Journalists Killed by U.S. Troops in Iraq Remembered

Yahoo! ^ | 04/08/2004 | Elizabeth Piper

[BJClinton]

KIEV (Reuters) - Family and friends of Reuters cameraman Taras Protsyuk gathered in Kiev on Thursday to mark a year since he was killed by U.S. troops in Baghdad amid calls on Washington to probe further the deaths of journalists in Iraq

Protsyuk, a Ukrainian, and Jose Couso, a cameraman with Spanish television Telecinco, died when a U.S. tank fired a shell into the Palestine Hotel, where most foreign media were staying during the U.S.-led invasion.

Couso's brother laid flowers in his memory in the Iraqi capital and demanded those responsible be brought to account.

Tarek Ayoub, of Qatar-based Al Jazeera television, was killed in a U.S. air raid in Baghdad the same day. At least three other journalists have been killed by U.S. troops in Iraq in the past year.

"Taras's death was avoidable, as was that of Reuters cameraman Mazen Dana who was shot in Iraq by U.S. troops last August. It is in their memory that we are pushing for changes in the way U.S. soldiers interact with journalists," said Reuters Global Managing Editor David Schlesinger.

"The sad truth is that since Taras was killed last year, the safety of journalists in Iraq has not improved.

"In fact it has deteriorated considerably. This situation cannot continue and we urge the Pentagon to address this by immediately implementing the recommendations it has made to improve the safety of journalists. We cannot afford to wait until another tragedy happens," Schlesinger added.

In Kiev, around 60 people gathered at the Greek Catholic Church of St Vasyl to hear a priest say Protsyuk had become a symbol of why peace should return to the world.

"He wanted to show the world the truth, he wanted to relay to us the evil of war. His death is not in vain, we will remember this name," said a priest later at Kiev's main cemetery where clerics blessed a simple pinkish granite cross bearing his name and the date 2003.

A Pentagon report into the deaths of Protsyuk and Couso said the incident was tragic and regrettable, but that its forces acted properly in self-defense when they fired at the hotel.

Couso, Protsyuk and Ayoub were killed a day before Baghdad fell to U.S. troops, but a year later the city is still racked by violence and patrolled by American forces.

[BJClinton]

This situation cannot continue and we urge the Pentagon to address this by immediately implementing the recommendations it has made to improve the safety of journalists.

I'm sorry for the loss, but that's what being a wartime journalist is about. Can you imagine reporters during D-Day asking the Axys and Allies to improve reporter safety?

[theDentist]

The Press seems to think that they are annointed, and therefore beyond petty things such as "war". They are slowly finding out that their job doesn't set them above the fray, and if they happen to be somewhere in the line of fire, it's up to them to get out of the way.

[SJSAMPLE]

But, more importantly, they'll remember NOT to point anything (like a camera) that looks like an RPG at US Army troops.

[BJClinton]

...they'll remember NOT to point anything (like a camera) that looks like an RPG at US Army troops.

Was that what happened? I thought it was a stray round aimed at another part of the hotel.

[WOSG]

"Taras's death was avoidable,"

The deaths of hundreds of US soldiers was also avoidable, were it not for the egging on of resistance by that propoganda channel, AL Jazeera.

Truly, our enemies with cameras are as dangerous as the enemies with RPGs.


"It is in their memory that we are pushing for changes in the way U.S. soldiers interact with journalists,"

Quit being shills for terrorists, you 'journalists'.

[SJSAMPLE]

When the M1A2 crew hit a Baghdad hotel with a main gun round, it was because they saw a cameraman and thought the camera was an anti-tank missile, like the Milan. The larger cameras look very similar to this type of anti-tank missile from head-on.

Heck, pointing anything at US Army troops, even your finger, is a mistake when a soldier is juiced up on adrenaline and looking for somebody who might shoot at him.

[skeeter]

I'm intrigued that Yahoo! went aaaall the way to Kiev to get this story.

Guess there's nothing more important going on to report.

[San Jacinto]

Journalists Killed by U.S. Troops in Iraq Remembered

I hate incomplete headlines.

Remembered what? He should have remembered to duck.

[BJClinton]

It's a Reuter's report via Yahoo! I'm the one who has nothing better to do than cruise around Yahoo! looking for news.

[SolutionsOnly]

That journalists think they are some kind of 'special protected class' naseautes me. If you put yourself in harm's way, then harm may very well come to you. Do something stupid in a war zone and bad things might happen. It's just the way it goes. Welcome to reality.

[SBprone]

Go to Iraq.

Find a squad of Marine infantry hard at work.

Go down range a ways and take cover behind a wall or building.

Peek out from your cover to see what they're doing and point your cameras at them.

I will wait for you right here.

[monday]

"It is in their memory that we are pushing for changes in the way U.S. soldiers interact with journalists,"

lol...what, no more shooting journalists? They have to "interact" with them now?

Seriously, it is too bad they were killed but accidents happen. During war people get killed. Stay home if you want to be safe.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Stay home if you want to be safe.

Stay in Baghdad if you want to report Saddam's propaganda - 'cause when you were under Saddam's thumb you sure weren't gonna report anything else.

The News We (CNN) Kept To Ourselves [must read]

[Wumpus Hunter]

Journalists are like Dorritos - they'll make more.