Peter Arnett Gets Canned

I'm doubting that NBC fired Peter Arnett on principle. They spent all of yesterday defending his actions and saying that he had done nothing wrong--then they said they were severing connections with him and that he had shown poor judgement in giving the interview.

I'm not as apt as others to say that it was treason, although I would say that it came pretty close to the line. It was insurmountably stupid, though.

The offensive part, when looking at the NBC decision is why it even took that day to figure out what to do. It shouldn't have been a decision based on popular opinion or some polling results. NBC should've stepped up to the plate and severed ties the instant Arnett began to divulge his "observations" to an Iraqi TV station. Did broadcasters, even as some strange professional courtesy, give interviews and opinions like this during any other war that America has fought? God, I hope not.

Nearly as offensive as his poor judgement, though, is just how wrong-headed he was in what was being said.

Well, what's done is done...

Read the story.

Update: In related news, Drudge is reporting that Geraldo Rivera is being expelled by the US military for giving away future military plans during a live interview. This is a pretty good reason, but couldn't they have just sent him away for being a jerk?

Another Update: Despite Geraldo's own claims, it does appear that he's been asked to leave the unit that he was not quite embedded in, although military sources would not confirm the reason for his dismissal. I still say they played the asshole card.
Read about it.

Yet Another Update: National Geographic makes a very blunt statement on their firing of Peter Arnett. Very well stated and with none of the equivocation that revolved around the NBC dismissal. Read it.