Reporters in a “War Zone”

September 8, 2005

..the city has now reached a near-saturation level of military and law enforcement. In the areas we visited, the red berets of the 82nd Airborne are visible on just about every block. National Guard soldiers are ubiquitous.
…
While we were attempting to take pictures of the National Guard (a unit from Oklahoma) taking up positions outside a Brooks Brothers on the edge of the Quarter, the sergeant ordered us to the other side of the boulevard.
…
At that same fire scene, a police officer from out of town raised the muzzle of her weapon and aimed it at members of the media… obvious members of the media… armed only with notepads.

I am just wondering when the first journo will be shot.

Posted by b on September 8, 2005 at 14:49 UTC | Permalink

Comments

Senator Frist, your excellenacy, let me point out first this error in the Katrina investigation:
“In other Katrina developments, Bush administration officials warned that the $51 billion it is seeking for relief was “just the beginning” of a string of special appropriations that would be used to award huge multi-million reconstruction contracts to politically well-connected contractors and consulting firms.”
The unit here, multi-million, is off by an order of magnitude at least. Let me propose that we correct the record to state multi-billion, or if we stay with single units, let me suggest a total, total only, of no less than $1 trillion but no greater than $3 trilion. What the heck. Let’s go for it if we’re going to go for free banana republic-hood.
In speech class I learned that million sounds mushy, billion is good for projecting, but with trillion you can roll the tongue and trill.
Vodka shots all around for whoever’s cool.

Posted by: christofay | Sep 8 2005 15:27 utc | 1

madsen report:

WMR is receiving reports that mercenary private military contractors (PMCs) are now operating in the New Orleans metropolitan area.
…
The presence of PMCs is worrisome. There are unconfirmed reports of mercenaries shooting residents of New Orleans and that mercenaries are involved in burning the bodies of victims in makeshift crematoria set up throughout the city. The reported burning of bodies could be an attempt by the White House to suppress the total death count to an “acceptable,” “manageable,” and “spinnable” level.

Posted by: b real | Sep 8 2005 15:57 utc | 2

War pigs ?

Posted by: Uncle $cam | Sep 8 2005 16:38 utc | 3

It won’t be a journo, but possibly a cameraman. The U.S. military has killed many cameramen in Iraq, claiming their equipment looked like bazookas, rocket launchers, stingers, etc. What will be interesting is when we start getting reports of notes, photos, computers, credentials and other press items being confiscated.

Posted by: steve duncan | Sep 8 2005 16:59 utc | 4

The only thing we have to fear is the thruth,errm I mean fear itself…yeah that right, that’s the ticket!

Posted by: Rafael | Sep 8 2005 18:15 utc | 5

Aloha! Given the aggressive military stance building in NO, I am reminded of a book written after the Kent State murders called “Don’t Shoot, We Are Your Children”…cannot recall the author. Why do they have to be so aggressive with Americans? Why does it have to be at the end of an M16? The people of NO are our “children” too. With aloha.

Posted by: Mrs French | Sep 8 2005 19:33 utc | 6

@Uncle – nice video, fits, though I have to see that end yet

Posted by: b | Sep 8 2005 20:11 utc | 7

here’s a link to the German magazine ‘Stern’,home of that bloody alligator pic that is making the rounds.
The reporters had a run in with the police and even if you don’t read German,you get the gist of the conversation:
“Die Polizisten sprangen heraus, schossen in die Luft und schrieen: “Get your fucking hands up!” ”
http://www.stern.de/politik/panorama/:Panorama-Get/545649.html

Posted by: Cameron in Vancouver | Sep 9 2005 3:11 utc | 8

Quote:
I am just wondering when the first journo will be shoot.
***
You will not wait a long time. As water subside they wouldn’t let reporters take shots of horrific scene…Their solders will take shots of the dead bodies and sell it on Internet and to the media…
The other day we saw this particular scene on TV (solders from the boat taking photos) and TV reporter’s commentary was something like” Not sure what those solders are actually doing (obviously not much) but is this a right occasion to take snapshots?”
It’s not a first time…it must be in their text books…

Posted by: vbo | Sep 9 2005 5:43 utc | 9

“What will be interesting is when we start getting reports of notes, photos, computers, credentials and other press items being confiscated.”
We already have such reports:
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=14894

Posted by: Observer | Sep 9 2005 8:27 utc | 10

bernard, a photo of an officer aiming her weapon at jounalists would be a powerful image… where are pictures of such lunacy?.. they are somewhere and must be posted.

Posted by: miguel | Sep 10 2005 22:09 utc | 11

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