Washington Examiner – by Paul Bedard
Already under fire from Iraq War veterans for making up events, NBC is taking new flak today from former military brass over a correspondent’s claim that sniper hero Chris Kyle was a “racist” on “killing sprees” while protecting troops in Iraq.
Some 22 retired generals and admirals, including a former deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, joined with dozens of other officers and the press watchdog Media Research Center in a letter to demand an apology from NBC parent Comcast after the network refused to acknowledge the comments.
Kyle, the subject of the hit movie “American Sniper,” said a letter to Comcast provided to Secrets, “is a hero, not a talking point for a smug journalist.”
The comment came from Middle East reporter Ayman Mohyeldin January 29 on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program. Ayman, formerly with Al Jazeera, said of Kyle:
“Some of what people have described as his racist tendencies towards Iraqis and Muslims when he was going on some of these, you know, killing sprees in Iraq on assignment.”
His smackdown of Kyle, considered the nation’s most effective sniper ever, caught host Joe Scarborough by surprise. He immediately challenged Mohyeldin’s claim Kyle went on killing sprees, and ended the segment saying, “All right, when we come back, Ayman is going to kick around Santa Claus.”
In their letter, the brass and veterans demanded an on-air apology. “Mohyeldin’s statements were an inexcusable slap in the face to the widow of Chris Kyle and to all those in the armed forces who continue to serve our country in harm’s way. Such rants do not add anything to a thoughtful discussion of public policy regarding Iraq,” they wrote in the letter being delivered today.
It is the latest public relations problem for NBC News, already grappling with how to deal with anchor Brian Williams’ war exaggerations.
Frustrated with a lack of apology despite an outcry, Media Research Center President Brent Bozell and the brass turned to Comcast and stockholders of the company in pushing for an apology.
“We understand that as members of the board of Comcast, the parent company of NBC, you may not be privy to how NBC News responds to such situations. However, your stockholders, advertisers, NBC News viewers, and the public have a right to know: Is it the policy of NBC News to allow its own reporters to make inaccurate and insulting editorial comments on its airwaves, aimed at our soldiers who gave their lives for their country? Is it the policy of NBC News to ignore the scandal and hope it goes away?” asked the letter.
“NBC News’ continued refusal to acknowledge and apologize for Mohyeldin’s malicious remarks about Chris Kyle is as disappointing as it is shocking. Chris Kyle’s family, veterans everywhere, and the public at large deserve from NBC News a strong, unequivocal public statement condemning Mohyeldin’s vile hate speech,” added the letter.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted atpbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.
Kyle was a US government brain washed, trained, total nut case, racist, was trained to, not kill, but to murder people. People that were from the middle east. Thanks Bush for your lies.