Martin,

Your first hand accounting is heart-rending.  And I appreciate your posting.  I know that when satellite television first began to make an impact on broadcast journalism, there was a sense that perhaps the technology would do an amazing amount of good for the world.  It would show people the distributed consequences of their actions.  How could you vote for a war, when images of the carnage came back to you in your living room?  How could people refuse to offer assistance to unstable or under-served countries if they could finally see the horrors of violence or starvation unfolding there?

Of course, this notion wasn't unique to that era.  Some version of this same possibility has been attached at various points in time to film, to radio, then television, and live television.  Live satellite television was just one link in this chain of promises. The Internet was next.  Now we look at people blogging, emailing, and Twittering from across the globe, and suggest that somehow it's going to draw people together into a global community.

We've become cynical about this idea, at least as it pertains to forms of communication that have gotten older and seemingly mundane.  As the war correspondent in Terry George's Hotel Rwanda puts it, "I think if people see this footage, they'll say Oh, my God, that's horrible. And then they'll go on eating their dinners."

But on the other hand, I sometimes wonder whether the increasing immediacy of our media don't have some impact.  People do seem to have less of an appetite for war, for instance, when the full toll is reported. When the violence is sanitized however, as with Kosovo or the first Iraq war, they remain popular, or at least not politically damaging.

As CBS News' Lara Logan put it recently, "Tell me the last time you saw the body of a dead American soldier. What does that look like? Who in American knows what that looks like? Because I know what that looks like, and I feel responsible for the fact that no one else does."

I not necessarily a pacifist, and I'm pretty moderate from a political standpoint.  As a freelance journalist, what views I have I often keep to myself.  But I wanted to say a lame thank-you to you and to the other foreign correspondents who take it upon themselves to visit the places that so many of us wouldn't go, or don't even know about, and to bring back an accounting. I don't know that it makes the world a better place, but I do know that if the world is ever going to be that better place, it won't happen without people like you.

Mr Fletcher---Your last statement on tonight's broadcast did not make sense...Afterall, A soldier shooting at the Kuran is NOT equal to these terorists who were plotting to kill American soldiers!(and these guys are not victoms, they're volunteers!)

Did I hear you correctly say that the suicide bomber was "just like" the American soldier who used the quran for target practice because they were both "mistaken about the result" of their actions?! It seems obvious to me that the result of the soldier's shooting up the book is a desecrated religious object; The result of the suicide bomber would have been a lot of dead construction workers.
To equate these atrocities is an offensive mistake of judgment.

It is amazing that Martin Fletcher takes the word of a confessed terrorist who was willing to kill Americans because of the damage done to the Koran. In the news story tonight Mr. Fletcher reports that an American shot the Koran and this was the reason for the rage the terrorist felt. He goes on to sympathize with the terrorist because of what the American solider had done. We then meet the second terrorist who was only to film the crime, and agian Mr. Fletcher wants us to empathize with him, because he wants to go back to his mother and father.

Based on the this slanted story I believe Mr. Fletcher and NBC do not support the policy in Afganistan nor in my opinion does Mr. Fletcher support our troops there.

Mr. Flether, I task you to find the video of the American sniper shooting the Koran if you can. Use your investigative skills to show us the sniper and his identity Mr. Fletcher. If you find it, it still does not excuse the crime that was attempted. What about the Americans they would have killed? Wouldn't they want to go back to their mothers and fathers?

Do you remember the Taliban and what they did? Why did Al-Qaeda crash into the twin towers and the Pentegon? Why did they attempt to blow up the towers prior to that? Was it an American solider shooting their Koran? Was it a cartoon of Mohammed?  

I am ashamed to say I sat in front of my television and watched Martin Fletcher's "Afghan Suicide Bombers".Was it your intent to make me feel shame for the American sniper putting bullets in their holy book and sympathy for these terrorists, showing their handcuffs and tears as if they are poor innocent victims and the Americans are the bad guys and deserved what they were about to get?
What was the purpose of this? Could'nt you have
used your air time for a story on our service men and women serving in Aghan and Iraq or is that boring news to you now. I am done with NBC Nightly News babble.

Martin, you may have fallen for this act, but I am with the Afghan interrogator on this one. Crocodile tears.

Give me a break!  This is why America was attacked
on 9-11.  Sympathetic fools believe that these people are not out to harm us!  That story/segment was offensive. Next time I will be turning to another channel for real news.

Along with the other posters, I was very upset with the comparison between the soldier shooting the Koran and this man bombing American construction workers.  They weren't even targeting American military (not that I would prefer that, but..).  As for the man's defense that he had no idea what the plan was, I would like to know who he thought they were going to bomb while he filmed the whole thing????  

I have sympathy with the things that these men are taught, but that doesn't mean that I think what they do should be accepted.  If I am offended by the music from my neighbors car stereo, does the reporter think that gives me the okay to blow up his family???  The Islamic extremists say that they are upset over our misunderstanding of and negative views of their religion, however they do not attempt to show us that we are wrong, rather they attempt to kill us for our beliefs.

I just wonder what type of service Americans are doing in such poor countries and for such a service as shooting on Koran they should be sure to get good results from these children of lesser God.Bravo

But I was drunk officer, I didn't mean to kill that little girl. That's what your story equates to. War is hell, and if you're stupid enough to step into the enemies sandbox, then expect to get sand in your shorts. He wanted to help our enemy, regardless if it was with a camera or a bomb. Well, he did and now he can kiss his fanny good bye. That's war. And you should be ashamed of yourself for putting the spin on it that you did. Don't report on war issues if you can't handle the insanity of war. Tears are only a small part of death and destruction.
Frankly I don't like wars. But, I am an American, and if that means doing things I don't like than so be it. I'd rather win than be defeated.  He is responsible for his own lost. Again, war is hell.

   

We need to get out of this part of the world and leave these people to their own destiny. Those young men would not be facing the situation they find themselves in if we did not provide the cause for their demise. If the situation was turned around, and foreigners were occupying American soil, I bet there would be many loyal young Americans who would gladly give their lives in the same way to defend it. We have already lost too many American lives over there. Time to bring our brave and honorable troops home. God bless those (and their families) who have already paid the ultimate sacrifice . Americans just want an END to this insanity.

Your effort to make us sympathetic to these "confused young men" is not working.
People like you allow tyranny to envelope the world.

sarah
what does 9-11 have to do with the usa attacking iraq?

Mr. Fletcher has invoked so much sympathy in me  for poor Hamza with "his bowed head, his eyes glistening".  He almost makes you feel remorse that poor little Hamza was unsuccessful in his mission of blowing  innocent people into pieces and devastating their families. PLEASE! Mr. Fletcher next time flagelate yourself in private.

Mr Fletcher I have a very valuable personal possession my Bible. It is my anchor in life on earth.It has many  notes and highlighted passages. Its reason for being is to teach me to love the unlovable. Nowhere does it tell me to harm those who would harm the Book itself.If it were lost or destroyed I would be saddened but I would not have my life taken away. There would still be opportunity to be of value to self and others. I am sick of media monsters who try to sell us the nonsense of terrorists. Get over it!!!! Protect our uniformed protectors and do all you can to allow them to return to THEIR  families. Welcome them home and show appreciation for their sacrifice .

"I just want to go home to my old mother and father".  Yeah, right.  How about his intended victims?  Are we to feel sorry that this fool was caught before he succeeded in sending to their deaths the Americans who were sent there, by a lying President, to instill democracy in a part of the world where a benevolent dictatorship would have trouble running the country?   How about the dancing in the streets, the joy and pride of parents and friends, when a suicide bomber succeeds?  Should we rejoice for his "success"?  A lifetime in a stinking jail is too good for this person.  Innocent victims have old mothers and fathers, too.

What a good read. I must say that to sit down with an apparent suicide bomber and then proceed to write only 3 paragraphs about it is very ingenious. Anyway that I can get your job?

Lets these fools meet allah! I guarantee if he had filmed a successful attack he would be as proud as a new parent. Also, I've noticed that Arabs alaways play weak and uniformed when caught. We as Americans should not buy into this and feel sorry for any of them when caught in the act. Its my opinion they see our conscience as a weakness and will exploit it whenever possible.

in regard to the comparison of the US soldier shooting the Koran and a suicide bomber i am not sold at all. The suicide bomber is more like a prostitute than a soldier in my eyes the way some are exploited. The soldier who shot the Koran most likely used this as a cathartic release toward the enemy. Its hard to shoot at an enemy that leaves roadside bombs. I smell frustration not a hatred for religion here.

What a croc of baloney, as if the shooting of a book can possibly justify the taking of someones life. The apparent sympathy of the reporter offends me. These people would impose their Islam based law upon all of us to our enslavement and the cancelation of our Constitution. The sooner we make it plain to them that we will not stand for their murders the better off we will be. I would really appreciate it if our reporters would get them to understand our resolve and stop trying to influence us to be sympathetic to their extremely offensive behaviour. NBC continues to play too liberal a role to suit my desires.

The whole premise is untrue. I am retired Army and a SOTEC level 3 sniper (was anyway), also an 18E retired member of American Special forces (Green Beret). I can assure you that I have never seen or ever heard of anyone doing such a thing. Most snipers I know are to busy trying to stay alive when missioned out and to tired to think up somthing so stupid. On a different note, I personally dont see a connection between killing someone and defacing a book, stupid yes, but worth the extent of suicide.. isnt this just another example of what we face all over the globe with the radical muslim religion? I saw this war coming years ago, so did allot of military personnel...

I'm not going to feel sorry about this guy in hand cuffs crying on anybodies shoulder. He had the intent to kill Americans both military and civillians. How dare you try to make this guy into some poor misguided soul who was tricked into this. I'm fed up with the news slant that America is wrong and the bad guy in the world. America feeds alot of the world, America assists alot of countries economically. What does America get for its trouble. 3000 dead civillians in one day. The offense that was so grave that America had to be attacked... America is not a Muslim nation.
Instead of working for an American news agency, I'm sure with your views you could get hired by any one of the mid east American hating ones. Shame on you and your editor.
Lest we forget, we were attacked first. Honor our military members, they deserve it.

I am saddened by the comments I have read. The level of ignorance is scary. First of all they deffinently want to harm us "Why" because were there killing their women and children and call it colladeral damage. You can't tell me if some invading force was here in our country bombing and shooting anyone suspected of being a terrorist and killing our women and chilren you wouldn't want to strike back. Then you have lost your perspective. If you want the terrorism to stop bring our sons and daughters home and change our forign polycy of backing dictators, fascists and tyrants as long as they play ball with us. Congressman Ron Paul said the same thing. It's just commen sense but unfortunitly this administration isn't interested in commen sense. As an american I insist that you take a long hard look at our own culpability.

As for the story it is nice to here from these manipulated and misguided children and young men of the Middle East who come to realization that they were manipulated and lied to. These are the stories that need to be told by the radio / television media of the Middle East.  

Yeah, boo-hoo for the terrorists!  They are out to kill PEOPLE, not books.  Oh, how about covering the heart wrenching story of Palestinians burning Christian Bibles in Jerusalem?  Check into it...it is newsworthy!

The Koran is just a book. How about Al Qaeda who blew up a sacred mosque in Samara. Im sure it had Korans in it at the time they blew it up so why is that Rak Multan from Pakistan complaining. Would the presence of the Koran stop a suicide bomber from killing people. NO he will blow himself the people and the HOLY koran away. So please if you have stuff to say, speak intellectually not some moron guided by and ancient religion. Man has evolved and moved on. If you want to stay in your madrassa caves the feel free. No one will disturb you there if you dont cause trouble.

If you listen to what Bin Laden actually says, he first thought of doing a 9/11 attack when the US was in Lebanon in the early 1980's. 9/11 was not because we are not Muslims, it was because of our foreign policy. Does this make it right? Of course not. But one must know the enemy, and not be fooled into thinking that this is some kind of clash of civilizations when it is not.
 And no, we were not attacked first. We have had our hands in many wars, installed and supported many brutal regimes (think the CIA's first coup against a democratic secular government, Iran 1953). They see us as having caused the deaths of many muslims and want us out of the middle east. Doesn't mean they aren't wacko! Watch "The Power Of NIghtmares" and "Why We Fight" for some good documentaries on this whole thing.

I am referencing the story about the suicide bomber that blamed his hatred on the American soldier for shooting holes in the koran.                         It is time for NBC to clean up their act!
You owe every American soldier and their families an apology for this unconscionable story.
If this reporter were an athlete he would be benched and fined. No less should happen to this reprter and those who approved of airing this outrageous story.

I am referencing the story about the suicide bomber that blamed his hatred on the American soldier for shooting holes in the koran.                         It is time for NBC to clean up their act!
You owe every American soldier and their families an apology for this unconscionable story.
If this reporter were an athlete he would be benched and fined. No less should happen to this reprter and those who approved of airing this outrageous story.

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