Rodger Morrow points out this first-hand account of the Eason brouhaha from Justin Vaisse, a French- and American-trained historian affiliated with the Brookings Institution. (Also noted earlier at La Shawn Barber.) Mick Stockinger first noticed the Vaisse account during a search for international commentary on Easongate and posted a translation of Vaisse’s blog:

It must be said that Eason Jordan, one of the star journalists of CNN, didn’t mince words in declaring that the intentions of journalist in Iraq were never perceived as neutral and were made deliberate targets by “both sides”.

Called on to clarify his statement, he said that outside of deaths attributed to rebels, 12 journalists, including Americans, were killed by the American army, not by deliberate attack, but in the context of a hostile climate towards the press, where the tone was set by Donald Rumsfeld himself. Many journalists feel that among young American soldiers, many would like to “do” a journalist in the course of combat.

Without going that far, Richard Sambrook, a BBC star raised the stakes. Another journalist in the room also recalled the Palestine hotel incident which supported the statements made in Davos, and recognizes the scale of the phenomenon, well-known within the journalistic community, but not beyond.

David Gergen, the moderator, was taken aback, but could not manage to change the subject.

Seems consistent with what Gergen told me earlier today.

Bill Roggio at Easongate.com comments:

Makes you wonder if Mick Stockinger or Rodger were spammed by CNN to let them know they have been “taken out of context”. Eason Jordan’s record against attendees of the conference in Davos is 0-6-1, with Richard Sambrook’s attempted defense the only tie.

Update: Rodger Morrow e-mailed Justin Vaisse to confirm his blog account and Stockinger’s translation. Excellent details here.

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