NBC-TV for saying on Iraqi television that the U.S.-led war effort had failed.

"Fired by America for telling the truth," the Daily Mirror said in a Page 1 headline.

"I am still in shock and awe at being fired," Arnett wrote for the newspaper, which is vehemently opposed to the war. "I report the truth of what is happening here in Baghdad and will not apologize for it."

NBC fired Arnett on Monday, angered that he had given an unauthorized interview with state-run Iraqi TV saying the American-led war effort initially failed because of Iraq's resistance.

The network said it got thousands of e-mails and phone calls protesting his remarks.

Arnett, speaking Monday on NBC's Today, said he wanted to apologize to the American people.

"I gave some personal observations, some analytical observations, which I don't think are out of line with what experts think," he said. "But clearly I misjudged the firestorm."

Arnett, who won a Pulitzer Prize reporting for The Associated Press in the Vietnam War, gained much of his prominence from covering the 1991 Gulf War for CNN.