August 4th, 2010
10:04 AM ET
13 years ago
Rolling Stone reporter denied embed after McChrystal piece
Washington (CNN) - The Rolling Stone magazine journalist whose article about Gen. Stanley McChrystal helped end the Afghanistan commander's career has been denied permission to embed with a military unit in Afghanistan, a Pentagon spokesman told CNN Wednesday.
"Embeds are a privilege, not a right. The unit decided they didn't feel the trust necessary for an embed. They declined," Pentagon spokesman Col. David Lapan said, not specifying which unit was involved.
Michael Hastings, the reporter, said via Twitter that his embed had earlier been approved, then was "disapproved."
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Good !
Journalists routinely cross the line to create stories from non-stories in the name of notariaty.
This is not very surprising. I imagine the people in the unit were worried that if they let loose on personal opinions after a beer or two they would land up as front page news.... maybe they don't trust "off the record" stuff to stay off the record...
Reporters should be kept out of war zones.
Most of them lack common sense and have no loyalty
to their country.
A controversial story means much more to them than
America does.
If you don't believe it just look how many of them jumped
on the ground zero mosque band wagon.
I can understand people in the government wanting to protect themselves from the scrutiny of the press, but this would have been a great opportunity to show they didn't need protection from the press.
What a lucky guy.
It's a dangerous place out there. All kinds of stuff could have happened to him.
I am sure that the military would feel really badly if some mortal fate were to befall Rolling Stone's journalistic Hastings ... not.
They should let the reporter embed with the unit. Then the unit should designate the reporter as point man.
I'd let Stones Reporter Michael Hastings embed, and then I'd have him take the point and clear the land mines for the troops.
If Hastings tried this junk in Vietnam, they'd still be looking for him in the jungles.
Good! The war zone is a tough enough without having to baby sit a reporter that those who will protect him cannot trust him! Embedding is NOT A RIGHT!
That's known as payback for irresponsible behavior.
He mistakingly thought he was a hero. It's wake up time for this dude. You don't rat out the military.
A wise saying from my mother...
"If you don't want to hear something a second time, don't say it the first time".
Maybe they did it for his own safety. if I was Hastings, I'd stay away from the military for a while.
The military has enough enemy over there to fight and worry about. Why would they openly want to wake up one morning and see a snake in the grass as well.
Good- That weasel needs to crawl back under his rock and stay there. Journalist isn't the word to describe him....weasel is.
He sure would not be welcome in my unit but its not up to me. Even when he does get embedded again casual conversation will not will not happen in his prescence. I would want him if he wants to be a decoy in a firefight.
Anyone that deliberately set out to damage morale in our military, deserves no chance to further his own agenda. Wait, maybe it would be a good thing to have him over there embedded with all the troops that would love to get him alone!!!
Better to leave him at home than to bury him as a result of a friendly fire accident.
Good! who did that reporter think he was – what with reporting all that truth and stuff?! He should have KNOWN that his job is to toe the line and prevent the truth from EVER seeing the light of day!
Good! I'm glad the little punk was denied. He obviously hasn't earned the privilege.
Let Hastings "embed" with the Taliban and see how long he will last.
You Can Also Call It The Big Payback!
And he's suprised they won't embed him???
They should embed him on a bunker buster and see what he tweets on his way into a Northern Pakistan mountain cave.
Watch out...here comes the ACLU.
This reporter lost all credibilty and respect, and he gets what he deserves.
After tanking one officer's career by saying something like "Don't worry, this will be off the record" he expected to be allowed to do it again? This is why they need to teach ethics to journalism majors! Also, to anyone else out there thinking of granting an interview – always assume the microphone is ON! If you say something that causes you or your bosses embarrassment expect to pay the consequences!