June 27, 2004
Not again...
It appears they are at it again. First a journalist, then a communications worker, then a helicopter tech, then a foreign national.
Now they have captured and are threatening a Marine. A young Marine. I don't know uniforms or insignia so I have no clue about that, but from the grainy pic you can't tell much anyway.
From the look of the ID from the screen save from Al Jazeera, he's the real deal.
According to CNN:
A speaker on the tape said the man was lured from his base and captured. Al-Jazeera said the group threatened to kill the man unless U.S. military authorities release Iraqi prisoners.The video also showed Marine identification papers. CNN is not releasing the man's name until his family has been notified.
Not doing a very good job of it. His name is clearly visible in the photo, Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun, if I am reading this correctly.
Keep him and his family in your prayers.
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And just because The Press has continually showed their collective asses in the handling and dissemination of information they either gather or have presented to them on platters, this piece from Korea Times.
Can you blame them for being upset? Was Kim Sun Il interviewed while a captive by the AP? Did they know what was happening, but chose to hold the tape until it was "big news"?
The media sickens me more and more every day. Let's hope that they haven't done the same crappy thing with information surrounding the current hostages.
Posted by Mamamontezz at June 27, 2004 05:42 PMSnipped from the article..."But the AP has remained tight-lipped, saying that it is reluctant to get involved in an issue that concerns public confidence in the government. "
REALLY??? Since when does the media NOT undermine public confidence in the government. What a pantload that is.
They are tight-lipped because they are caught in a noose of their own knot-tying.
Makes me sick!!!
Posted by: Bonfire7 at June 27, 2004 07:18 PMBonfire7 has said it better than I ever could, the press lost credibility with me as far back as 1968 when they openly lied and distorted an article about my unit after an interview with myself and fellow soldiers. Sensationalism and exploitation by the media just give a death sentence to any terrorist hostage because the terrorists use the media as an arm of terrorism. And we're supposed to be the ones who are duped.
Posted by: Jack at June 28, 2004 11:54 AMApparently Al Jazeera often pay good money for their 'exclusives' - or maybe they finance them. They 'interviewed' by phone the Italian chef murdered in Al Khobar before his death. Poor bastard was so frightened he could only speak in his mother tongue. Al Jazeera, ever resourceful, found somebody to speak to him in Italian. That was an interview too far, even for that poisonous network and the Qatari government 'advised' them not to screen it.
Posted by: Jon at June 28, 2004 11:54 AMI was depressed at all this so I cruised over to Smoke On The Water,s site and this cheered me up.
Hope the day gets better.
http://smokeonthewater.typepad.com/smokeonthewater/2004/06/fathead_family.html