Reporter casualities

[JBKing]

What do you guys think? I hate to see any reporter casualities due to the war, but these guys know the danger, just as the troops do, ESPECIALLY, if they are staying in a hotel, right in the middle of the action.

I'm starting to see some spin on this, especially concerning the two reporters at the Hotel de Baghdad. As I said, I hate to see innocent casualitues, and God bless them for their bravery, but come on! These guys knew the danger existed and choose to stay.

[Tomsoundman]

If I was a journalist there, I would try to be "embedded" with some troops...

[Scott Greczkowski]

I personally think that if I were Saddam I would be hiding in a tunnel under the hotel.

Since all reporters in Iraw are required to stay in the hotel it makes for the perfect Human Shield.

We have already seen what happens when the troops fire on the hotel, so I don't think we will be see them firing there again, yet again whats to keep Saddam from hiding in the basement of the hotel which I am sure is accessable by tunnels?

[Tomsoundman]

Scott, I see your point...

Did anyone see B. General's news conference yesterday (4-8)? There were probably 15 questions about coalition forces firing on the hotel. I'm sure they don't want anymore bad press.

[Frapp]

Correct me if I am wrong, but were the coalition forces not fired upon from somewhere inside/outside the hotel itself first ?

Everyone must understand they are very much like the Vietnam posture was, fire upon anything that shoots or aggressively approaches you first, ask questions later.

Some may not agree with this, but it does keep you alive when on patrol :shrug:

[Tomsoundman]

Right you are, Frapp

[lee635]

Well, Frapp there are literally hundreds of reporters on top of that hotel, milling outside and inside the hotel, and I haven't heard one reporter verify hearing or seeing any gunfire originating from the hotel. It seems that the military fired on the wrong target, but they don't want to admit the error.

As for Saddam or his cronies in the hotel. Well, I suspect that a journalist might discover them or at least discover that some area of the hotel is suspiciously off limits. The NY times reporter who reports on the News Hour said he's seen no or little Iraqi troops in the hotel and that he has been all through the hotel.

If the US military suspects that combatants are located in the hotel, isn't their stated protocol to send troops house to house, or in this case room to room to search?

[Richard King]

Per this report quoteing the BBC it appears that the tank did NOT cause the deaths, unless of course it could fire around a corner.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/iraqandthemedia/story/0,12823,932481,00.html