European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 10, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday october 10, 1994 the stars and stripes Page 3 Arnett often put at the scene and on the spot by Vince Crawley staff writer Frankfurt Germany a repeating an age old plea not to shoot the messenger for bearing unwanted news americans most famous War reporter said that in the Era of instant news the Media a influence on political decisions Isnit necessarily a bad thing. A the pictures of an american dead Soldier being dragged through the streets of Mogadishu Somalia by angry crowds this resulted in the decision by the . Government a by president Clinton a almost overnight to pull troops out of Mogadishu a said Peter Arnett of the Cable news network. A a that a used As an example of where the Media is driving policy a said Arnett who turns 60 next month and who has spent More than half his life covering War. Quot but what i really think is where there is. No adequate government policy where there is a vacuum of policy we in the Media come in and Force it a Arnett said thursday during a .90-minute talk at the amerika Haus in Frankfurt. Arnett a High pitched new zealand air cent and weathered face a his Bent nose was broken twice in High school sports a became famous literally overnight when can was the Only network to broadcast live from Baghdad after Allied planes began bombing the iraqi capital at the Start of the 1991 persian Gulf War. He was at the Frankfurt Book fair Over the weekend promoting his memoirs live from the Battlefield a from Vietnam to Baghdad 35 years in the worlds War zones. V a a. Arnett fielded heavy criticism a including a death threat to his daughter a v for his live broadcasts from an enemy capital As Well As for his historic and controversial wartime interview with iraqi president Saddam Hussein. A there was a suggestion that what we were doing there was somehow beneficial or helpful to the iraqi authorities or those who opposed the War a Arnett said. A but it was a unique moment a he said. A even input from the enemy is valuable. Any attempt to resolve a crisis and Lessen the bloodshed May be in his Book Arnett explains that he did not request the interview. Instead iraqi Public relations officials ushered him to a quiet neighbourhood on the outskirts of Baghdad and did not reveal the person he would interview until Saddam entered the room. Afterwards Arnett a hate mail was voluminous. One letter was addressed to a Peter Arnett director of Public relations for Saddam Hussein can Atlanta a another letter to a Peter Benedict Arnett a said a we demand that you push the to dish off the hotel roof and pack your suitcase and get your butt out of Iraq. Get Back to new zealand where you yet another viewer wrote a you or. Arnett Are a traitorous slime bait. Certainly there a no coincidence that you work for an organization that is possibly controlled by the most despicable and treasonous woman on Arnett assumes the last part was a reference to actress Jane Fonda who is married to can owner Ted Turner. Fonda gained notoriety among conservative americans during the Vietnam War when her visit to Hanoi intended in part to help release american prisoners was interpreted As giving Aid and Comfort to the enemy. Arnett noted that his interview with Saddam was a turning Point in both journalism and Public attitudes. A after the Gulf War it became an accepted practice by the Media to interview enemy leaders he said. A no real objections have been raised following interviews with the haitian military Leader it. Gen. Raoul Eldras or with somalian faction Leader Mohamed Farrah aided. A getting Access to these individuals helps take the mystery out of conflict a Arnett said. Still he said can has been criticized for giving a tin pot dictators More credit than they deserve. Arnett disagrees saying that bringing More world leaders into International discussion lessens the kinds of tension that can Lead to War. Be noted that during his recent two months in Haiti american officials fed the Media a a daily ration of threats against the Island nations military coup leaders. A Haiti is a perfect example of How gov a Dit a a Ern ment. Attempts to use the Media Arnett said. A it was Clear to me that the . Government was engaged in a Media Campaign to Chase the generals out of Haiti and alter the political landscape there a. A v. A a is amps Van Cal crawly can War correspondent Peter Arnett in Frankfort Germany to promote his Book defended his often controversial reporting saying a even input from the enemy is sic ally by trying to frighten the generals to Pentagon and state department officials intricately outlined the details of the proposed invasion plan including the order of Battle the lineup of invading units and the exact targets a it became a War of facts a Arnett said. A we had so much information fed to us on a daily basis whose purpose was to Endeavor to frighten the military leadership out of Arnett a most recent assignment was in Vietnam where he had spent 13 years covering the War for the associated press an Effort that earned him a pulitzer prize for 1966. He returned last week with nine of the 11 marines who were aboard the last helicopter that left the roof of the american embassy in Saigon on april 30,1975. Calling the return trip a one of the great journeys of my journalistic career a Arnett said the marines had spent �?o24 hours trying to prevent the overrunning of the embassy by thousands of Arnett had watched them 19 years ago peering through binoculars from another rooftop. A most of these marines carried an enormous amount of baggage with them Quot Arnett said. One sergeant confided that Hie has not told anyone he was on the last helicopter out of Saigon now to Chi Minh cry. i a when the marines revisited the embassy roof they found the same sandbags and gun emplacements untouched for two dec ads. V. A a a a Quot it was All there As if they had just left the previous Day a Arnett said the group then went to a Viet Cong cemetery containing 7,800 Graves and one Marine found a Marker for a 19-year-old Viet Cong sol Dick who died the Day of the american evacuation. A tears were being shed and it was a very moving time a Arnett said. A i Tell that anecdote to prove that i cover not just wars. There is reconciliation in what we War correspondents do.�?�. A staunch supporter of can he believes the network has been at least partly responsible for recent stability in places such As the Middle East. And the Berlin Wall fell after East germans were disillusioned by television coverage of the anti democratic crackdown in China a Tiana men Square. A a if you visit Haiti or Sarajevo or Afghanistan with me you will Sec How Welcome we Are by the people who want to Tell their stories to the world a he said. With can available worldwide countries such As Iraq and Haiti a began seeing the International debate and became interested in participating in it a Arnett said. A the world is moving in the direction of Unity a he said. �?o1 think that the internationalization that can brings is a positive development to the future of the the network reaches 210 countries and territories a despite the attempt by some governments to Sto such As China and Battle against Satel Palile Anta Peter Arnett left interviews iraqi president Saddam Hussein right in january 1991. The interview was broadcast on can and sparked criticism and hate mail. Pulitzer prize winning reporter Peter Arnett walks the Jungles of Vietnam in 1965. P it Quot Arnett said. Places ran Are fighting a losing it dishes that bring the world into the living rooms of their citizens. A what this Means a Arnett said is a we be been Able to get to the world one of americans last great exports and that is Freedom of
