BBCWorld updated John Simpson's documentary "The Cameraman's War"

[lebkuchen]

It was on BBC World yesterday, with more film footage and information since the Sept. documentary (url below). A US F-14 from one of our air craft carriers (USS Truman?) received orders from a "stressed out" US Special Forces commander, who didn't have time to provide coordinates to the pilot, to hit a target that turned out to be a "friendly" hit against the SF itself and BBC, which was traveling with them.

The updated documentary stated that the DoD had been unhelpful in providing information as to what had gone wrong, and wouldn't let them interview the pilot, though BBC was on the scene when the air craft carrier returned home. One of the BBC cameramen barely escaped injury when his mother called him on his cell phone shortly before the bomb was dropped, keeping him away from the larger group of people and the force of the blast. His mother had called to wish him happy birthday (he'd completelz forgotten that it was his birthday). There was a lot of noise in the background because the F-14 was flying at 500 feet (amazing that the pilot hadn't noticed the TV/BBC insignia taped all over the convoy's vehicles, but be that as it may). The cameraman held the phone into the air, telling his mother, "This is the sound of freedom." That's when the bomb dropped. His mother continued to stay on the line, asking repeatedly if everything was okay. It is a riveting documentary. I recommend it to all who haven't seen it.

John Simpson was on CNNI last night, commenting on how much more dangerous it was for reporters to be imbedded with American forces than Iraqi forces, that ten reporters traveling with American forces had been killed in Iraq, and that the DoD needed to take a close look at what measures it could take to prevent future "friendlies," which the US is so prone to.

A Pentagon spokesman responsible for DoD media affairs said that the US always does a "very thorough" investigative job when these things happen. He wasn't very convincing.

Here's the URL to the first documentary, since updated with more film footage. If it ever goes on sale, it's worth it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/cameramans-war.shtml

[whatelseisnew]

1. Thanks

I will check this out