November 29, 2007

When Journalistic Ethics are TREASON

An image taken by Bilal Hussein of "insurgents". The above "insurgents" are probably members of al Qaeda in Iraq or a related Salafist jihad group.

I did an online interview with Daryl Lang of PDN about the Bilal Hussein affair. You can read the entire story here.

But notice this from John Moore, a former editor for the AP and Bilal Hussein's former boss. First, Bilal Hussein admits knowing terrorists in Ramadi and Fallujah. The so-called "insurgents" shown in Hussein's Pulitzer photo would be Salafist jihadis supporting the Fallujah Shura Council. For all practical purposes they would have been either members of Tawid wal Jihad (later changing their name to al Qaeda) or a related group with the same goals as al Qaeda. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was in Fallujah at the time of this photograph.

Second, Moore admits that Hussein was very much like an "embed". But not an embed with U.S. forces, but a terrorist embed.

Last, Moore says it would be ethical for an "embed", like Hussein, to have prior knowledge of an attack and to accompany the terrorists on that attack to document it.

Here it is:

"Hussein admitted knowing who the leading insurgent figures were in Fallujah and Ramadi, but denied having a personal relationship with any of them," the AP's report says.

A key concern of the military investigators seemed to be that Hussein cooperated with insurgents in his coverage.

Moore, Bilal's former editor, chooses his words carefully in explaining the ethics of covering one side of a conflict.

"I go on embeds," he says. "The 'money shot' with any embed is to be with them on an operation... That is why you go on an embed."

Moore says it's not unethical for an Iraqi photojournalist to document the actions of militia groups. "If he had contacts with the other side and they told him they were going to do something, it is in no way unethical for him to photograph that event.... If they had done anything special because of his presence, that would be unethical."

Is it ethical for a journalist working for a U.S. company (the Associated Press) to know who the leading insurgents in at least two locations are .....and withhold that information from U.S. forces?

Is it ethical for an American company to encourage an employee to become "embedded" in the ranks of the enemies of the United States during an actual time of war? Related, is it ethical for that journalist to become embedded within forces that are intentionally breaking the Geneva Conventions by not wearing identifiable markings or uniforms? Intentionally targeting civilians? And murdering hostages?

Last, and most important, is it ethical for a journalist to have prior knowledge of an attack against U.S. forces and withhold that information?

Because it seems to me that a lot of what Moore calls "ethical", I call criminal.

And if the AP knew what Hussein was up to, I call that treason.