How TV Crew, Off on Its Own, Fell Into Fatal Combat in Iraq

Wall St. Journal ^ | May 2, 2003 | MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS

[The Raven]

AZ ZUBAYR, Iraq -- On March 22, a four-man television crew roaming the war zone alone drove rented SUVs onto a battlefield near here and into withering machine-gun fire during a confrontation between U.S. tanks and Iraqi soldiers.

One journalist escaped. One was killed. The mystery of what happened to the other two men has consumed their employer, Britain's Independent Television News Ltd., ever since. Other reporters who happened on the scene soon afterward were barred by U.S. Marines from checking for survivors in the wrecked sport-utility vehicles, which had been labeled "TV" in large letters.

[MEG33]

I am weary of the lack of common sense.

[Leisler]

"Mr. Demoustier has no regrets. "You can think about it over and over, but it's absolutely necessary that we keep doing these things," he says. "I don't want to go with the military. I don't want to be controlled by people saying, 'You can't go here or you can't go there.' "

Case closed, no problem. Have a nice day at the war zone, journalist.

[bert]

....drove rented SUVs....

I wonder if they signed the insurance waiver and if the platinum mastercard insurance covers the damage.

[dawn53]

I heard a guy on the radio yesterday who was a reporter for the CBS affiliate in Miami. He and his photographer did the same thing (tried to go into Iraq as independents and not embeds), but evidently after a very short time inside Iraq they were fired on by Iraqi's and realized they needed to be with soldiers.

So they became, as this reporter told it, "adopted" by military units.

They ended up driving all the way to Baghdad and back in their rented Kuwaiti SUV. On occasion they became separated from the military units, and relayed how scary that was.

He had nothing but praise for the military.

[Movemout]

Foolishness has its own rewards up to, and including, death by misadventure.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I'm sorry, but the only people I can fault are the moronic reporters who managed to get two Marines wounded. You want to play around on an unconventional battlefield, don't expect any sympathy if you get killed.

[RogueIsland]

The case raises difficult questions: With the military "embedding" reporters in combat units, should journalists risk covering battles independently? And if they do, what responsibility does the military have to protect them

Ummm... none?

[trebb]

I am weary of the lack of common sense.

Yep -racing towards tanks in a war zone and thinking it wrong to get fired upon...DOH!

[2timothy3.16]

The important lesson here for the media is that:

Using large
T.V.
lettering on glass windows, Is no protection against chain guns.

[appeal2]

War is hell, especially if you're a moron.

[RockBassCreek]

With the military "embedding" reporters in combat units, should journalists risk covering battles independently? And if they do, what responsibility does the military have to protect them -- or, failing that, to investigate firefights they get caught up in and to search for possible survivors?

Simple answer. Troops fighting for their lives shouldn't be babysitting reporters. The troops should be fighting the battle and striving to stay alive. If the reporters get killed, then it's their own bad decision making about time and location.

[Pilsner]

the gas cans on his SUV's roof now in flames

Note to self: When driving into a combat zone, don't store the spare fuel cans on top of the roof, where they will douse me in flaming gasoline as soon as bullets or shrapnel puncture them.

[mikegi]

Wow, what a bunch of arrogant bastards of the press. Do they think that having "TV" on their vehicle makes them immune to war? They were warned before the war that nonembedded reporters were in danger. Shortly before the incident, they were warned again that it was dangerous to go ahead. Yet, "They were so relaxed they wore neither helmets nor flak jackets".

Well guess, what? Our Marines were right. The reporters did run into trouble and by the time they realized their mistake, it was too late. I only feel sorry for the widows and children they created by their own stupidity, not to mention our own Marines who were seriously injured trying to check up on these irresponsible journalists.

I nominate these reporters for the 2003 Darwin Award. Driving at high speed towards our tanks from enemy territory in an active war zone is suicidal.

[MEG33]

I second the nomination.

[The Raven]

>>Driving at high speed towards our tanks from enemy territory in an active war zone is suicidal

you can say that again