Thread: Pentagon: shooting of Reuters journalists in Iraq justified
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Old 06-18-2008, 05:31 AM
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Pentagon: shooting of Reuters journalists in Iraq justified
Quote:
By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jun 17, 12:54 PM ET

WASHINGTON - The 2005 shooting death of a Reuters journalist in the midst of a firefight in Baghdad was justified because U.S. soldiers believed the camera protruding from an unmarked car was a rocket propelled grenade, the Pentagon's internal watchdog has concluded.

In an 82-page report, the Defense Department's inspector general also said that Reuters safety practices contributed to the death of sound technician Waleed Khaled, and the wounding of cameraman Haider Kadhem.

While the report was critical of how the initial investigation was conducted — saying the military unit's investigating officer did not follow correct procedures — it nevertheless concluded that a "preponderance of evidence establishes that the cameraman and driver took actions during the incident that reasonably led U.S. soldiers to believe they were confronting hostile intent."

Reuters Editor-in-Chief David Schlesinger said he believes the inspector general took the case seriously and came up with positive recommendations.

"We are never satisfied when a journalist is killed in the course of covering a story," he said. "I welcome the recommendation that the military and media engage together to better ensure the safety of journalists on the front line."

He said Reuters will examine its safety procedures, and noted, "Better training for journalists and for the military, clear rules of engagement and a closer dialogue are essential in order to prevent further tragedies occurring."

more ... Pentagon: shooting of Reuters journalists in Iraq justified - Yahoo! News
Keeping one's dumb ass the Hell away from a firefight comes to mind as "better training for journalists."
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