Thursday, June 19, 2003
Don't you dare "DUH" me!
Voice From the Commonwealth has a pointer to an interesting article by an Irish reporter who returns to Iraq and hooks up again with his Iraqi minder. The whole thing is interesting, but this part was drew my attention:
Sadoun says that during the war he was meant to view our reports before allowing them to be sent by satellite to London for transmission. He claims he never did. He just provided the necessary stamp on the paperwork.That had been pretty obvious as the Americans closed in on Baghdad. The information ministry wanted to repudiate claims that the airport was on the point of being taken. Sadoun got permission for us to go and film the "quiet" airport.
The moment we arrived American artillery opened up on the place, and we took shelter in a dugout with several Iraqi soldiers. Sadoun made two half-hearted attempts to stop us filming.
So, did Fisk simply do his job and file the report as requested? Did he do it, in an Eason Jordan moment, to stay in good with the Iraqis - telling this little white lie to get more "important access? Was he anywhere near the airport at the time? Or was it an honest mistake? The Americans were at one end of the tarmac, while Fisk was at the other.
Don't you "DUH" me again!
