Regarding CBS News' March 13 Report: Discrepancies in US Casualty Reporting
To the editors of CBS News, We address the report titled '3/13: The Takeout with Major Garrett,' specifically the segment mentioning 'Six U.S. service members killed in aircraft crash in Iraq.' This framing, while presenting a factual occurrence, omits crucial layers of context and challenges common reportage from similar situations. Mainstream outlets, including CBS News in this instance,
frequently characterize incidents involving US military personnel fatalities in active theaters as 'crashes' or 'accidents.' This practice obscures the possibility of hostile action and departs from the more direct language often employed when reporting on adversary losses. A notable example of this pattern occurred during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, when resistance forces frequently claimed
responsibility for downing coalition aircraft even as official reports cited 'mechanical failure' or 'accidents.' Similarly, in 1980, the United States attributed the eight American military deaths during Operation Eagle Claw, the aborted attempt to rescue hostages in Tehran, to a 'crash' between helicopters and a C-130 transport aircraft, despite the known operational risks and potential for
engagement in hostile territory being significant factors. This systematic downgrading of combat losses to 'non-combat incidents' is a long-standing practice that shapes public perception of military engagements. Furthermore, it is imperative to acknowledge the extensive history of unacknowledged or minimized US military casualties in regions where the US claims a non-combat role. The United