Bill O’Reilly Slams NBC News, GE, and Washington Post for William Arkin’s Comments

O’Reilly began (video available here, hat tips to Hot Air and LGF): “In a stunning display of hatred, NBC News military analyst William Arkin wrote two Internet columns chastising members of the United States Armed Forces for daring to criticize civilian dissenters of the Iraq war.”

After reading some of the offending passages, O’Reilly released the hounds:

It is hard to believe that any responsible person would attack the military in this very personal way. Arkin implies that Abu Ghraib and Haditha define how Americans have performed in Iraq and flat out calls our military people mercenaries. That is folks who fight solely for money, have no patriotic intent at all. Ironically, the American military has fought for centuries to allow Arkin the right to say these vile things. We invited Arkin on "The Factor." He, of course, declined.

After showing footage of a Fox News producer trying unsuccessfully to interview the cowardly Arkin, O’Reilly continued:

Mr. Courage, huh? William Arkin has been a military hater for some time. He wrote a book called "Code Names," where he exposed more than 3,000 coded titles, some of which were still classified.

So there's no question, Arkin is an agenda driven guy. The question is why would "The Washington Post" and NBC News hire a person like this?

Great question that is likely an many right-thinking Americans’ minds. As you might imagine, O’Reilly had the answer:

As you know, "Talking Points" believes NBC News has taken a sharp turn the left. It is a business decision made by three men. NBC Universal executives Robert Wright, Jeff Zucker, and Steve Capus, with their approval elements at NBC News, spew out far left propaganda on a daily basis and direct vicious, personal attacks of people with whom they disagree.

Wright, Zucker and Capus believe this is a responsible way to run a news division, but students of journalism know this kind of garbage is unprecedented at the network level.

We asked NBC News for a statement regarding William Arkin and here it is. "The comments in question were made by Mr. Arkin in his Washington Post column, and he does not speak on behalf of NBC News."

We'll deal with "The Washington Post" tomorrow. But notice how NBC didn't criticize Arkin's comments. Hard to believe.

Now there's no sense in confronting the NBC News people about this situation. They're in too deep. They will not change course because that would expose them. But NBC's parent company, General Electric, makes billions of dollars off government contracts including military work. Its CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, is aware of the Arkin problem and the tone of NBC News in general. It is Immelt who is responsible for this debacle, because he has the power to change it.

O’Reilly brought his diatribe to a conclusion:

Fair minded Americans can dissent from the Iraq War. We all know that. The war has not been waged effectively because of poor post-Saddam planning and the failure of the Iraqi people to put aside religious hatreds and fight for democracy.

But clear thinking people also understand that deposing a murderous dictator and trying to bring freedom to millions of oppressed people is a noble endeavor. Just ask the marsh Arabs or the Kurds.

The United States military has performed heroically in Iraq and Afghanistan in brutal environments. For any American, any American to accuse them of being paid agents of oppression is disgraceful and far over the line of rational thought.

NBC News and General Electric and "The Washington Post" will be forever tainted by this situation. Like William Arkin, they can run, but they can't hide. Enough is enough. All Americans, all Americans should condemn this.

We do, Bill – at least, those who haven’t allowed their political dogma to interfere with rational thought.

What follows is a full transcript of this segment. Also, those that are interested should watch O’Reilly discuss this matter further with Michelle Malkin and Kirsten Powers.

BILL O’REILLY: Hi, I'm Bill O'Reilly. Thank you for watching us tonight. Attacking the military, that is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points Memo."

In a stunning display of hatred, NBC News military analyst William Arkin wrote two Internet columns chastising members of the United States Armed Forces for daring to criticize civilian dissenters of the Iraq war.

The columns appear on "The Washington Post" Internet site and said in part, "I've been mulling over an NBC Nightly News report from Iraq.in which a number of soldiers expressed frustration that with opposition to war in the United States.Through ever Abu Ghraib and Haditha, through every rape and murder, the American public has indulged those in uniform, accepting that the incidents were the product of bad apples or even of some administration or command order. So we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them.and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war. [this] NBC report is just an ugly reminder of the price we pay for mercenary - oops sorry, volunteer - force."

It is hard to believe that any responsible person would attack the military in this very personal way. Arkin implies that Abu Ghraib and Haditha define how Americans have performed in Iraq and flat out calls our military people mercenaries. That is folks who fight solely for money, have no patriotic intent at all.

Ironically, the American military has fought for centuries to allow Arkin the right to say these vile things. We invited Arkin on "The Factor." He, of course, declined. So FOX News producer Jesse Watters went to him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JESSE WATTERS, FOX NEWS PRODUCER: Bill Arkin, how are you doing? FOX News. How's it going? Mr. Arkin, can we talk to you about some of the comments you made?

BILL ARKIN, NBC NEWS MILITARY ANALYST: Can you leave me alone for just a.

WATTERS: Actually, no, we'd like to talk to you for a second. How could you say what you said? I mean, don't you think it was really hurtful and harmful to the military families, to the soldiers serving in Iraq?

Let's address this. I mean you called these people mercenaries. They're serving in harm's way and you called them mercenaries, sir. Let's address this. You also said they were pawns and naive. How could you say that?

ARKIN: Can you give me a business card?

WATTERS: I'll go get you the business card.

ARKIN: I don't believe you're with FOX News. Go get me one and then I'll talk to you.

WATTERS: Well, I'm -- are you calling me a liar? Mr. Arkin, you said the soldiers.

ARKIN: (INAUDIBLE).

WATTERS: All right, thank you very much. You said that the soldiers should be graceful.

ARKIN: I told you I wanted a card.

WATTERS: You said that they should be grateful that people aren't spitting on them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: Mr. Courage, huh? William Arkin has been a military hater for some time. He wrote a book called "Code Names," where he exposed more than 3,000 coded titles, some of which were still classified.

So there's no question, Arkin is an agenda driven guy. The question is why would "The Washington Post" and NBC News hire a person like this?

As you know, "Talking Points" believes NBC News has taken a sharp turn the left. It is a business decision made by three men. NBC Universal executives Robert Wright, Jeff Zucker, and Steve Capus, with their approval elements at NBC News, spew out far left propaganda on a daily basis and direct vicious, personal attacks of people with whom they disagree.

Wright, Zucker and Capus believe this is a responsible way to run a news division, but students of journalism know this kind of garbage is unprecedented at the network level.

We asked NBC News for a statement regarding William Arkin and here it is. "The comments in question were made by Mr. Arkin in his Washington Post column, and he does not speak on behalf of NBC News."

We'll deal with "The Washington Post" tomorrow. But notice how NBC didn't criticize Arkin's comments. Hard to believe.

Now there's no sense in confronting the NBC News people about this situation. They're in too deep. They will not change course because that would expose them. But NBC's parent company, General Electric, makes billions of dollars off government contracts including military work. Its CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, is aware of the Arkin problem and the tone of NBC News in general. It is Immelt who is responsible for this debacle, because he has the power to change it.

Fair minded Americans can dissent from the Iraq War. We all know that. The war has not been waged effectively because of poor post-Saddam planning and the failure of the Iraqi people to put aside religious hatreds and fight for democracy.

But clear thinking people also understand that deposing a murderous dictator and trying to bring freedom to millions of oppressed people is a noble endeavor. Just ask the marsh Arabs or the Kurds.

The United States military has performed heroically in Iraq and Afghanistan in brutal environments. For any American, any American to accuse them of being paid agents of oppression is disgraceful and far over the line of rational thought.

NBC News and General Electric and "The Washington Post" will be forever tainted by this situation. Like William Arkin, they can run, but they can't hide. Enough is enough. All Americans, all Americans should condemn this. And that's the "Memo."