Responding to an idiot

In response to the idiot Eason Jordan’s article “All Sullied” I wrote the emails below. Jordan claims that the AP was also “sullied” in the idiot Malkin’s claims that Jamil Hussein did not exist. To see a deconstruction of what happened and how this happens, see A Tiny Revolution.

Jordan: Why did it take all parties so long to provide proof of Captain Hussein's existence?

Dancewater: UMM, HERE'S A GUESS: THERE'S A WAR GOING ON???

Jordan: Is Captain Hussein a reliable news source?

Dancewater: MORE SO THAN YOU.

Jordan: While we now know he's genuine, he was not an authorized spokesman. His critics, including his Iraqi government bosses and the U.S. military, have challenged the veracity of many of AP reports attributed to him.

Dancewater: OH, DO A LITTLE MORE RESEARCH. YOU KNOW - PRETEND LIKE YOU ARE A JOURNALIST.

Jordan: Many violent incidents reported by Captain Hussein via the AP were not reported by other western news organizations, raising suspicions about whether all those incidents occurred. The controversy likely will linger in this area, with third party reporting being done to determine the accuracy of Captain Hussein's statements to the AP.

Dancewater: GOLLY, YOU MEAN TO SAY THAT EVERYBODY IN IRAQ DOES NOT KNOW EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON? WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?

Jordan: Will all involved learn from their mistakes?

Dancewater: NOT YOU OBVIOUSLY.

Jordan: Another mistake: the AP took too long to provide irrefutable evidence of Captain Hussein's existence.

Dancewater: OF COURSE, THAT HAD *NOTHING* TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT HUSSEIN MIGHT END UP BEING THE TARGET OF AN ASSASSINATION SQUAD. NO WAY THAT WOULD HAPPEN, RIGHT? NO DANGER IN DISCLOSING WHO HE IS AND WHERE HE LIVES. NO SIR, NO DANGER ELEMENT IN BAGHDAD. Dear god, what an idiot you are.

And it turns out that Jamil Hussein’s life is now in danger, and he is in danger of being imprisoned for talking to journalists.

Carroll pointed out that critics should be more concerned with the fact that Hussein could face imprisonment for being a source to journalists than how AP handled the situation. "A man who is a legitimate police official who has talked to journalists is threatened with arrest for doing so," she said. "Doesn't that bother anybody other than me? Officials being threatened with arrest for talking to reporters ought to be of concern."

By the way, it was reported today that an AP cameraman Ahmed Hadi Naji was found murdered today. He was shot in the back of his head. Deepest sympathies to his family, friends and co-workers.