<Rant>
I for one, am appreciative of the actual footage I see on television of what is really going on. I commend the nameless and faceless camerapersons responsible for these amazing views into a world that few (thankfully) ever have to witness. And, I believe strongly in the cold eye of the observer during human events such as this for the sake of accuracy.
I do wish there were a lot less of the pixilated talking head garbage shots though. These "embeds" are, IMHO, a bunch of self-aggrandizing, self-congratulating, risk-enhancing fools who have done more to put combatants at greater risk for their own purposes than they have to further our understanding of what's happening.
If I'd heard half as much about what actual soldiers were going through as I have about these poor correspondents I'd feel I was much more familiar with the real story over there. What business do a bunch of fifty-somethings have being carted around in the dark anyway? If I hear one more of them whine about not having had a shower or a beer in weeks I think I'm gonna scream!
</Rant>
Thanks for letting me get that off my chest...
HH
-----Original Message-----
From: Denys Beauchemin [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2003 8:14 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [HP3000-L] OT: Friendly Fire (Irrefutably)
We heard a lot about the friendly fire incident in the North involving the Kurds. It was horrible and inexcusable. I saw footage
of it on Foxnews some days ago. So sad.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2921807.stm
The embedded reporters have provided amazing footage and reports of events throughout the operation and I have very high respect for
these reporters. Foxnews has been very open in discussing the rules under which these reporters operate and one of the evening
anchors is also a close friend of the reporter embedded with the 3rd ID. It seems that for insurance purposes the embeds have to
wear at all times their flak jacket which weighs 65 pounds. When the anchor saw the embed reporting without wearing the jacket he
reminded to put it on right away. As you say, this flak jacket is what saved John Simpson and I am sure he is thankful for the
policy.
It seems that many of the embeds are either ex Military or reserve and I am sure that helps a lot. Greg Kelly, the one accompanying
the US Army 3rd Infantry Division is actually a Marine. Oliver North, the ex-Marine, is accompanying the 1st Marine Expeditionary
Force, which I believe has had the most combat casualties, doing the most difficult jobs. There are many other embeds from
different news organizations and I look forward to the stories they have when the operation is over.
A couple of weeks back, I posted a URL linking to an article written by a BBC reporter complaining about the slant the BBC was
putting on the news.
I reproduce it here once again for your edification.
http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,922206,00.html
I recently read a story that went into some of the friendly fire issues dealing with the current Satellite-Guided munitions. In
Afghanistan, the people on the ground directing the strike were bombed instead of the target a few hundred yards away. It seems the
operator changed the battery in the unit and in doing so, reset the coordinates to his exact current location, just as the weapon
was being delivered.
Denys
-----Original Message-----
From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Roy Brown
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2003 8:27 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: OT: Friendly Fire (Irrefutably)
---- Original Message ----
From: "Denys Beauchemin" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, April 11, 2003 12:34 AM
Subject: [HP3000-L] OT: Quote of the Day
> I was (perhaps not so obviously) referring to the BBC World Service.
Can't answer for that, but the Bolshevik Broadcasting Chap, as you
humorously call it, was certainly reporting to the UK at that time; in fact,
the afternoon's scheduled programs were cleared to make way for it.
> It has also come to light the Palestine hotel in Baghdad was not hit
> by an American tank. It seems that tank rounds do not go around
> corners. I am sure there will be more information to follow.
Of this, I know nothing.
But perhaps your own TV did not show you the joint US/Kurd convoy of some 40
or 50 vehicles coming down from the North, with respected BBC TV reporter
John Simpson accompanying it?
They encountered a lone Iraqi tank, and the US Commander of the convoy
called up an airstrike to neutralize it. The pilot bombed the convoy.... :-(
Fifteen dead, including John Simpson's interpreter, John Simpson only still
alive because his flak jacket protected him.
It's not often you see a cameraman having to wipe the blood off his lens
(twice!) to keep filming, to show you the carnage wreaked - people dead or
dying, vehicles ablaze, even the physically unscathed looking shocked with
horrified disbelief.
But while you are knocking *our* broadcasters, did any US channels carry
this footage? Or is it all news to you?
Regretfully.....
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of Roy Brown
> Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2003 2:50 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: OT: Quote of the Day
>
> In message <[log in to unmask]>, Denys
> Beauchemin <[log in to unmask]> writes
>> "This signals the end of the Baath Socialist party." Christiane
>> Amanpour reporting for CNN (AKA Al Jazeera, Atlanta) on the
>> toppling of Saddam's statue in Baghdad today. I understand the BBC
>> (Bolshevik Broadcasting Chap) did not broadcast it as it
>> happened.
>
> Funny, my wife watched it live on BBC 1 TV from 15:30 BST yesterday.
> It took about an hour, apparently, as first ropes, and later steel
> hawsers, were tried, and as flags were swapped about, before it was
> finally toppled.
>
> It seems that we do still have at least some reporters who have been
> able to successfully avoid 'friendly fire', and report the events as
> they happen.
--
OE-QuoteFix 1.19.1 doing what it can to render the OExperience bearable.
But new PC, new OE, but not new enough. No 'admin' rights to update it.
So the sig sep above will *not* work :-(
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