Chief News Executive of CNN accuses US troops of targeting journalists!

I am totally outraged by this out and out lie!

This is from a post, “Do US Troops Target Journalists in Iraq?” at World Economic Forum blog. This post was describing the proceedings at a discussion that was oh-so-aptly-titled “Will Democracy Survive the Media?”

Right now, I’m so enraged that words are failing me. And it is probably a good thing that they are. Anyway, here’s the money quote:

This fiery topic became a real nightmare today for the Chief News Executive of CNN at what was an initially very mild discussion at the World Economic Forum titled "Will Democracy Survive the Media?".

At a discussion moderated by David R. Gergen, the Director for Public Leadership, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, the concept of truth, fairness, and balance in the news was weighed against corporate profit interest, the need for ratings, and how the media can affect democracy. The panel included Richard Sambrook, the worldwide director of BBC radio, U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, Abdullah Abdullah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, and Eason Jordan, Chief News Executive of CNN. The audience was a mix of journalists, WEF attendees (many from Arab countries), and a US Senator from Connecticut, Chris Dodd.

During one of the discussions about the number of journalists killed in the Iraq War, Eason Jordan asserted that he knew of 12 journalists who had not only been killed by US troops in Iraq, but they had in fact been targeted. He repeated the assertion a few times, which seemed to win favor in parts of the audience (the anti-US crowd) and cause great strain on others.

Due to the nature of the forum, I was able to directly challenge Eason, asking if he had any objective and clear evidence to backup these claims, because if what he said was true, it would make Abu Ghraib look like a walk in the park. [no kidding--johnh] David Gergen was also clearly disturbed and shocked by the allegation that the U.S. would target journalists, foreign or U.S. He had always seen the U.S. military as the providers of safety and rescue for all reporters.

Eason seemed to backpedal quickly, but his initial statements were backed by other members of the audience (one in particular who represented a worldwide journalist group). The ensuing debate was (for lack of better words) a real "sh--storm". What intensified the problem was the fact that the session was a public forum being taped on camera, in front of an international crowd. The other looming shadow on what was going on was the presence of a U.S. Congressman and a U.S. Senator in the middle of some very serious accusations about the U.S. military.

To be fair (and balanced), Eason did backpedal and make a number of statements claiming that he really did not know if what he said was true, and that he did not himself believe it.[whatahelluvajournalist!--johnh] But when pressed by others, he seemed to waver back and forth between what might have been his beliefs and the realization that he had created a kind of public mess. His statements, his reaction, and the reaction of all in attendance left me perplexed and confused. Many in the crowd, especially those from Arab nations, applauded what he said and called him a "very brave man" for speaking up against the U.S. in a public way amongst a crowd ready to hear anti-US sentiments. I am quite sure that somewhere in the Middle East, right now, his remarks are being printed up in Arab language newspapers as proof that the U.S. is an evil and corrupt nation. That is a real nightmare, because the Arab world is taking something said by a credible leader of the media (CNN!) as the gospel, or koranic truth. What is worse is that I am not really sure what Eason really meant to communicate to us, but I do know that he was quite passionate about it. Members of the audience took away what they wanted to hear, and now they will use it in every vile and twisted way imaginable.

To me, what was said can not be put back into the genie's bottle.

This is an outrageous lie. Eason would have us believe that all of the leftwing, military-hating, quagmire-calling, anti-American journalists in Iraq and elsewhere would deliberately maintain radio-silence if they believed that American troops were deliberately targeting their fellow journalists. Hell No they wouldn’t! These useless leftists have so little to talk about that they’ve already beaten the Abu Ghraib so far into the ground that it is below sea level and they are still beating.

Does Eason expect us to believe that all these same leftists hacks—every one of them—would voluntarily not scream bloody murder if they thought U.S. troop were targeting anyone them? Give me a frigging break!

This is more odious that the Ra^therBougusGate scandal. At least Ra^ther only accused Bush of disobeying orders—not murdering journalists.

I challenge Eason Jordan to prove his statements to be true

If he cannot then I challenge CNN’s management to fire Easton Jordan for his deliberate odious lies about American soldiers.

If CNN’s management refuses to fire Easton Jordan then I challenge CNN’s owners to purge Easton Jordan and all CNN management complicit with not ejecting a notorious public liar from an international news organization.

OK, Pajamahadeen, we've beaten back Dan Ra^ther's attack on Bush's reelection. Now CNN Chief News Executive is attacking the reputation of our warriors. It's time to put our pj's back on, our work continues.


Here is this story in various other places around the blogosphere:

Kerry Spot

Little Green Footballs observes:

Apart from the Washington Times, mainstream media has brought down the Cone of Silence on this story. You’ll find not one word about it at the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, or any other major paper.

Hugh Hewitt

Thus far no major media outlet has demanded an accounting of Jordan, but the idea that a major figure from American media traffics in such outlandish and outrageous slanders on the American military deserves attention and criticism, not indifference.

Hat tip to New Sisyphus

Postscript:

The bold emphasis in the quotes from the World Economic Forum blog is mine.