My Deepest Apologies To Ms. Carroll

Now I am as furious with the media as I've ever been. Jill Carrol made all the statements in the previous post under duress that was not reported by our baffling and seditiously incompetent media.

Yahoo news and every other news organization who failed to initially report that Jill Carroll was giving the interview to the Iraqi Islamic Party ought to have their credentials revoked.

They never reported to whom she was giving the interview except to say "Baghdad television" and that she had been set free. It left one with the distinct impression that she was in perfect safety and in sympathy with her kidnappers. That is a disgusting, abhorrent, inexcusable injustice to this poor girl.

Here are her true statements in their entirety as reported by the Christian Science Monitor, but not any other mainstream media news source:

"RAMSTEIN AIRBASE, GERMANY - I'm so happy to be free and am looking forward to spending a lot of time with my family. I want to express my deep appreciation to all the people who worked so long and hard for my release. I am humbled by the sympathy and support expressed by so many people during my kidnapping.

In the past few days, the US military and officials have been extremely generous, and I am grateful for their help. Throughout this ordeal, many US agencies have committed themselves to bringing me safely home.

My colleagues at The Christian Science Monitor have worked ceaselessly to secure my release, and worked with security consultants to do so. Many other news organizations, both inside and outside of Iraq, as well as many officials from Iraq and other countries, worked hard to bring about my freedom. So many people around the world spoke out on my behalf.

Thank you, all of you.

During my last night in captivity, my captors forced me to participate in a propaganda video. They told me they would let me go if I cooperated. I was living in a threatening environment, under their control, and wanted to go home alive. I agreed.

Things that I was forced to say while captive are now being taken by some as an accurate reflection of my personal views. They are not. The people who kidnapped me and murdered Allan Enwiya are criminals, at best. They robbed Allan of his life and devastated his family. They put me, my family and my friends--and all those around the world, who have prayed so fervently for my release--through a horrific experience. I was, and remain, deeply angry with the people who did this.

I also gave a TV interview to the Iraqi Islamic Party shortly after my release. The party had promised me the interview would never be aired on television, and broke their word. At any rate, fearing retribution from my captors, I did not speak freely. Out of fear I said I wasn't threatened. In fact, I was threatened many times.

Also, at least two false statements about me have been widely aired: That I refused to travel and cooperate with the US military and that I refused to discuss my captivity with US officials. Again, neither is true.

I want to be judged as a journalist, not as a hostage. I remain as committed as ever to fairness and accuracy--to discovering the truth--and so I will not engage in polemics. But let me be clear: I abhor all who kidnap and murder civilians, and my captors are clearly guilty of both crimes.

Now, I ask for the time to heal. This has been a taxing 12 weeks for me and my family. Please allow us some quiet time alone, together."

This failure on the part of the media is inexcusable, yet Yahoo news comes up with this gem:

"The remarks have drawn criticism from conservative bloggers and commentators, but the Monitor said "Carroll did what many hostage experts and past captives would have urged her to do: Give the men who held the power of life and death over her what they wanted."

What they fail to mention is that conservative bloggers and commentators have been critical of her statements when they believed the outright lies perpetuated by the media that Jill Carroll was free when making those statements. No one, conservative or otherwise, would hold those statements against Ms. Carroll if they knew the true circumstances. Those who are paid for their responsibility to report the truth failed both her and us on an almost unimaginable level.

I know if I were held captive and threatened with death by the Islamo-beasts, I would think of my two little girls and say whatever the fuck they wanted me to say. And I can't even type that without crying.

So now that we know the true facts, I want to state that Ms. Carroll is a brave woman who has been through a nightmare I don't even want to imagine. I accept her statement made in Germany and believe it wholeheartedly. And mostly, I am extremely sorry that I believed our own medias' reporting. I should know better by now.