Reporter Killed By U.S. Fire Broadcast On TV
Death Of Reporter Killed By U.S. Fire Broadcast On TV (NBC San Diego)
An Arab television journalist was killed and two other journalists were wounded Sunday when a U.S. helicopter opened fire to destroy a U.S. vehicle disabled by a car bomb, witnesses and their employers said. Mazen al-Tumeizi, who was working for Al-Arabiya television, was taping a report when an explosion behind him caused him to double-over and scream “I’m dying, I’m dying.” He died moments later, Al-Arabiya said after airing the video. An Iraqi working as a camera operator for Reuters Television was wounded and reported in stable condition, the agency said here. His name was withheld for security reasons.
Getty Images said one of its freelance photographers, Ghaith Abdul Ahad, an Iraqi citizen, was also slightly wounded in the head while covering the clashes and the helicopter attack in Haifa street.
The helicopter incident occurred shortly after 6:30 a.m. when a U.S. Army Bradley fighting vehicle was en route to help a patrol in distress during clashes on Haifa Street in the center of Baghdad, military spokesman Lt. Col. Steven A. Boylan said.
Such are the hazards of reporting from a war zone. Still, a tragedy and one that is unlikely to be helpful to winning Arab hearts and minds.
Matt Drudge has photos and a link to a BBC video of the incident.
Niven’s First Law: “Never throw s–t at an armed man.
Corollary: “Never stand next to someone throwing s–t at an armed man.”
The reporter disregarded these. He was next to a Bradley that was being stripped of military munitions by insurgents, and upon which enemies of our country were doing a Fallujah Victory Dance.
Cry me a friggin’ river.
Oh, sh*t. AJ already has one “martyr” to the Americans. This is the last thing we need.