AMANPOUR: "The Iraq war has been a disaster-Just gets worse & worse"

[kpete]

They've got her number now!
Remember the whole controversy last month over whether the American government -- one way or the other -- was eavesdropping on CNN star foreign reporter Christiane Amanpour?

The National Security Administration denied it. But if they weren't listening then, they'll probably start now! Matt Drudge has this breathless report on the top of his notorious Web page:

CNN's top war correspondent Christiane Amanpour now says the Iraq war has been a disaster and has created a "black hole."

Amanpour made the comments Monday evening on the all-news network.

"The Iraq war has been a disaster. It's a spiraling security disaster," Amanpour explains to Larry King. "It just gets worse and worse."

Frankly, we're only intrigued because of the irony over the spying suggestion, which emerged in an odd interview question from NBC's Andrea Mitchell to author and New York Times reporter James Risen. Otherwise, what is Drudge so jacked up about?

After watching the horrifically chilling video of kidnapped reporter Jill Carroll, following ABC's Bob Woodruff and Doug Vogt and their fight for life, and thinking about the 2,242 American casualties and countless Iraqi civilian deaths, wouldn't it have been major news if Amanpour had said that it wasn't a black hole?

http://www.pnionline.com/dnblog/attytood/archives/002729.html

[1620rock]

1. Umm, yeah I watched her tonight. She rocked! What's going on?

[Jane Austin]

3. What show was she on?

I'm hoping to see a re-broadcast.

Thanks.

[Jane Austin]

4. Nevermind.

The next post said it was Larry King.

[MO_Dem]

2. She really got to make some great points!

In fact, everybody on the show, except perhaps Bob Scheifer, did good tonight on Larry King. I don't usually watch, but when I saw who the guest were, I decided it was "must see tv" and I'm sure glad I watched.

[Ilsa]

5. I'm surprised Bushco hasn't "kidnapped" her by now. eom

[patrioticliberal]

10. yeah..Andrea Mitchell already said they're spying on her

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. And all Larry wanted to know was how she likes Welch's

grape drink. That news about Iraq went right over his wrinkled little head.

[sampsonblk]

7. I hope she doesn't have to apologize this time

She kicks butt, but I hope other knowledgeable people will join with her on this point. Where is the chorus of truth?

[saltpoint]

8. I heard Armanpour on King's program and thought she was

magnificent. A full-tilt talented reporter telling the truth.

Jesus, it was splendid to watch.

Go, Christiane.

[Crunchy Frog]

9. Is there going to be a link to the video posted online?

I really would like to see that.

[kpete]

11. transcript now available

KING: Christiane, have you been in that kind of vehicle that these two men were in?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I have been with the Iraqi Army. I'm trying to visualize the kind of vehicle that they were in on Sunday. I've been with the Iraqi Army in a completely unarmored vehicle that looks more like a basic truck.

And, it's really tough when you go out and do that and for sure every time I go out with either the U.S. or the Iraqi Army I am very conscious that this is a potentially life-threatening exercise and, you know, you basically pray from the minute you go out to the minute you come back and you thank God when you've come back.

And, I cannot tell you how awful I feel for Bob and Doug and for their families, their wives, their children who have to put up with them going away and waiting for them just like our families do when we come back.

But, as Peter Arnett said, and I think that the others have said, that number one it's our responsibility. Number two, if we don't do it, who does it? We have had so -- we have to have an independent eye on these conflicts. The war in Iraq has basically turned out to be a disaster and journalists have paid for it, paid for the privilege of witnessing and reporting that and so have many, many other people who have been there.

And I think that's terribly, terribly difficult for us and unfortunately for some reason, which I can't fathom, the kind of awful thing that's going on there now on a daily basis has almost become humdrum. So, when something happens to people that we identify, like Bob and like Doug, we wake up again and realize that, no, this is not acceptable what's going on there and it's a terrible situation.


http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0601/30/lkl.01.html