From TAPPED:
Though there does not appear to have been any provocation, its reporters were attacked first with small arms fire and then with a tank shell as they tried to film two M1-Abrams tanks. As for the Palestine Hotel, while the military says it was receiving small arms fire — bullets and a rocket propelled grenade — reporters in the building say that the tank was aiming at the building before the attack from the grenade. Other witnesses claim there was nothing coming from the building. And on CNN this morning, Centcom spokesman General Vincent Brooks claimed troops were receiving fire from the hotel lobby, but the tank deliberately aimed at the 15th floor (killing a Reuters reporter and a Spanish TV reporter). When pressed, Brooks said “maybe I misspoke”.
The Pentagon had the locations of all three targets. Nonetheless, western journalists were attacked in the Palestine hotel at the same time as American forces were destroying the only two media outlets actually in Though there does not appear to have been any provocation, its reporters were attacked first with small arms fire and then with a tank shell as they tried to film two M1-Abrams tanks. As for the Palestine Hotel, while the military says it was receiving small arms fire — bullets and a rocket propelled grenade — reporters in the building say that the tank was aiming at the building before the attack from the grenade. Other witnesses claim there was nothing coming from the building. And on CNN this morning, Centcom spokesman General Vincent Brooks claimed troops were receiving fire from the hotel lobby, but the tank deliberately aimed at the 15th floor (killing a Reuters reporter and a Spanish TV reporter). When pressed, Brooks said “maybe I misspoke”. The Pentagon had the locations of all three targets. Nonetheless, western journalists were attacked in the Palestine hotel at the same time as American forces were destroying the only two media outlets actually in Baghdad proper. Pentagon spokesman Lt. Colonel Dave Lapan had only this to say : “We have warned news organizations that being in Baghdad would be very unsafe once military action began.” Sage advice or veiled threat? No doubt more details will be forthcoming. proper. Pentagon spokesman Lt. Colonel Dave Lapan had only this to say : “We have warned news organizations that being in Baghdad would be very unsafe once military action began.” Sage advice or veiled threat? No doubt more details will be forthcoming.
