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.

[kezekiel]

Cant show them? Afraid to face them?

No, the dead in Afghanistan are just not as useful as the dead in Iraq as a weapon against George Bush. The more I consider this, the angrier I get. Koppel can go suck wind... this is a disgrace.

[Burkeman1]

I guess.

[sinkspur]

I rembember DemiGod as a name but not sure what he thought of?

It's Demidog, and he was a libertarian who blamed America for 9/11, and opposed the war on terror.

But you have input on who gets lost or not?

Nope. But I watch Jim operate.

[Burkeman1]

When I am rude enough or violate the rules.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Iraqi SCUD's, used countless times DURING our march toward Baghdad over a year ago were WMD, but no one in the UN or the partisan media seem to draw the connection that they were weapons used for mass destruction.

[forYourChildrenVote4Bush]

Thanks for setting me straight,then why does he not move back to his birth place if he dislikes the people who gave him the opportunity (opportunity that others only dream about) to be who he is now. He demeans the the US military and all the people who serve. He lacks respect for his President. He lacks respect for the people who died for him, so he would not have to go to battle with his silver spoon.

I know I'm ranting - but - Those news broadcasters (left/communists) are pure GARBAGE!

[MoodyBlu]

How about a listing of the names, along with pictures, of the 800-1000 civilian and military victims of Islamic terrorism in the 30 years prior to 9-11?

Why don't you show the Marines from Beirut, Ted?

How about the victims of the Cole or Khobar Towers?

Did you consider the victims of PanAm 103, Ted?

Ted, kiss my All American A$$, you imported P.O.S.

[sinkspur]

When I am rude enough or violate the rules.

Or when you advocate the election of someone other than GWB, or get cross-ways with Jim over the war in Iraq.

The ice is thin.

[MJY1288]

He reminds me of that guy Joaquin Phoenix who bacame the emperor of Rome after the death of Marcus Aurelius in the movie "Gladiator" :-)

[Burkeman1]

Indeed. Getting late all. Perhaps we could end this if I say I am totally wrong? And you all are totally right!

[BigSkyFreeper]

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.

While latching onto wild-eyed kook fringe conspiracy theories.

It's disgusting.

I know. The kook fringe Liberal element is the front-and-center-mainstream base of the Democratic party. It's disgusting, indeed. As the Bush ads so aptly put it..."Troubling".

[sinkspur]

Perhaps you could figure out a way to not be the skunk at every garden party. Anytime a thread partial to the War in Iraq is posted, you seem to feel an obligation to spam it with the same ole, same ole.

Since you're not going to convince anyone to jump the fence, what's the point?

[Burkeman1]

Agree, sorry.

[LibLieSlayer]

"I can't get over the (number of women among the dead. Whatdoes it say about a country that let's their women go off to fight and die in war".

It means that we are a nation born of equality. It means we are a nation that enforces our Constitution, and the intent of our Founding Fathers.

I have excerpted this from the Declaration of Independence as proof of what I say.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness".

Since we have an ALL volunteer military, and women are allowed to serve in combat, and many stories have appeared here concerning how women are serving gallantly, and with valor, and since we can assume that women join the military ranks voluntarily, it is safe for one to presume that:

(a) Women are pursuing LIFE in the military
(b) Women are fighting for our LIBERTY
(c) Women are pursuing HAPPINESS by following (a) and (b)

I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of the way women are performing in our military today! God bless each and every one of them. God bless all of our "freedom-fighters"!

LLS

[cookcounty]

ABC edits out US service casualties in Afghanistan

Koppel explains it would take too long and distract from the ABC mission.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I don't question Ted Koppel's patriotism, because there's no question he's a liberal with an anti-war axe to grind. What bothers me about this particular show is, this show comes at the start of sweeps month.

One loses journalistic neutrality and integrity when they start preaching to the viewers by injecting their own opinions and points of view before, during and after each story they cover.

He lost his integrity back in 1980, when Nightline first started.

[Tamzee]

I used to rubberneck DU once in a while, the mental illness evident over there is amazing. I can't do that anymore because I keep seeing DU'ers using our troops' coffin pictures as signature lines.

One day I'm going to punch a hole right through my monitor :-(

[MJY1288]

"Agree, sorry."

Is this what some would call an "Epiphany" or just another surrender in the tradition of the French. Either way, at least you admitted you are wrong. You've come up a notch Burkeman!

[BigSkyFreeper]

I don't make a point of going to DU too often for the very same reasons you outlined.

On a lighter note, it's good to see you FRiend. :)

[Eastbound]

Sounds like he's striking for press secretary. Naw, that's beneath him. I'd say ambassador.