What country has the misfortune of calling Arnett one of its own?

Remarkable, if you've seen National Geographic's two-hour show on the Kurds, there is no doubt Bahgdad Peter knows the atrocities of Sadam on his own people. Talk about turn-coat.

New Zealand.

please see post at 6 p.m. below.

Write viewerservices@msnbc.com to protest.

TO: Krempasky
RE: Peter Arnett

What! That 'bad kiwi'? [Note: Citation from a classmate at LEDC 92-1.]

Who would listen to him? Especially on Iraqi TV?!?!?

RE: Battle Plans

No plan survives any of the following:

[1] Contact with the commander. [Note: What the plan comes into contact at the start.]
[2] Contact with the enemy. [Note: What the plan comes into contact in the end.]

This reality makes all the pundits wrong from the get-go. Including me....

I would not give a hoot-in-hell for what Peter says.

I do give a hoot about what our troops are capable of.

As for the anti-war 'movement', it's all in the bowels.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[God is not on the side of the bigger battalions. He is on His own side. Those who are of a differing opinion....beware.]

He is a US Citizen (born in New Zealand). At least right now.

Born in New Zealand, now an American citizen.

If not coerced, also now a traitor to his country. I hope there is a full investigation and prosecution as warranted.

I'm not sure, but given the fact that Iraq has arrested or detained the journalists from Newsday, it's entirely possible Peter Arnett may have been in some dire straits with the Iraqis. Peter is a veteran reporter, and CNN mentioned that they found his comments unnerving, as Peter reported for them for a number of years, and for CNN during Gulf War 1. I notice that MSNBC has said very very little about Peter, and he hasn't been on at his usual time. We may be approaching the Saddam regime's desperation phase...I'm waiting to condemn Peter until after I hear more on MSNBC or National Geographic.

Talk about giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

Arnett made two statements which he must know to be false:

1. Resistance to the war is increasing in the U.S. (Support for the war is increasing, at least according to Fox News polls.)

2. The war plan is being totally rewritten. (It isn't.)

Maybe he is now a POW or has been threatened. He isn't stupid.

There seemed to be no signs of distress. However, he never looked at the camera (which is odd for a TV journalist trained to do so). I wonder if there are some secret-eye winks or hand motions given to journalists to give on camera if captured.

Peter Arnett should be scorned, but he shouldn't be prosecuted by the government for speaking his mind, no matter how odious his words might be.

P.S. The British say that Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eaton.

I suggest that this war was decided on the HS football and basketball playing fields of the 90s. And whatever the outcome of this war, the vaunted American Public Education System will share in the glory or the ignomy.

Now...

...about the next war.....

I'm with Rebecca on this one...better to wait and find out the whole story before we string him up! This is way to bizarre to be taken at face value!

Is Arnett of French ancestry? The man should be shot on sight by any of our men who are fortunate enough to find him hiding under his rock in Baghdad. I'm disgusted!
Ernie

Interestingly enough, the link CNN had about Peter has been pulled and evidently, so has the transcript. It makes me think more and more that Peter is in some trouble. No mention of his "interview" with Iraqi TV on his March 30 diary entry either.

TO: Clyde
RE: The Bad Kiwi

The attribution of the phrase 'Bad Kiwi', as applied to one each Peter Arnett, was provided by a Kiwi officer.

During the 91 gulf war I saw consecutiuve reports by arnett and a reporter from UPN. the UPN reporter gave a straight report, Arnett gave the voice of bagdad report, I have not watched MSNBC since they hired him and will not in the future

Thanks, JackRyan :)

Here's a link to the story online
http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/030330/72/39kcy.html

Now the question becmoes if Peter Arnett is a POW, will it endanger his life for NBC to admit it?

I recall during Gulf I Mr. Arnett referred to himself as a citizen of the world. Pull his passport.

NBC: "Peter Arnett and his crew have risked their lives to bring the American people up-to-date, straight-forward information on what is happening in and around Baghdad." ... Mr. Arnett's "impromptu interview with Iraqi TV was done as a professional courtesy and was similar to other interviews he has done with media outlets from around the world. His remarks were analytical in nature and were not intended to be anything more."

It is no secret that the Iraq military are cruel bastards, and the indications of this discussion are that Gulf War CNN veteran Peter Arnett is now a captive.

It is not a good idea for any reporter to take sides. But the New Zealand Government has said that it does not support the US invasion of Iraq, unless it is sanctioned by the UN security council. International law matters.

Already, in retaliation, trade agreements are coming unstuck with threats from the US adminstration.

It is a bit like when NZ decided to take an Anti nuclear stand. The US broke its alliance pact with NZ as it could not defend us without increasing our viability as a nuclear target.

I watched this this morning on the satelliite broadband feed you can get by going here:

http://slate.msn.com/toolbar.aspx?action=read&id=2080681

Amazing to see. He didn't seem in any distress, but who can tell? It just seemed like he was telling this audience what they wanted to hear. Maybe he's got Stockholm Syndrome or something similar from being stuck in Baghdad. Whatever the case, I have never seen a professional journalist just roll over like that. Perhaps he didn't think anyone but Iraqis could ever see the interview, but he had to know that it was going out to other places.

Poor guy. He's either an idiot, in a life-threatening situation, or someone who has gone entirely over to one side and is now a propagandaist instead of a reporter.

Maybe...I've been watching MSNBC for an hour and half and not 1 word about Peter's appearance on Iraqi TV, either in the 15 mins spots or otherwise. It's really weird...btw, does anyone have the full transcript? Since CNN pulled it, I can't find the damn thing anywhere...

Although his remarks may have been shocking, it is best to wait and suspend judgement as others have noted.

It could also be some kind of disinfo to mislead them or make them over-confident. Anyway, I would wait on this.

His left hand is always under the table despite the rapid animations of his right hand as he speaks. Doesn't seem natural.

I just watched it, very disturbing
there's only two explanations for this.

1. he's under duress

or

2. he's a traitor ala tokyo rose or hanoi jane.

Bobby:

He cannot be considered a POW - he isn't in the military. Hostage, maybe, but certainly not a POW.

He didn't endear himself to Americans when he decided to interview Saddam during the first Gulf conflict, and this interview with Iraqi media is unwise at best.

Given Arnett's history I doubt that he is reporting under the gun. I have contacted NBC, National Geographic, and GE which ownes NBC.

New Zealand's gain, U.S. loss. They can have hime back.

Not sure they were notified beforehand - if they were, NBC would have given people the heads up...

The point isn't Arnett, the point is GE and NBC! Wake the fuck up!

Their response is WHOLLY inadquate. Fine, we'll take a wait and see attitude on Arnett, but NBC and GE need to respond harshly at what was said providing a caveat for the possibility he was coerced.

This is bullshit. He is a traitor, he deserves MORE than scorn, he deserves jailtime.

IF, and only if Mr. Arnett was under duress his comments may be understandable, being a "citizen of the world" and all. But if he's such a smart guy, he has to understand that feeding that load of crap:

"clearly the American war planners misjudged"

"rewriting the war plan"

"war plan has failed because of Iraqi resistance"

and something like our reports are influencing the anti-war movement will do nothing more than cause many more civilian deaths. Maybe he knows there's a leadership vacuum and hopes they will crown him king.

After all NBC says. "His remarks were analytical in nature" and "the interview was done as a professional courtesy".

The rat bastid.

Pardon me for saying this out loud, but I also happen to believe that support for this war is about to implode in the US, AND that the US battle plan has been rewritten. Does that make me a traitor also?

Arnett seems to me to be a pathetic old has been who appears desperate for attention, and who will say or do
anything to garner that attention.

Sad.

"Does that make me a traitor also?"

No James... just thicker than mud.

Let him make his own excuses. He never made up for his "Baby milk factory" comment. He has chosen his side.

No, James, it just makes you a liberal ;)

James, yes it does--if you are saying it on the propaganda channel of the enemy, while the country is at war, and if you are a citizen of any of the countries involved. If you're not in Iraq at the moment, then no it doesn't and you may carry on.

No james, but you weren't speaking to the enemy encouraging its military to continues resistance. I don't want to contradict anybody so I'll agree and say its makes you a liberal that is thicker than mud.

Fox raked him over the coals with a media commentator who raised the fact that Arnett lost a job over a false story about US forces allegedly using Sarin gas in Laos and other ethical issues. Arnett loves being on center stage.

Unless someone else can find it, Fox pulled the reference, too....

Gee, thanks, Rose, for a moment there I thought you had suspended the First Amendment. Very kind of you not to.

James, We thank you for your answer :-)

Given the total gap between the "media" and the public they pretend to know, I imagine nothing will happen to Peter Arnett. The media will welcome him with open arms. We will probably see him again on Natl. Geo. in a couple of months like nothing ever occured.

Rebecca is right... James is just a liberal.

Liberals tend to forget things like for instance, Rose, or any of us for that matter, are not the CONGRESS. This means we can call you anything we like and do not in anyway infringe upon your rights.

You guys are so tiresome... stop the whining.

(3/30/03 7:35 P.M. ET post at www.philpotonpolitics.com):
Fox News has just reported (although no confirming link is available yet) that Peter Arnett has given and interview to Iraqi state television in which he states that "the war plan has failed" and then apparently went on to talk about how the increased resistance of the Iraqi fighters is encouraging the anti-war movement back home. (This story is from Command Post (http://www.command-post.org/archives/002818.html), a blog that appears to us to be very accurate and timely. If this report is accurate, Arnett is an ass.

Whether or not the "war plan" has failed, it is apparent that the troops on the ground and their commanders are adapting. They are figuring things out and they are making progress. I have a lot of problems with, and a lot to say about the political aspects of this war, but I have no doubt that the people actually doing the fighting know what they are doing. Americans and Brits are remarkably resiliant, adaptive, innovative and determined people and our soldiers are some of the best of us. To undermine their efforts and give hope to an adversary that will be defeated is wrong. Shut up and sit down, Peter. More on this later.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
MEDIA PUSSIES AND THINK THEY KNOW IT ALL!

Wasn't Arnett the reporter who lined his vest with gold and stayed behind in Bagdhad after the expulsion of the rest of the Western journalists? I think it was. I remember his "reporting" after that consisting of reading Iraqi propaganda statements and doing the occasional feature, the gist of which was always that the situation in the city was "tense." He came under fire then, too. Given that what he reported was of little value one wonders what he was thinking in staying behind. One wonders about his actions now, as well.

Yes, one wonders, doesn't one?

Love the definition of liberal around here...

seems someone is posting with my nic

"Pardon me for saying this out loud, but I also happen to believe that support for this war is about to implode in the US, AND that the US battle plan has been rewritten. Does that make me a traitor also?"

Posted by JAMES at March 30, 2003 07:11 PM "

I did NOT POST THAT

Sorry, I didn't know that you had somehow obtained a copyright on my name.

BERLIN -- American reporter Peter Arnett, in an interview with Josef Goebbels that was broadcast all over Germany, said today that the Allied "Operation Overlord" was clearly a failure, because the British forces had yet to take the key city of Caen, and American troops had barely advanced past the beaches.

"I talked with an anonymous source close to US General Patton, who said that Patton told an aide that Montgomery couldn't take Caen on 'D-Day, or even D plus-10'" Arnett told Herr Goebbels. "I've even heard that there is dissatisfaction in Washington over the slow progress in Normandy."

Arnett also gave his opinion that the Allies would face even tougher fighting as they approached Germany. "They have no idea how angry the Germans are at them, especially after all the bombing of cities and civilian casualties. They will treated as conquerors, not liberators. I'm not sure if anyone in the White House has thought about the consequences of a long, drawn-out occupation of Germany."

TO: James
RE: What Does That Make Me?

"Does that make me a traitor also?" -- JAMES

Ask me again, when you get to broadcast on Iraqi TV.

Regards,

Chuck(le)

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,82656,00.html

of note:
[The interview could make Arnett a target of the war's supporters. The first Bush administration was unhappy with Arnett's reporting in 1991 for CNN, suggesting he had become a conveyor of propaganda.

He was denounced for his reporting about an allied bombing of a baby milk factory in Baghdad that the military said was a biological weapons plant. The American military responded vigorously to the suggestion it had targeted a civilian facility, but Arnett stood by his reporting that the plant's sole purpose was to make baby formula.

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.]

So this is not someone reporting under duress, it is consistency. Can you say "traitor"? Sure, I knew you could.

Just sent this to National Geographic's public relations expert at cbeidel@ngs.org. Will also send to MSNBC and GE

The real tragedy of what your correspondent Mr. Arnett did in Iraq is not that he lied, not that he's wrong, not that his statements reflect so badly on your publication (to which I unfortunately subscribe). No, the real tragedy is that Arnett's words are now being broadcast in Iraq by Saddam and his people-shredding thugs to subdue the long suffering Iraqi people. Through an American journalist, employed by National Geographic (in which, one would think, the anxious Iraqi population might naturally place much trust), Saddam is hoping to convince his subjects and slaves that the coalition is losing, that any hope of freedom has been dashed, and that rising up now would only result in their annihilation, just like 1991. That's the real horror of what Arnett's done. Now, there is also another, far less important horror, for you: Arnett made these statements in National Geographic's name. I trust that you will be loudly and publicly and immediately terminating Mr. Arnett. Otherwise, this much I can absolutely guarantee: I and thousands of other Americans will never pick up your magazine again, for it will be dripping with the blood of millions of innocent Iraqis.

Posted by Bill at March 30, 2003 11:28 PM

Far be it from me to miss an opportunity to pile on. (With all due respect to the REAL James) James the Lesser voices his "belief" that public opinion is about to implode and the battle plan has been rewritten. The first part flies in the face of poll after poll, so I would tend to characterize it less as a "belief" than as a "fervent and forlorn hope". The second half must certainly be based on James' keen military eye. Ah, but those pesky facts that are ever the bane of the left! No additional deployments have been ordered. No operational "pause" has occurred. No major redirection of units has occurred. I don't suppose any of this can substitute for James' gut feeling, but I throw it out there for your consideration . . .

If Arnett wasn't on drugs or coerced, I vote he's given a new job as human shield.