NEW YORK -- A journalists' group said Wednesday that the U.S. military hasn't fully investigated the killing of members of the media by American troops in Iraq.
Some 13 journalists have been killed by U.S. troops since the war began in March 2003, according to a study released Wednesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
At least 40 other journalists have lost their lives covering the conflict, said CPJ, an independent organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. Another 21 media support staff have been killed in Iraq -- two by U.S. forces -- the CPJ report said.
Lt. Col. Barry Venable, a U.S. Defense Department spokesman in Washington, said he had not seen the report and could not comment on it.
In the latest case -- the Aug. 28 shooting death of Reuters soundman Waleed Khaled -- the U.S. military has completed a report but not yet published the findings. On Sept. 1, chief military spokesman in Baghdad Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch said soldiers had followed "established rules of engagement" and acted in an "appropriate" manner when they opened fire.
The New York-based CPJ said several of the 13 journalists killed by U.S. troops suggested indifference to the presence of civilians. In most cases, the U.S. military has either failed to investigate journalists' deaths or it has not made its inquiries public, CPJ said.
The organization said findings from the few investigations released have not credibly addressed questions of accountability for shooting deaths and whether U.S. forces are taking necessary measures to differentiate between combatants and civilians in conflict areas.
"By failing to account for all shooting deaths and demonstrate that it is taking steps to avoid future tragedies, the U.S. military shows an alarming disregard for the safety of civilians, including journalists covering this conflict," CPJ executive director Ann Cooper said.
"As far as we know the military has conducted full investigations into only a handful of incidents and made public its reports on just two of them," Cooper said.
"With such a record the Pentagon needs to address its own serious credibility problem by showing some accountability and by providing real answers to outstanding questions about these shocking deaths."
Full report of CPJ is here.
