Jack Stokes, director of media relations, Associated Press, responds to contraversy over the presence of a AP photographer on the scene of an ambush and murder of Iraqi election workers;
Several brave Iraqi photographers work for The Associated Press in places that only Iraqis can cover. Many are covering the communities they live in where family and tribal relations give them access that would not be available to Western photographers, or even Iraqi photographers who are not from the area.
Insurgents want their stories told as much as other people and some are willing to let Iraqi photographers take their pictures. It’s important to note, though, that the photographers are not “embedded” with the insurgents. They do not have to swear allegiance or otherwise join up philosophically with them just to take their pictures.
It’s too bad they missed the boat with Robert Picton, during his (alleged) murder spree of Vancouver area prostitutes. Perhaps he would like to have his story told? The Hells Angels must feel shortchanged – they’ve had to resort to buying billboard space to get their message out.
Unsurprisingly, there are a few others who remain unimpressed.
Wretchard: at what point did the “brave Iraqi” photographer become aware that the story of the day was going to be the live execution of two Iraqi election workers?
Just asking.
Roger Simon: It sounds as if the “Insurgents” were calling a press conference to express their campaign positions. But they weren’t. What they were doing was brutally murdering innocent people in the street and they wanted the press there to record the event. The Associated Press, like good poodles of fascism, came along for that most necessary of tasks for terrorists in asymetrical war–publicity.
Powerline: Am I missing something, or has the AP now admitted everything it was charged with by Wretchard?
Since when are we calling terrorists ‘insurgents’?
Pah.
yeah, the press needs a big wake up call.
War Against the AP
It is true that it is looking more and more like the AP has taken sides with the terrorists in order to fatten up that bottom line (I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt here- they might just be a bunch of terrorists themselves).
I suppose the Klansmen that murdered the three election workers in Mississippi should have arranged for AP coverage, too?
Whose side are they on? I think we already know.
I do want to squelch one rumor before it gets started: I’m reasonably certain AP didn’t know about 9/11 in advance. Why? Because if they had we’d have film of the first plane approaching the Trade Center.