spanish journalist killed after us tank attacks press hotel

[norompanlasolas]

jose couso died of his injuries in the hospital. also killed was the reuters journalist taras protsyuk of ukraine and another 3 journalists were badly injured. a us abrams tank opened fire on the building on claims of receiving sniper fire from the ground floor... the dead and injured were on the 14th and 15th floors. sky news david chater said later there were no previous shots fired before the big explosion made by the tank shell, a statement confirmed by several other journalists. also, earlier today tarek ayub, an al-jazeera journalist died after the us bombed his building.

on another news, tonto and his sidekick staged a brilliant press conference in ireland today. good choice also, cause my guess is they are not going to be able to visit mainland europe for a while. not that they'd be too interested, especially the one that didnt travel anywhere until he cut off on the coke... ehrm, sorry, was elected president.

also, some mustard and mayonaise was "found" today on a chemical plant in central iraq. the fearsome womds of the iraqi regime were finally not used after the american army crossed "the thin red line" around baghdad. supossedly saddam is waiting until he has them 3 feet away, to maximise its potential.

its futile, because we dont know where he has them, we dont know if he had them, we are not sure where they'll turn up... but, citing a wise and brilliant world leader: "we all know the outcome".

[Magness]

From what I've heard, IIRC, the US troops believed that there were spotters or actual snipers on top the hotel. This being the case, they had every right to return fire.

I would suggest that the reporters in that hotel should arrange for somewhere else to stay. Clearly, the Iraqi "soldiers" are completely willing to hide amongst normally off-limits people and buildings. I think that perhaps the journalists should try to move to some hotel on the outskirts of Baghdad.

Either that, or ask for the US military to clear the building and provide security for the hotel so that perhaps it could be a truly "safe zone". Whether the army would accede to that request or not, *shrugs*

[Mordenheim]

If you are going to put yourself in the middle of a war zone then my pity is VERY limited.

War correspondents in a war zone, should get out of the war zone if they think they won't some times actually be in harms way or if they are affraid that they may be hurt. Right now the really brave journalists are embedded with the actual fighting units and are really in harms way, these bozo's are just hanging out in a hotel in the middle of a war .... Unless you have ever been under fire from snipers and terrorists, you have no room to criticize the guys that fired on the hotel.

[Magness]

The problem is that those journalists in the hotel SEEM to think that they have some zone of immunity from the war around them. Someone really needs to tell them that Saddam's troops have been fighting from inside hospitals, schools, and mosques. What makes these journalists think that those same troops wouldn't try to hide amongst the journalists and try to use the journalists as unwitting human shields?

The journalists should set up their "base camp" outside of the downtown Baghdad and only venture into Baghdad while doing their reporting.

[Skunk]

Unless you have ever been under fire from snipers and terrorists, you have no room to criticize the guys that fired on the hotel.

I have been under fire from snipers and terrorists and I do criticise the level of force used. It was way over the top.

[norompanlasolas]

Originally posted by Mordenheim: If you are going to put yourself in the middle of a war zone then my pity is VERY limited.

who asked for it?

Originally posted by MagiK: War correspondents in a war zone, should get out of the war zone if they think they won't some times actually be in harms way or if they are affraid that they may be hurt. Right now the really brave journalists are embedded with the actual fighting units and are really in harms way, these bozo's are just hanging out in a hotel in the middle of a war .... Unless you have ever been under fire from snipers and terrorists, you have no room to criticize the guys that fired on the hotel.

hmmm... the really brave journalists embedded? those guys are not in so much danger. of the 10+ journalists dead in the war so far, none was embedded. the embedded are just for propaganda purposes, showing up when the fights done to film iraqies throwing flowers and soldiers reading letters from home, like the "brave" geraldo rivera. the "bozos" are the one doing the independent reporting and in real danger, both from the iraqies and the us. oh, but i cant criticize since i havent been under fire blah blah blah... i forgot youve been james bond. or was it rambo?

Originally posted by norompanlasolas: Quote: Originally posted by Mordenheim: If you are going to put yourself in the middle of a war zone then my pity is VERY limited.

who asked for it?

Originally posted by MagiK: War correspondents in a war zone, should get out of the war zone if they think they won't some times actually be in harms way or if they are affraid that they may be hurt. Right now the really brave journalists are embedded with the actual fighting units and are really in harms way, these bozo's are just hanging out in a hotel in the middle of a war .... Unless you have ever been under fire from snipers and terrorists, you have no room to criticize the guys that fired on the hotel.

hmmm... the really brave journalists embedded? those guys are not in so much danger. of the 10+ journalists dead in the war so far, none was embedded. the embedded are just for propaganda purposes, showing up when the fights done to film iraqies throwing flowers and soldiers reading letters from home, like the "brave" geraldo rivera. the "bozos" are the one doing the independent reporting and in real danger, both from the iraqies and the us. oh, but i cant criticize since i havent been under fire blah blah blah... i forgot youve been james bond. or was it rambo?[/QUOTE]Check your facts again guy, there has been Embeded Journalist casualties, it happened in a firefight, and any one who jumps with the 101'st is in fact brave. How many combat jumps have you made? How many land mines do those "brave" guys hunkered down in well marked hotels chance? How many snipers are trying to pick them off? Not too many I would think. The Embeds are the brave ones. The ones that are now whining about people shooting at the building they are in are the ones who need to get the hell out of dodge.

Originally posted by Skunk: Quote: Unless you have ever been under fire from snipers and terrorists, you have no room to criticize the guys that fired on the hotel.

I have been under fire from snipers and terrorists and I do criticise the level of force used. It was way over the top.[/QUOTE]In what theatre? With which units? Im just curious [img]smile.gif[/img] As for your estimation about the level of force being used...it is duely noted and will be immediately sent to those who are currently under fire for their evaluation.

[Larry_OHF]

Just as a military soldier is sent to another part of the world, knowing that there is a chance that he might not come back, the reporters over there know the same thing. If they do not realize that they are close enough to get hit in the cross-fire, then I will be surprised. They know what dangers they put themselves in, and if it were not enough to just know....then they need to look around and realize that other reporters are getting killed...and if they are afraid...then they can go home. If they want to stay and do their job...then they need to become more wise in their choice of residency.