CNN airs footage of snipers targeting U.S. military personnel in Iraq

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
I saw this video..... DAMN A-HOLES!!!! WTF, why are they supporting the enemy with a world stage like CNN. This only gives street cred to the bad guys. CNN = Communist News Agency

Media: The Associated Press
Byline: DAVID BAUDER
Date: 20 October 2006

NEW YORK_A CNN executive said Thursday the network's effort to present the
"unvarnished truth" about the Iraq war led it to televise portions of a
video that shows insurgent snipers targeting U.S. military personnel.

The tape, which came to the network unexpectedly through contact with an
insurgent leader, was aired first Wednesday night on "Anderson Cooper 360"
and repeated on Thursday.

In one instance, the tape shows a uniformed member of the U.S. military
milling in a public area with Iraqis. A shot rings out. CNN fades the screen
to black before the result _ described as a victim falling forward _ is
visible.

It is one of 10 separate sniper attacks on Americans documented on the tape,
which CNN technicians concluded was authentic, said David Doss, executive
producer of Cooper's show, in a Web log entry describing the network's
decision what to show.

CNN could not determine the identity of any of the sniper victims,
spokeswoman Christa Robinson said.

Baghdad correspondent Michael Ware had been in contact through
intermediaries with Ibrahim Al-Shimary, a leader for the rebel group Islamic
Army. Ware had sent Al-Shimary a series of questions about the insurgency in
Iraq, Doss explained.

In reply, Al-Shimary sent two tapes. One reportedly showed him, with face
concealed, responding to the questions. The other showed the sniper
incidents, seemingly taken by the insurgents themselves, CNN said.

CNN understood that some critics might find that the tape had public
relations benefits for the insurgency, Doss wrote.

"We also understood that this kind of footage is upsetting and disturbing
for many viewers," he said. "But after getting beyond the emotional debate,
we concluded the tape meets our criteria for newsworthiness."

The decision was subject to "hours of intense editorial debate" at CNN's
highest levels, he said.

Doss said he had already received several angry responses from viewers of
Wednesday's five-minute report, some wondering whether CNN was helping the
enemy and others concerned that the tape was inappropriate for young viewers
who may have happened upon it.

"Whether or not you agree with us in this case, our goal, as always, is to
present the unvarnished truth as best we can," Doss said.
 
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