Scrappleface nails T…

Scrappleface nails Ted Koppel.

Koppel to Read Names of Saddam’s Victims
(2004-04-30) — ABC-TV journalist Ted Koppel, who caused a firestorm of controversy with his plan to read the names of U.S. troops killed in Iraq, today announced that in the interest of balance and fairness next week he will read another list on his show, Nightline.

“I would never want anyone to accuse me of bias. After all, I’m a journalist, devoted to accurately portraying world events,” said Mr. Koppel. “So, next week I will read the list of Iraqis who were raped, tortured and killed by Saddam Hussein’s regime after President George H.W. Bush declared victory in the Gulf War on February 28, 1991.”

Mr. Koppel said next week’s Nightline will be a “special extended episode starting Friday and running non-stop until the day I retire from ABC.”

Satire at it’s finest. I heard Rush Limbaugh also wonder why none of the names of those killed in Afghanistan will be read. Didn’t they also pay a high price for their country, equal to those who died in Iraq? The only difference I can see is that the anti-war crowd were far more vocal about Iraq than they were about Afghanistan, and many who were against the war in Iraq were OK with the one in Afghanistan.

Which makes this Nightline show sound like grandstanding at least, and anti-war boosterism at worst.

UPDATE: In case you forgot…

(CNSNews.com) – During a week when Iraqi war coverage has dominated the cable news shows and led the networks’ evening news programs, newsman Ted Koppel said he thinks Americans need to be ‘reminded’ of what is going on in Iraq.

In a Friday morning interview, Koppel said that’s why he plans to read the names of more than 700 American troops killed in Iraq on Friday night’s “Nightline.”

Iraq? Something’s going on there? I thought the war we were fighting was in Vietnam! (Psst, Ted. Even though many people are fleeing from the biased mainstream media in droves, doesn’t mean we don’t know what’s going on.)

Ah, but he clears things up:

“I’m not suggesting that people in this country don’t know what’s happening, but I think that periodically it is not unreasonable to remind everyone of who these young people are and what they look like.”

How about the ones that are still alive, as well? How about all the good they’re doing? The National Center for Public Policy Research put out a press release on that topic

Believing that it is the best way to respond to ABC broadcaster Ted Koppel, The National Center for Public Policy Research today has posted on its website an extensive list of the achievements of just one of the many U.S. units operating in Iraq.

On his April 30 broadcast Koppel will recite the names of all the Americans killed in combat in Iraq.

The list recounts the achievements of the 16th Combat Engineer Battalion, part of the 1st Armored Division, which has been in Iraq since the war started and remains on active duty there at this time. It was provided by Spc. Joe Roche, who serves with the 285-soldier unit.

Just a little perspective.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!