Eason Jordan Said The Right Thing

Glenn Reynolds seems to have diarrhea of the mouth with this whole Eason Jordan-gate thing.

But if Reynolds's accusations are correct, it might mean that Jordan was being a responsible journalist

First, I don't think this really is a story.

It might be a story if Jordan's words had been stated publicly or on TV or in an interview or *somewhere*, but since his alleged statements were made at a private panel and explicitly off the record, it looks like Glenn is really digging here to make it a scandal.

A lot of journalists HAVE been killed by USA troops (I assume unintentionally, covering a war is dangerous), but when the military investigates these occurrences, they refuses to release their findings. Why?

What if twelve journalists really were deliberately killed by the military? What sources could their accusers use to back their claims if the most useful documents are kept secret? Why does the military keep these documents secret? How else could one dig-up information to get at the truth?

If the military is killing journalists, someone of Jordan's caliber can't publicly talk about it, and can only have off-the-record conversations (with friends, fellow journalists, or whatever) until he has access to the first-hand sources to back his point.

Since Jordan was off the record, he wasn’t reporting on murders committed by USA troops, but privately engaging in a dialog on the subject, and referencing whatever rumors or off-the-record statements he had heard.

But his comments were still made in private and off the record, I see nothing for Reynolds to be up in arms about.

If this really is a story, I find it hard to believe that CNN doesn't have people on the inside who would help them out here in getting leaked copies of such reports (assuming his words aren't being taken out of context).

Someone really should file a Freedom Of Information Act request for copies of the militaries investigations into Journalists' deaths in Iraq. These documents can’t possible be kept secret for reasons of national security.