Bill Sykes' Newsletter
from America.
(Mid-April 2003)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
Freedom of the press.
Two particular cases have come to light recently
in which news reporters have been ostracised for comments,
which the American media allege to be un-American and
could damage and endanger American troops who are in combat
in Iraq. (Or words to that effect).
 The
two people in question, both American news reporters acting
as Foreign War Correspondents, Mr. Peter Arnett who was
fired by the television giant NBC and Geraldo Riviera,
who it has been reported that his associated company,
Fox News Channel had been requested by the Pentagon to
remove Mr. Riviera from a posting with American troops
in Iraq where they, the Pentagon, accused him of disclosing
unauthorized information.
Although I have never met Mr Arnett, or know very little
about him, I have watched him reporting from very dangerous
locations and putting his life on the line to give the
American public, honest, accurate and up to date information.
Mr Arnett’s alleged indiscretion, or impropriety,
was that he gave an interview to state run Iraqi Television
for which he received severe criticism from his affiliated
TV company NBC, and the American public at large.
NBC fired Mr. Arnett, but he was quickly picked up by
a British source, which I believe may be the Daily Mirror
as they published the following headline, "Fired
by America for telling the truth". It was later reported,
by Salam Negm, Director of news at al-Arabiya TV station,
which is located in Dubai, that they had hired Mr. Arnett.
Mr. Arnett later apologised profusely for any misjudgement
that he may have made, but stated that any information
given in the interview was public knowledge. Mr Arnett,
who hails from New Zealand, won a Pulitzer Prize reporting
in Vietnam for The Associated Press and has always been
in the forefront of war situations throughout the world,
and currently is one of the few American television reporters
still allowed to remain in Baghdad as he is well respected
by the Iraqis.
I’m not a great fan of Mr. Riviera, as in general
he appears to be more associated with tabloid-type journalism.
 I
strongly believe in the freedom of the Press no matter
who or what they are. Now if you want to hear my view
of aiding and abetting the Enemy, who better to illustrate
the point than the notorious Mr. William Joyce, nicknamed
by the British public as Lord Haw Haw for his particular
upper crust English accent when broadcasting propaganda
for the Germans, from Germany, during World war Two.
He of course was tried and hung when the war was over.
Comment: The following addition, or
amendment, was added to article one, of the original Constitutional
cocument.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment
or religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or
the right of the people to assemble, and to petition the
government for a redress of grievances."
Going to war on the cheap.
 It
has been reported that tensions between Secretary of Defence
Donald H. Rumsfeld and the military have finally erupted
into a series of complaints from some Officers on the
Iraqi battlefield, that the Pentagon limited the number
of troops in the initial build up in order that the Secretary
of Defence would be able to keep a tight reign on the
purse strings. Angry remarks were reported to have come
from several of the more outspoken Officers serving in
Iraq. Lt General William S. Wallace a Corp commander,
was reported to have said the military faced the likelihood
of a longer war than many strategists had anticipated
because they are facing resistance they did not expect
or had planned for in the war games exercises.
We welcome feedback about any of the contents
of these newsletters. Please send all correspondence to
bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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