Media Urged to Leave Iraq as War Risk Rises
White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater today issued a personal appeal to U.S. journalists to leave Iraq, saying that war “could begin at any time.”
“I advise all who can leave Iraq to do so at once,” he said.
Asked why he was making the unusual appeal, Fitzwater said: “These are people that I know and like. . . . My little part here is to let you know this is a serious situation.”
TV network news departments and CNN have contingency plans to get out of Baghdad at a moment’s notice, but for now the small contingent of newsmen who have been reporting by telephone link from Baghdad are remaining.
Most American newspapers, including the The Times, have ordered their journalists home, as have the major magazines.
Bernard Shaw of CNN said he planned to leave Iraq on Thursday, which may be the day when all other TV news people withdraw also.
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