Koppel: Afghanistan War Dead Not Included

NewsmMax.com ^ | 4/30/04 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

ABC "Nightline" host Ted Koppel said Friday afternoon that he had no plans the show the faces of soldiers killed in Afghanistan as part of his tribute to U.S. GIs killed in the war on terror.

Asked if the photos of soldiers killed in the first phase of America's response to the 9/11 attacks would be included with those killed in Iraq, Koppel told to radio host Sean Hannity, "You know something, it's a perfectly legitimate question.

"But you know, if you say the kids in Afghanistan, you know, how much further are you going to go, Sean. You know how many guys have died in how many different countries?"

The ABC newsman said also that he had no plans to produce a future tribute to the U.S. heroes and victims who died in the Sept. 11 attacks, insisting that reading 3,000 names on-the-air would simply take too long.

He noted that "ABC News as an organization carried the reading of the names of all of those people [on the attack's first anniversary] live, as an institution."

"Did 'Nightline' do it separately? No," he added.

Asked if he'd gotten permission from the families of the dead GIs to use their images in his tribute, ABC newsman said he hadn't.

"Basically, we got all of the names and photographs from either the Marine Corps, the U.S. Army or the Army Times," he told Hannity.

The "Nightline" host insisted that there was no political agenda behind his decision to focus on the Iraq war dead.

"If the question is, was this intended as an anti-war effort, the answer is a categorical, No. It is neither in support of the war or against the war," he insisted.

But earlier in the day, the unbiased newsman appeared on the official Democratic Party radio network Air America and bashed president Bush's Iraq war policies, WABC radio's Monica Crowley told her audience Friday night.

[nfldgirl]

Okay...I'll try to tell you as best I can. I'm much more a traditionalist, call me old-fashioned if you like. I never bought into the feminist/women's lib mindset, even though I had plenty of opportunity to do so. I understand that these women volunteered for the military. I realize all that goes with that decision to do so. I think it a tragedy though that in America, women don't seem to be held in high esteem near what they used to be...not even in the military. In the pursuit of "equality", women have sacrificed their God-given place of honor amongt His creation.

[Burkeman1]

Right. Too old for what? You must have been a genius? Given my familiy service they would have kicked my hind end if I served in combat.

[Burkeman1]

Would it matter what I posted? You wouldn't accept nothing but a government or Fox news post right?

[cookcounty]

""But you know, if you say the kids in Afghanistan, you know, how much further are you going to go ......?"

Yes, indeed, where does it end? before long, Ted would have to read all the names of the people Saddam Hussein killed, and that could literally take until Teddy-boy dies of old age. And he certainly does not want to talk about THEM!

[gusopol3]

are you saying there would have been no cost to not having fought this war, on both active fronts, Iraq AND Afghanistan?

[Brimack34]

Koppel is anti-Bush every show he does even when he was in Iraq. He hates republican's period. So he is a liar in my opinion.

[linn37]

I'm not questioning his patriotism. I am questioning his motive for making a media circus out of the dead.

[Burkeman1]

Why would I? For WMD "threats?" For AQ links? For 9/11 links? To serve in an army that has no clue??

[forYourChildrenVote4Bush]

I did not watch, I never watch these sorry excuses for a news broadcasts, I have to say that Koppel's hatred for the President boggles the mind??? Didn't brave men/women who gave their lives in Afghanistan deserve equal time? Did these people die so he can continue bad mouthing his country of birth. The country who put him where he is?

These pieces of GARBAGE:Jennings, Koppel , CNN, Larry King and all....

Redemption would be to re elect President Bush so they would have to say his name for another 4 years!

This is redemption.

[MJY1288]

"God forbid the people of this Republic be shown the cost of this cause ever. What is the cause again? It changes?"

If you would quit reading the NYT's you wouldn't have to ask. But what else could we expect from an anti-war liberal from Massachussetts?

[sinkspur]

You wouldn't serve, no matter the cause Burke. I know you.

[MJY1288]

AGREED

[Denver Ditdat]

lightening bug- Joined April 24, 2004- troll?

Yep. A troll with a misspelled screen name, at that.

[MJY1288]

I know him too, and his hero is Neville Chamberlain

[Burkeman1]

No- I would serve. I doubt you have one person in your family that has every served? Right?

[WilliamofCarmichael]

The "Nightline" host insisted that there was no political agenda behind his decision to focus on the Iraq war dead.

Then why did ABC radio "news" today report President Bush's carrier landing a year ago? The president said that hostilities had ended, reported the "news" reader. Then the "news" reader plugged tonight's TV show.

I did not hear every "news" on the hour today but I did hear carrier report and plug three times today. One time the two items were back-to-back.

[Wacka]

Interesting that Nightline does this when Sweeps month starts (i think it started tuesday). Their ratings are so low, that if they could have talked letterman into coming over, Koppel was gone.
They should have the people killed in Afghanistan, 9-11, the Cole, Somalia, and all the attacks by muslim terrorists back to the guys killed in the rescue mission in Iran in 1980.

The cause- to rid the world of Islamo-fascism.

We sat by and did nothing in the 20's -communism grew strong.
We sat by and did nothing in the 30's -nazism grew strong.
We will not let it happen again!

[MJY1288]

"No- I would serve"

Which side?

[Tamzee]

If you read both FR and DU (instead of just DU as is your apparent preference) you'll see that FR not only posts the information about our soldiers and sailors dying each day but they also list names and personal details about their lives. Folks here obviously care about each life that is lost over there.

The leftists at DU seem to care only about the ever increasing number of deaths as if it were a score at a soccer match.... the higher the number and the worst it is perceived by the public they better chance they have of winning politically. It's disgusting.

[Burkeman1]

Want to compare family service?