Wednesday, November 12, 2003
Al Jazeera News: Well-Placed Sources, or Accessories to Murder?
Now, here's something for you journalist types to play around with: The 3rd ACR, some weeks ago, directed us to detain a couple of Al Jazeera news types. Details are sketchy, but we believed the insurgents were phoning Al Jazeera and tipping them off on upcoming attacks. We were originally just going after their cell phone, but apparently the cell phone has a number we can trace back to one of the insurgents.
Has the military overstepped its legitimate bounds? Does Al Jazeera have any obligation to tip off coalition forces? (If so, then does an imbedded NBC reporter with a U.S. unit have the same obligation to tip off the insurgents about an upcoming operation? I say "no," and "no."
Given the facts in front of me right now, I say we have no business detaining journalists for that reason. If they were actively interfering with an operation yes, but for simply reacting to a tip and showing up to cover the attack, certainly not.
But what if the planned insurgency operation targeted civilians, like the bombing at the police station in Ramadi? Does that then make Al Jazeera (Or BBC, or NPR, or BBC, accessory to murder?
Well, that's a far more interesting question. And since we know the insurgents in Ramadi HAVE targeted civilians and have therefore crossed the line from insurgency to terrorism, do the rules for journalists change?
Hey, I’m in the Army now!
We decide; you report.
Has the military overstepped its legitimate bounds? Does Al Jazeera have any obligation to tip off coalition forces? (If so, then does an imbedded NBC reporter with a U.S. unit have the same obligation to tip off the insurgents about an upcoming operation? I say "no," and "no."
Given the facts in front of me right now, I say we have no business detaining journalists for that reason. If they were actively interfering with an operation yes, but for simply reacting to a tip and showing up to cover the attack, certainly not.
But what if the planned insurgency operation targeted civilians, like the bombing at the police station in Ramadi? Does that then make Al Jazeera (Or BBC, or NPR, or BBC, accessory to murder?
Well, that's a far more interesting question. And since we know the insurgents in Ramadi HAVE targeted civilians and have therefore crossed the line from insurgency to terrorism, do the rules for journalists change?
Hey, I’m in the Army now!
We decide; you report.
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