An Ill Wind
Over 1,000,000 men and women serve America in uniform. The people they protect owe them a lot, the least of which is honesty.
They didn’t get it from the anti-military crowd at CNN/Time. Top management approved the Tailwind project and, when it was proven to be a pack of lies, fired the underlings and congratulated themselves for their “courage.” Peter Arnett and the three producers wanted so desperately to bludgeon the American military that they lied, cheated and ignored material that didn’t serve their point of view.
Over 1,000,000 men and women serve America in uniform. The people they protect owe them a lot, the least of which is honesty.
They didn’t get it from the anti-military crowd at CNN/Time. Top management approved the Tailwind project and, when it was proven to be a pack of lies, fired the underlings and congratulated themselves for their “courage.” Peter Arnett and the three producers wanted so desperately to bludgeon the American military that they lied, cheated and ignored material that didn’t serve their point of view. Much of the print media carried the story about an alleged American use of chemical weapons with nary a raised eyebrow.
But there are good guys in this story, too. First, of course, is Maj. Gen. Perry Smith, USAF (ret.), CNN’s former military analyst. Concerned that by remaining at CNN he would give the impression that a professional had vetted the story, he resigned even before the alarm bells went off. Gen. Smith and his resignation are precisely what drive the anti-military establishment at CNN nuts – the no nonsense, no excuses embodiment of personal responsibility for making certain a job is done, and done correctly. Second is the Special Forces Association, which refused to accept the slander and did its own investigation – turning up incriminating information in two weeks that the CNN producers had successfully hidden for months. And we are heartened by the 1500-plus (to date) people who have logged onto CNN’s interactive website to comment on the retraction – mainly to denounce CNN’s inability 1) to get the story right the first time, and 2) to punish the culprits.
It has become common in journalistic circles to announce and then operate on the assumption that there is no such thing as objectivity. Everyone simply has a different version of “the facts,” everyone’s perspective is equally valid, and journalists can put forward the version they like best.
That isn’t good enough. “Wishing makes it so” journalists are either too lazy to find the truth, or too biased to want to. There is a category of information called facts – and crucial facts in the Tailwind story were ignored.
Punishment here is essential – a retraction (followed by a justification from the CNN lawyer hired to “investigate” the matter) and tepid apologies are simply not enough. In a large corporation, top management pays for the failure of its operatives. In the military, commanders do – ask General Schwalier, whose career ended over security failures at the Khobar Towersin Saudi Arabia. Harry Truman had the sign on his desk.
CNN/Time’s management is responsible for shoddy craftsmanship and the slander of American forces. Off with their heads, if for no other reason than to impress upon others that providing news to the American people is a serious responsibility.