I read a lot of ridiculous tripe on the Internet and in the worldwide media, but the assertion by CNN Executive Eason Jordan that U.S. troops are systematically targeting and eliminating journalists is absolutely ridiculous.
Here is one version of Jordan’s statements from the blog Power Line.
“During one of the discussions about the number of journalists killed in the Iraq War, Eason Jordan asserted that he knew of 12 journalists who had not only been killed by US troops in Iraq, but they had in fact been targeted. He repeated the assertion a few times, which seemed to win favor in parts of the audience (the anti-US crowd) and cause great strain on others.
Due to the nature of the forum, I was able to directly challenge Eason, asking if he had any objective and clear evidence to backup these claims, because if what he said was true, it would make Abu Ghraib look like a walk in the park. David Gergen was also clearly disturbed and shocked by the allegation that the U.S. would target journalists, foreign or U.S. He had always seen the U.S. military as the providers of safety and rescue for all reporters.
Eason seemed to backpedal quickly, but his initial statements were backed by other members of the audience (one in particular who represented a worldwide journalist group). The ensuing debate was (for lack of better words) a real “sh–storm”. What intensified the problem was the fact that the session was a public forum being taped on camera, in front of an international crowd. The other looming shadow on what was going on was the presence of a U.S. Congressman and a U.S. Senator in the middle of some very serious accusations about the U.S. military.”
And here is Mr. Jordan on the defense: “To be clear, I do not believe the U.S. military is trying to kill journalists in Iraq. But the U.S. military has killed several journalists in Iraq in cases of mistaken identity. The reason the word ‘targeted’ came up at all is because I was responding to a comment by Congressman Franks, who said he believed the 63 journalists killed in Iraq were the victims of ‘collateral damage.’ Since three of my CNN colleagues and many other journalists have been killed on purpose in Iraq, I disputed the ‘collateral damage’ statement, saying, unfortunately, many journalists — not all — killed in Iraq were indeed targeted.”
Targeted by whom, Mr. Jordan? Just exactly who do you think is pulling the trigger? It would be madness to think that the benefits of systematically assassinating journalists in a combat zone would have long term benefits of some type for U.S. interests in the region. Sheer folly. Makes no sense. Could happen but about as likely as the chances that entire gay and lesbian population of the Southeastern United States will suddenly decide to pack their bags and emigrate to Iraq in the next five years due to the newly elected Iraqi government’s soon to be announced official policies encouraging more homosexuality within that country.
If Mr. Jordan’s comments regarding this matter are being taken out of context as he claims, why is there resistance to the public release of video of those comments? Here is some revealing information from Hugh Hewitt.
My thoughts on the matter are this – what Jordan claims could happen is within the realm of reality. Winning the lottery is also within the realm of reality. I’m not buying any tickets and I’m not buying stock in what Jordan has to say.
As a military journalist, I am confident that if a United States servicemember purposely targeted a journalist for assassination they did it without official sanction. I am also confident that the vast majority of that person’s fellow servicemembers would do their utmost to stop such an act from happening if it were known to them ahead of time and would report such an act if it became known to them after the fact.
The U.S. military does not teach its members to target journalists for execution. The idea that there is some sort of wide scale U.S. government or military approved assassination of any journalists going on in Iraq is asinine. If it were happening, and it could be proved to me, I would have serious questions about my own service and would have to rethink my entire worldview.
What is clear to me from my four years of service in the United States Marine Corps and my current service as an enlisted soldier in the National Guard is that the enlisted troops and officers I have known would never consider participating in such activities. I would never participate in such activities. Eason Jordan I would like to know what facts you have to back up your statements.
Sisyphus (great moniker) claims to have the video. I can’t wait to see it for myself. Once I do, Mr. Jordan, you can be sure you’ll be hearing from me one way or the other. I hope you are ready to explain yourself.