NBC’s Brian Williams recants Iraq story after soldiers protest

Stars & Stripes ^ | February 4, 2015 | Travis J. Tritten

[Timber Rattler]

NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams admitted Wednesday he was not aboard a helicopter hit and forced down by RPG fire during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a false claim that has been repeated by the network for years.

Williams himself repeated the claim Friday during NBC’s coverage of a public tribute at a New York Rangers hockey game for a retired soldier that had provided ground security for the grounded helicopters. In an interview with Stars and Stripes, he said he had misremembered the events and was sorry.

The admission came after crew members on the 159th Aviation Regiment’s Chinook that was hit by two rockets and small arms fire told Stars and Stripes that the NBC anchor was nowhere near that aircraft or two other Chinooks flying in the formation that took fire. Williams arrived in the area about an hour later on another helicopter after the other three had made an emergency landing, the crew members said.

[hawkaw]

This is akin to a Dan Rather anchor moment. IIRC Rather said he was in Afghanistan but was actually in Pakistan.

[DaveA37]

Do those lying democratic bastards ever tell the truth?

[DaveA37]

Do those lying democratic liberal bastards ever tell the truth?

[norwaypinesavage]

"The very same network that attached a model rocket to a Ford pickup fuel tank"

I think you "misremembered" that. You got NBC right, but it was a Chevy pickup, and the items attached were pyrotechnics, which are even better at starting a fire.

[alstewartfan]

He and Hillary can reminisce about terrifying days that never happened.

[McGruff]

I'm hitting the

[norwaypinesavage]

"the honest fire dept crew here in Indiana told the truth to local media how it was faked."

and an honest scrap yard sold the truck with the pyrotechnics still attached to GM Legal Staff, even though NBC swore in a legal affidavit that the vehicle was destroyed.

[ImNotLying]

Well Obama said today that he had redoubled his efforts in the middle east. I don’t remember him doubling his efforts much less redoubling. Can somebody help me out here?

[sparklite2]

From the movie “In Harm’s Way” ...

Henry Fonda: Well, we all know the Navy’s never wrong. But in this case, it was a little weak on being right.

[Mastador1]

I don’t remember him doubling his efforts much less redoubling. Can somebody help me out here?

I don't know, the only place that I know of that Lord Foul has put any serious effort into in the middle east is aiding the militant islamists, redundant I know.

[Sarah Barracuda]

A liberal liar..yeah that’s something we don’t see everyday/sarc

[Lurker]

Not soon enough for me.

[jaz.357]

Fake, but accurate.

[timestax]

[timestax]

[timestax]

[timestax]

[Dick Bachert]

You...you...you mean (sniffle) these guys LIE??

[SWAMPSNIPER]

“Misremembered”? Yeah, sure!

[The Cajun]

In an interview with Stars and Stripes, he said he had misremembered the events and was sorry.

That might be a little worse than the original lie.

Can't see misremembering if your a$$ got shot at and hit or not.........Just saying.

Bad Brian, bad-bad Brian.