I’d like to say that the media will examine their coverage of the war after a decent interval but they don’t want to know how badly they screwed up.

When your brother offers you the kool-aid, just say no.

Since all the evidence is from open sources, a legal case could (and I think should) be brought. At a minimum, the AP should be declared a hostile organization and de-legitimized.

This particular piece (New York Times) is missing some key points as Michelle points out. Then again, Mary Jacobus is on the Board of Directors of the Associated Press, and she holds the position of President and Chief Operating Officer of the New York Times Regional Media Group.

In short, there are very few newspapers (or media conglomerates) that can report this story without a conflict of interest since they participate, benefit, and depend on the Associated Press to exist. I think the thing that bothers me beyond the fact that their pieces are void of facts is the failure to acknowledge their relationship with the Associated Press so that it is up front and personal…
Cheers,
IC

“I don’t think you’ve been folowing my coverage closely.”

However, I have been following this story closely. I’ve read your coverage along with many other blogs.

You’re not the only person reporting on this story who’ve pointed out the dubiousness of using foreign stringers. Too be dubious doesn’t necessarily mean there is malevolence involved. In my opinion, there is malevolence involved.

Let me explain it like this.

I’ve read extensively on Bilal Hussein. And every time I do my blood boils. But let’s be clear, he’s the enemy. It’s to be expected from him. My blood boils because of the deceptive actions of our guile media. And by contemporaneously blaming and excusing them [the media] by implicitly insinuating that foreign stringers are the best they can do, gives my righteous resolve a moment of reprieve towards them. It’s sort of a “who can blame them?” moment.

I’m informed on the subject. Those who are coming in late to this story will be more likely to excuse such cunning buck passing. Besides, they [the media] don’t understand the culture, or so they’d presume.[sarc]

The ultimate blame for such artifice lies solely with Western media outlets. No question. But when all is written those same Western media outlets are given an out for their deceitful cleverness.

It isn’t that I don’t agree with you wholeheartedly. It’s that I want the full gauntlet to come down on these weasels. And by letting them have the “trump card” that “it’s the stringers fault” makes them less likely to have the introspection that’s needed.

I talked to Michael Totten at Blogworld Expo and asked him about this. He just shook his head and said that the Iraqi “journalists” would often be relaying 3rd hand information – the Iraqi reporter talked to someone who spoke with an eyewitness to an attack. He also said there’s no way you can vet these people.

How true. But hiring former Saddam era reporters? THey all did it. And when you consider how much the big outfits depended on these guys, you know that the normal fact checking and editorial control went out the window in the constant need to hit deadlines with an interesting story.

I’d like to say that the media will examine their coverage of the war after a decent interval but they don’t want to know how badly they screwed up.

I sure hope it does set a precendent..this is war.

You want to put our troops in danger be prepared to pay the piper.

This team was comprised of US Public Affairs and Intelligence personnel as well as a Special Ops unit to exploit any actionable intelligence gathered. It was an extraordinary measure and only the fact that Hussein and several others were acting as de facto terror press agents prompted it.

Maybe we should begin to refer to that disgraced news agency as AQ Press.

in other news from Iraq, Blackwater killed the NY Times stringers dog.
That’s what happens when your dog attacks a superior bomb-sniffing dog.

It’s not nice but it was necessary. It will also be necessary to make Bilal Hussein pay for attacks on the fine men and women of the United States Military.

to capture the IED detonated on their command and to aid in the escape of a wanted sniper. They have American blood on their hands and as far as I’m concerned, any soldier injured in any attack related to this clown ought to sue the AP for all their worth.

The AP — Anti Patriots

Just enough to know this stringer was standing by someone setting off an IED to ensure he got the picture is enough to call him an “unlawful enemy combatant” in my book. I really believe the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) needs to be applied to treat the enemy the way they treat the Americans that have been taken prisoner. Oh wait they have tortured, murdered, and mutilated American prisoners of war.