[dd74]

I can never tell if Rumsfeld is being straightforward or just taking the reporters for a ride. If anything needs assailing with him, it's his lack of ability to speak in a trusted tone. He seems more like he's hiding something than being forthright.

WSJ is highly respected. But so is Peter Arnett. Evidentally, NY Times had an op/ed piece by Walter Cronkite this morning. His point was the most valid of all that I've heard: more or less, he said Arnett's action was a gross misjudgment that harms not just US policy and troops, but the American public because his absence will mean one less journalist in Baghdad who could provide insight from the Iraqi point of view.

Supposedly the only other journalist left there is a freelancer who being a freelancer probably does not have nearly the experience that Arnett has.

Geraldo is another story: he's just a sad hack who isn't worth listening to.

BTW: as soon as Arnett was fired by NBC and Nat'l Geographic, he was immediately hired by the Daily Mirror out of Britain.