Embedded Only While In Bed with the U.S. Government

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Apparently the U.S. government is only in favor of embedded reporters when it serves its own purposes. According to the Associated Press, Congressman Duncan Hunter, Chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services, has asked the Pentagon to remove CNN reporters embedded with U.S. combat troops because of the network's broadcast of a video showing insurgent snipers targeting U.S. soldiers. Hunter penned a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld stating that "CNN has now served as the publicist for an enemy propaganda film featuring the killing of an American soldier." CNN producer David Doss wrote in a Web log Thursday the network televised the footage in an effort to present the "unvarnished truth" about the Iraq war. "Our responsibility is to report the news," said CNN spokesperson Laurie Goldberg. "As an organization we stand by our decision and respect the rights of others to disagree with it."