ABC Frets About Doorknobs Broken By POW-Rescuing Commandos (Jennings is out of control)

Media Research Center ^ | May 8, 2003 | Media Research Center

[Jackson Brown]

ABC Frets About Doorknobs Broken By POW-Rescuing Commandos

ABC and Peter Jennings have found another U.S. military action to complain about. Having supposedly failed to protect a museum, now Jennings is upset that they lied about the rescue of POW Jessica Lynch, a raid in which they unnecessarily broke some doorknobs in the hospital where she was being held. Recalling that rescue, on Wednesday's World News Tonight, Jennings asserted: “Now we hear that it may have been less dangerous and maybe even less challenging than Central Command first told us.”

From Nasiriyah, David Wright noted that “the U.S. “soldiers broke down doors in the intensive care unit,” but, he insisted, “they could have just asked where she was” since, people at the hospital told him, there were no Iraqi soldiers in the building. Over video of punched out doorknobs, Wright complained that “the hospital still bears the scars of that midnight raid. The administrators had to sell precious drugs to pay for the damage.”

Hundreds of thousands or more Iraqis were murdered and tortured by the Hussein regime, but horror of horrors, the U.S. broke some doorknobs!

Jennings teased at the top of his May 7 broadcast: “Saving Private Jessica Lynch: The Iraqi doctors who looked after her say it wasn't quite how the military portrayed it.”

He later mocked the military effort, plugging the upcoming story: “Rescuing the prisoner of war Jessica Lynch: Perhaps not so dramatic as it sounded at first.”

Jennings introduced the eventual piece: “When U.S. commandos stormed an Iraqi hospital to get Private Jessica Lynch last month it was described, you'll recall, in very dramatic fashion -- U.S. commandos rushing an enemy compound to save a comrade in the dead of night. Now we hear that it may have been less dangerous and maybe even less challenging than Central Command first told us.”

From Nasiriyah, David Wright recalled how on April 2 Navy SEALS and Army Rangers stormed the hospital. Dr. Rajd Eledary, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Nasiriyah City Hospital, told Wright he was prepared to set Lynch's broken leg the next morning and, Wright relayed, he “says U.S. soldiers put a gun to his head as they burst into the operating room.”

Wright maintained that the U.S. military overreacted: “The hospital staff says there were no Iraqi troops or officials on the premises when the Americans rushed in. They had all left at 10am the morning before the rescue. [over video of door with doorknob area punched out] The soldiers broke down doors in the intensive care unit when they could have just asked where she was. Five nights earlier one of the doctors and an ambulance driver had even risked their lives trying to return her to them on the edge of town.”

A doctor explained how he tried to return her to U.S. forces but they opened fire on his ambulance. Wright claimed that “she wasn't mistreated either according to the staff” as a nurse bought her a track suit and underwear.

Wright continued: “Private Lynch has yet to give her own account of her captivity here or her rescue. She remains in seclusion at the Army's Walter Reed Hospital, reportedly suffering from amnesia. Officials tell ABC News she's had trouble telling Army investigators exactly what happened.”

Over more video of broken doors, Wright intoned: “But the hospital still bears the scars of that midnight raid. The administrators had to sell precious drugs to pay for the damage. The doctors and nurses say if there is a movie, Saving Private Lynch, they should be among the heroes.”

One problem with Wright's conclusion: If they had to sell “precious drugs to pay for the damage,” why are the doors all still broken?

[Jackson Brown]

This is getting really ridiculous!!!

[lelio]

While I believe that the rescue was a great thing and I fully support any actions taken, this whole amnesia bit almost makes it sound like a bad daytime soap.

[Paul Atreides]

I always wondered where they would find a bigger anus than Dan Rather. Now I know.

[GOPrincess]

The media and the left absolutely boggle the mind. Between this and the aircraft carrier complaints, do they have any *idea* how absurd they sound to (hopefully) most of America?

[Thane_Banquo]

Indeed. This is seriesly getting out of hand.

[From The Deer Stand]

Why, oh why, does anyone pay attention to anything Peter Jennings reports or says? Turn the friggin channel to FOX!

[gathersnomoss]

There are many people in the inner city who watch this never ending "slime coming out of their video" because they are using rabbit ears for the local channels. Therefore, they see Dan/Peter as the window to their news.

Never give up the fight.

[lelio]

The administrators had to sell precious drugs to pay for the damage.
Oh come on. There's two problems with that:
a) it sounds like some doors were knocked down. Big deal
b) like you can't pick up labor for cheap (or free) in Iraq right now.

[Texas_Jarhead]

unbelievable

[FreePaul]

I would never know what Peter Jennings and Dan Rather said if it weren't for Free Republic. I'm not sure that I can consider that a recommendation.

[JoeSchem]

this whole amnesia bit almost makes it sound like a bad daytime soap.

Do you have trouble believing that World War II actually happened, because Hitler was way over the top as a villain and Hiroshima was way too deus ex machina an ending?

[Seeking the truth]

Not really, she is experiencing what is known as "retrograde amnesia". It is the mind's way of blocking out trauma.

I had it many years ago when I was in a car accident and went through the front windshield.

I had/have memory up to a certain point and then nothing for almost 3 days, although people said I was having coherent, seemingly normal conversations with visitors in the hospital.

I just have no memory of it. IOW, her situation is not all that odd to me.

[Fred Mertz]

Wright continued: “Private Lynch has yet to give her own account of her captivity here or her rescue. She remains in seclusion at the Army's Walter Reed Hospital, reportedly suffering from amnesia. Officials tell ABC News she's had trouble telling Army investigators exactly what happened.”

Yeah, nineteen year-olds often suffer from amnesia. That's the ticket!

[Fred Mertz]

Wright continued: “Private Lynch has yet to give her own account of her captivity here or her rescue. She remains in seclusion at the Army's Walter Reed Hospital, reportedly suffering from amnesia. Officials tell ABC News she's had trouble telling Army investigators exactly what happened.”

Yeah, nineteen year-olds often suffer from amnesia. That's the ticket!

[MainFrame65]

Sir:

I am honoring you with a closely held family secret, so I hope you are properly grateful. For 40 years, my brother and I have shared a private word for people such as Rather, Jennings, and others similarly comparable to the Southward emissions of those facing North. If, collectively, you think of them as feces, does that not make each of them a "fec"?

[Fred Mertz]

Wright continued: “Private Lynch has yet to give her own account of her captivity here or her rescue. She remains in seclusion at the Army's Walter Reed Hospital, reportedly suffering from amnesia. Officials tell ABC News she's had trouble telling Army investigators exactly what happened.”

Yeah, nineteen year-olds often suffer from amnesia. That's the ticket!

[Seeking the truth]

Not really, she is experiencing what is known as "retrograde amnesia". It is the mind's way of blocking out trauma.

I had it many years ago when I was in a car accident and went through the front windshield.

I had/have memory up to a certain point and then nothing for almost 3 days, although people said I was having coherent, seemingly normal conversations with visitors in the hospital.

I just have no memory of it. IOW, her situation is not all that odd to me.

[speedy]

I think the distant planet from which Peter Jennings receives his instructions must be having transmission problems. He really may have now surpassed Dan Rather and is neck and neck with Peter Arnett in the competition for ultimate newscaster a-hole. Congratulations, Petey.

[Fred Mertz]

Her brain is being washed right now, Gene. They can't let the American public know what happened during her captivity. Plain and simple.