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Monday, Mar 31, 2003

pete and pete

"I am still in shock and awe at being fired. There is enormous sensitivity within the US government to reports coming out from Baghdad.

They don't want credible news organisations reporting from here because it presents them with enormous problems.

I reported on the original bombing for NBC and we were half a mile away from those massive explosions. Now I am really shocked that I am no longer reporting this story for the US and awed by the fact that it actually happened."

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hearts and minds

"Amid the wreckage I counted 12 dead civilians, lying in the road or in
nearby ditches. All had been trying to leave this southern town
overnight, probably for fear of being killed by US helicopter attacks and heavy artillery.

Their mistake had been to flee over a bridge that is crucial to the coalition's supply lines and to run into a group of shell-shocked young American marines with orders to shoot anything that moved."

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inseitz

"After six years on this beat, I know one thing for sure: expecting TV to be coolheaded, complex and forward-looking during times of global panic is expecting it to act against its nature. It's like asking a shark to eat salad."

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shock and awe

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American television network NBC said on Monday it had severed its relations with veteran reporter Peter Arnett after he told Iraqi television that the U.S. war plan against Saddam Hussein had failed."

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Saturday, Mar 29, 2003

rakes egress

"The military has gotten very good at using the media for its own purposes. I should know—I taught them how to do it.

As a public affairs officer in the Marine Corps, I taught military-media relations to commanders and staff officers. In other words, it was my job to teach Marines how to work with the media. To begin with, here’s what I usually said: “Think of them as an offensive weapon. Plan for their employment just as you would plan for any of your other supporting arms—your artillery, your close air support and your naval gunfire. They’ll be there and there’s nothing you can do about. It’s a fact of life."

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the more things change

doonesbury cartoon from thirty years ago today.

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worst law ever

"NEW YORK, March 29 (UPI) -- Saturday was the last day smokers could light up in most bars and restaurants in New York City."

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the horses mouthpiece

state dept press releases

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uneven steven

asymmetical warfare links

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money for schools


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