Former CNN reporter says U.S. war planners ignored Iraqi resistance

AP WorldStream via COMTEX ^ | 3-30-03

[Oldeconomybuyer]

CAIRO, Egypt, Mar 30, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- A former CNN journalist told state-run Iraqi TV that U.S. war planners had misjudged Iraq's determination to stand up to the American-led coalition's invasion force.

"Clearly, the American war plans misjudged the determination of the Iraqi forces," Peter Arnett said during the interview aired Sunday by Iraq's satellite television station and monitored by The Associated Press in Egypt.

Arnett, who won a Pulitzer Prize reporting in Vietnam for The Associated Press, garnered much of his prominence from covering the 1991 Gulf War in Baghdad. He is now reporting from the Iraqi capital for NBC.

During his prerecorded Baghdad studio interview, which was translated by a green military uniform-wearing Iraqi anchor, Arnett said the Bush administration had ignored his and other reports about "the determination of the Iraqi armed forces and the government willingness to fight for their country."

It was not immediately clear when the interview was conducted.

Arnett was the on-air reporter of the 1998 CNN report that accused American forces of using sarin gas on a Laotian village in 1970 to kill U.S. defectors. Two CNN employees were sacked and Arnett was reprimanded over the report, which the station later retracted. Arnett ultimately left the network.

Arnett established close contacts with Iraqi government officials during his several visits to Iraq, but was unable to reflect anti-government sentiments through private interviews with Iraqis without the presence of Information Ministry minders.

President George Bush, the current U.S. leader's father, accused Arnett of being a "traitor" over what he considered were pro-Iraqi reports during the 1991 conflict.

"Whenever I gave a report (in 1991) of civilian casualties or civilian installations destroyed and casualties created, the Pentagon and Bush administration got very angry and called me traitor," he said on Iraqi Television.

Of the current conflict, Arnett also said the current U.S. invasion plan had failed and that American military strategists are now "trying to write another war plan."

[b4its2late]

CNN? No news here, only hype, move along.

[CyberAnt]

Hmmmm?? Maybe that's why he's a FORMER reporter!!

[Timesink]

MSNBC: 201-583-5000

Ask for Neil Shapiro's office or Erik Sorenson's office. (Pick one; if you literally say "Give me Neil OR Erik," they'll know you're calling to complain and will shunt you off to a voicemail dump that gets deleted without being listened to.

[BunnySlippers]

What Fox for the footage on Iraqi TV of Arnett's interview. It is out right shocking! The man should never be allowed to set foot in the United States again.

[BunnySlippers]

Hmmmm?? Maybe that's why he's a FORMER reporter!!

Remember Arnett and a producer at CNN were fired after it was found that one of their stories about the US military killing it's own soldiers during Vietnam was not true.

[alrea]

has he not been fired in the past for basically making up news?

[eleni121]

Could we start a FREEP on that organization ?

My thoughts exactly. I will of course do my letter writing thing to National Geo - which by the way has become more and more politically correct aka leftist propaganda over the years.... But we need more than a few letters. How...when ...?

[gatorbait]

...During his prerecorded Baghdad studio interview, which was translated by a green military uniform-wearing Iraqi anchor...

Any chance he had a gun to his head during this "interview"? I wouldn't put it past the Iraqi regime to put this out as propaganda.


Nope, Pee-tah Ahh-Nett is doing this out of the badness of his non existant soul.He hates the West,the United States in particular.He lied in the Nam, lied in 91, lied about Tailwind and continues gratuitous lying for his boyfriends in the anti-American,anti-civilization press.

[Howlin]

Here is the full story.

Ping list.

LiveFree, put the contacts here, will you?

[Howlin]

Yet another story:

http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/030330/72/39kcy.html

[CedarDave]

Just saw this interview on Fox. Absolutely disgusting, obscene, and any number of vile words I can think off. He's gone way, way over the line. Nothing about Iraq, just about how the Iraqi resistance was causing the Americans to rethink the war plan, and that their resistance was adding to the anti-war protests against President Bush. Compliments the Iraqi information ministry on their hospitality. NBC, MSNBC and GE continue to be issuing neutral statements on Arnett and his "professionalism" in the face of obstacles. This clip will be played repeatedly on Fox and likely other stations -- Arnett, like Ritter, has chosen sides and both will pay for it later.

[Inspectorette]

Howlin, just saw this. NG is gonna have hell to pay. Fox News has this one in their teeth like a pit bull. It aint' gonna go away!!

Peter Arnett, if he was not under threat of his life, is a traitor.

[cookcounty]

Related topic: Channel 5 Chicago just showed a support-our-troops rally of "about 1,000" (their figure) Iraqi-Americans singing "God Bless America." Brought a tear to my eye.

[StarFan]

Didn't catch Congresscritters name but he's trying to defend Peter suggesting he might have been coerced into saying what he said. Neither Rita Cosby nor I am buying into that ridiculous theory.

[Howlin]

Baloney!

Look at this:


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/876537/posts


He evidently believes his own "reviews."

I am furious!

[txradioguy]

"Peter Arnett is emplyed by the National Geographic Magazine to report from Bagdhad."

He's working for national Geographic TV AND NBC! Everytime Brokaw talks to someone in Bagdad, it's Saddam's stoolie Peter "Tail Wind" Arnett. FReep G.E. too if ya FReep National Geo.

[Howlin]

I am just livid!

[jwalsh07]

Baghdad Peter is the same clown who accused American soldiers of using sarin nerve gas on other American soldiers.

He's a liar, a commie, a traitor and a collaborator. He should be tried for treason.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Hear! Hear!

For those that may have missed this...

*** ALERT ***

*** ALERT ***

FREEP ARNETT is ANTI-AMERICAN

newsdesk@nationalgeographic.com 1-800-373-1717

viewerservices@msnbc.com 1-888-MSNBC-USA

*** ALERT ***

*** ALERT ***