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Post by turboNZ on Jan 21, 2010 14:05:11 GMT 12
I saw on stuff.co.nz (and apparently was in the NZ Herald) pictures of our SAS troops over in Afghanistan without their faces blanked off.
What's the guts here?
Seems like a serious security breach to me.
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Post by skyhawkdon on Jan 21, 2010 14:29:25 GMT 12
The media are extremely irresponsible for showing their faces. I hope the SAS pay the editor a visit in the middle of the night and "educate" him on their responsibilities!
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Post by turboNZ on Jan 21, 2010 14:30:18 GMT 12
I still believe they should not even publish unblurred photos of troops that are known now. Sets a precedent of "we can do what we want" amongst the media, in my opinion.
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Post by timmo on Jan 21, 2010 15:45:41 GMT 12
The media are extremely irresponsible for showing their faces. I hope the SAS pay the editor a visit in the middle of the night and "educate" him on their responsibilities! So....lemme get this straight. Terrorise someone to try and stop more terrorism? I agree with the first part of your post. Not the second. Violence begets more violence. Practising terrorism doesn't stop terrorism.  |
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Post by shorty on Jan 21, 2010 16:00:59 GMT 12
Timmo, do you ever put your tongue in your cheek or a you straight up and puritanical all the time?
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Post by timmo on Jan 21, 2010 16:16:21 GMT 12
Shorty: Yes I do. This time, however, I did not. Do you ever say one thing but then do the opposite?  |
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Post by Parrotfish on Jan 21, 2010 16:33:47 GMT 12
Dumb dumb dumb. Geez. What the hell does The Herald gain by breaking the accepted convention? This will damage Defence/Media relations for sure. Just can't see why they felt the need to clearly show their faces. Stupid  |
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Post by baz62 on Jan 21, 2010 17:12:09 GMT 12
And of course TV3 (don't know about TV1 or Prime) plasters the same picture on the news and zooms right on in his face plus showing other images of him. Plus theres something about biblical markings on their sights for christs sake! Bet you couldn't see that in the newspaper photo!! Dickheads.
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roan
Sergeant
Posts: 14
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Post by roan on Jan 21, 2010 18:02:43 GMT 12
the photographer who took the picture is probably making a fortune, especially now everyone knows he took a picture of a VC holder!
If the photographer needs help from the SAS, they should be unfortunately occupied elsewhere!
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Post by turboNZ on Jan 21, 2010 20:51:54 GMT 12
.... If the photographer needs help from the SAS, they should be unfortunately occupied elsewhere!.. I think the SAS should have given the photographer a bit of "help",... of the 5.56mm kind !!! |
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Jan 21, 2010 22:53:12 GMT 12
Those photographs (taken by a freelance French-born photographer working for an American news syndicate) were first published by the New York Times when they blew the whistle on the fact that NZ SAS troops were involved in the biffo in Kabul the other day.
All the NZ Herald did was to republish them.
So if you want to blame someone, blame the Americans.
After all, it was the Yanks who also blew the whistle on what our SAS were up to last time too!
And I bet the Teliban are considerably more likely to take note of what is published by the New York Times than what is published by the NZ Herald.
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Post by Parrotfish on Jan 21, 2010 23:45:06 GMT 12
All the NZ Herald did was to republish them. Agreed, if that was the case (I understand the NY Times just made a one line mention of their presence, but no photo). But there is (or should that be was) an accepted convention in New Zealand that any published photos or footage of currently serving NZSAS would not personally identify soldiers without permission of Defence. It is the breaking of this unwritten rule that has caused the current dismay. As someone with two friends currently serving in the unit (neither shown in the photo in question) I would hate to think of any friends of mine being put at risk just to sell a local paper. The Herald over stepped the line. |
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Post by skiddly on Jan 22, 2010 11:32:47 GMT 12
Regardless of who published it first the NZ media once again have decided in their infinite wisdom that they know best and will do what ever they like.
They dont care about the safety of the those involved because they sit in their nice aircond office where the only danger to them is a paper cut and their biggest decision is what do I have for lunch.
Sorry for the out burst but more and more the NZ media over step the boundaries with no consequences.
Karma's a bitch!!
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Post by lumpy on Jan 22, 2010 11:43:05 GMT 12
All the NZ Herald did was to republish them. Agreed, if that was the case (I understand the NY Times just made a one line mention of their presence, but no photo). But there is (or should that be was) an accepted convention in New Zealand that any published photos or footage of currently serving NZSAS would not personally identify soldiers without permission of Defence. It is the breaking of this unwritten rule that has caused the current dismay. As someone with two friends currently serving in the unit (neither shown in the photo in question) I would hate to think of any friends of mine being put at risk just to sell a local paper. The Herald over stepped the line. I think what you have written shows the problem exactly . There should NOT be an " accepted convention " , nor an " unwritten rule . It should be law !! You can not punish someone for breaking an unwritten rule ,like you can if its law . Newspapers can and will do everything in their power to sell more newspapers . I accept this would not stop forign papers , or internet , but it would at least show our own country cares . |
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Post by davekiwi on Jan 22, 2010 12:15:38 GMT 12
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Jan 22, 2010 14:04:11 GMT 12
Why is everyone here to scared to criticise the Americans over this affair?
There is a whole gallery of captioned photographs of the NZ SAS in Kabul taken by Philip Poupin, that are parked on a mainstream American news syndicate website for all the world to see. And I bet the Teliban (and their sympathisers) are more likely to view that website than the NZ Herald's website, which is probably way under their radar screen.
I'm not going to post the URL of where the photos are, as someone here will no doubt get upset with me for doing so, but anyone can use a search engine to find them — it's not hard. I imagine the NZ Herald got them from the same source, except that they would have paid a fee to use them.
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Post by Marcus on Jan 22, 2010 16:39:58 GMT 12
Hi all
I would like to start my posting by saying that I think no and I mean NO photos of our SAS or any other countries special forces should be be printed or electronically displayed. Unfortunately we are living in a materialistic world and photographers, editors, bloggers, webmasters of pay-sites etc... will do just about anything to make money. If that means printing photos of our SAS troops that will not phase them one iota.
We must also keep in mind that as has been said previously on this thread that the originals of these photos have been posted to the web for all to see on a US website. The photos are in the public domain, if we in NZ like it or not. I don't agree with what the Herald did but they did not have an exclusive on the photos...
What I am thinking is why in a news hungry, media saturated environment like Kabul did the SAS guys not cover up? They should be aware that they stood a very good chance of bumping into news photographers or TV reporters... I do realise that in a combat environment where in all probility our SAS were involved in direct action against the militants, covering up, was the last thing on their minds. Staying alive is more important then looking out for photogs!
We know they (SAS) are in Afghanistan... and I doubt if anybody can be so naive to think they will not be involved in combat operations. This is not the first such case of spec forces being outed... thinking here of the YouTube clip of the Brit SAS fighting in Afghanistan. The sooner we set the issue to rest the better for the chaps at the sharp end.
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Post by Kenny on Jan 22, 2010 17:16:14 GMT 12
Had they not confirmed it was willy i wouldnt have known. I diddnt even think it was sas with that multicam on. Maybe he should shave now?  |
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Post by 30sqnatc on Jan 22, 2010 18:37:53 GMT 12
I emailed a complaint to the Dom Post for posting the picture unmasked and I actually got a reply.
The core of their reply was 'A number of media outlets, including ourselves, have published the image based on news merit.' Grrrrrrrrr
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Post by Kenny on Jan 23, 2010 0:36:57 GMT 12
If i jumped out a highrise building, would anyone follow?  Man that is so childish. "oh well the other guys are doing it" pfft. Get a friggen grip. Accept responsibilty for your actions. |
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