Williams Sees 'Tremendous Victories,' But Frustrated by Question: 'How's the War Going?'

Photo of Brent Baker.

NBC anchor Brian Williams, on Tuesday's Daily Show, recognized that there are “tremendous local victories” in Iraq, but told Jon Stewart the constant suicide bombings killing scores of civilians leave him unable to answer the question: “How's the war going?” But, “when you look at the big picture you wonder how it's ever going to work?” Asked by Stewart about his March trip to Iraq, Williams offered a colorful detail about pleadings from Iraqi women as he answered:

“We go to Ramadi and Iraqi women, unprompted, didn't know who I was, come up and say in Arabic to the American commander, 'please don't ever leave us. Don't leave this town.' They've gone block by block talking to the Imans, making the town safe. Same day: I fly back with an American four-star General, we get to Baghdad to hear that 93 Shia pilgrims have been killed by two vest bombers. And then you come home after eight days and people say, 'How's the war going?' And how are you ever going to sum that up? You have tremendous local victories, and yet when you look at the big picture you wonder how it's ever going to work?"

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Two previous NewsBusters items recounted what Williams reported in March from Iraq on the NBC Nightly News. The March 5 posting, “NBC: Iraqis Want U.S. to Stay and Insurgents Counting on Help from War Opponents,” relayed:

“Williams ran a clip of Army Colonel John Charlton proclaiming that Iraqis 'do not want us to leave' and a soundbite from Army Lt. Colonel Charles Ferry who asserted: 'The people here are very glad to see us.' Williams marveled: 'You just said, 'They don't want us to leave.' That's the tenth time today I've heard that. I've got to go back to the States and do a newscast that every night has another politician or 12 of them saying, 'We have got to get out of that godforsaken place.'”

The next day, “NBC Highlights Troops Who Support U.S. Presence in Iraq,” summarized:

“On Tuesday's NBC Nightly News, anchor Brian Williams, reporting from Baghdad, delivered a refreshing end to the show as he showcased several U.S. troops who voiced support for their work in Iraq, and for America continuing its presence there. While Williams did present one soldier who was less than enthusiastic about the mission, other troops, featured in pre-recorded soundbites, spoke of 'staying until the job is done,' and of feeling 'proud' about helping the Iraqis.”

The exchange about Iraq on the June 19 Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central:

BRIAN WILLIAMS: I've come to enjoy going over there because otherwise I wouldn't be exposed to the folks who are fighting this war for us, to the folks who volunteered to fight this war for us. And I found a way to go over that guarantees my safety as much as anyone can. You know, Bob Woodruff of ABC is a very good friend of mine and I look at him and think, 'but by the grace of God.' And I was the first reporter in about six months to walk down the main drag of Ramadi. And we had F-16s overhead and gunships on either side and there were four members of the Third Infantry Division who had me to protect and I thank them for my life.

STEWART: So it is like, as Mike Pence the Congressman said, like a summer time market in Indiana. Very similar.

WILLIAMS: But I tell you what. We go to Ramadi and Iraqi women, unprompted, didn't know who I was, come up and say in Arabic to the American commander, 'please don't ever leave us. Don't leave this town.' They've gone block by block talking to the Imans, making the town safe. Same day: I fly back with an American four-star General, we get to Baghdad to hear that 93 Shia pilgrims have been killed by two vest bombers. And then you come home after eight days and people say, 'How's the war going?' And how are you ever going to sum that up? You have tremendous local victories, and yet when you look at the big picture you wonder how it's ever going to work?

—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center


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This was an interesting tidbi

This was an interesting tidbit during a fun interview. Williams really does seem to be frustrated by the victories and setbacks in Iraq.

"Williams hungry" was funny. "Koppel hungry" even funnier.

Daily Show = Not funny

If news(?) anchors and once heavily respected networks to maintain ANY shred credibility and professionalism, then I suggest they stay off of Comedy Central PERIOD. This is an important issue that will have global ramification. Not to mention it is in direct relation to our own security. It osn't something to be put on some half-assed "comedy" show so we can all laugh and forget until the next attack of course. Typical liberals. Jon Stewart is an idiot.

Islam should have it's religious status revoked until it can prove it's not a hate group.

I saw Stewart explaining th

I saw Stewart explaining the difference between Fatah and Hamas the other day, and I thought it was hilarious. Ratings will tell, let the market decide whose fake news show works. So far, I must say, I'm disappointed in the offering from Fox News, for humor-not-political reasons.
JMR

So news anchors must always

So news anchors must always be serious.

Newsreaders

I think we need to adopt the English model and call them "newsreaders." It is really more accurate.

Our real problem, then, is not our strength today; it is rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow. Dwight Eisenhower

}}---->resonant chord StringSpiff

Even crusty old Liberal Cronkite didn't appear on Laugh-In.  Would have been seen as degrading the importance of real News.

Brian Williams

Gee... It sounds like 'ol "B dubya" was for the war before he was against it...

Islam should have it's religious status revoked until it can prove it's not a hate group.

The same people that want to

The same people that want to stay in Iraq want to GO to Iran. How are we supposed to attack Iran if we're still in Iraq?

Iraq

I find it disturbing that many of the same people who want us out of Iraq want us to invade Sudan to stop Arab Muslims from killing Black African Muslims and Christians.

}}---->translation Kopyking

America in Iraq? - Bush bad

America not in Sudan, Iran, Darfur? - Bush bad

Have you taken time to notice

Have you taken time to notice the common denoninator in just about all conflicts in the past few decades?

}}----> Sure vrcw13

There's oil, land, religion.  Take your pick.

Oh, I almost forgot - George Bush.

Just what the heck are you

Just what the heck are you implying VR? Islam is a religion of peace and they'll slit your damn throat if you say otherwise. The elite left isn't concerned, after all I think they got the idea of carbon credits from the jizyah. They won't have to convert on either count so they say come on over!!!

The man with an experience is not at the mercy of a man with an argument.

WC you win, }-> 2nd .... s

WC you win, }-> 2nd .... start here and work backwards.

Tthomas5

We have these things called missiles that have a pretty long range.  I'm sorry to be sarcastic, but come on bud...  Just because SOME of our military is in Iraq doesn't mean we can't deal with Iran too.  The MSSM constantly brings up the 'fact' that the military is stretched soooo thin and ther is just NO WAY we can deal with Iran.  Korea will be mentioned here in a minute I bet, so I will just say all it will take to whip Kim Jong Ill into shape is waiting in the ocean for it's orders.  That is, if anybody in this country has the BALLS to use its weapons.

Islam should have it's religious status revoked until it can prove it's not a hate group.

so I will just say all it w

so I will just say all it will take to whip Kim Jong Ill into shape is
waiting in the ocean for it's orders. That is, if anybody in this
country has the BALLS to use its weapons.

And I'm sure there wouldn't be any repercussions from that at all...

Earth to Balboa

The repercussion would be no more Kim Jong Ill... duh

Also, I think it would finally show the strength America really has and not this fannying about with saving face and sending in troops. I'm not say destroy all of NK. We do know where all of his toys are though. Repercussion number 3: Another brutal dictator scratched off the list of "Will sell WMD to terrorists" And if you disagree on that, then you are blind.

Islam should have it's religious status revoked until it can prove it's not a hate group.

The repercussion would be no

The repercussion would be no more Kim Jong Ill... duh

That's not a repercussion.

"...yet when you look at

"...yet when you look at the big picture you wonder how it's ever going to work?"

Gee Brian, I don't know.  Maybe block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, city by city, battle by battle.  You know, the usual way.

Williams is confused because Iraqi's actually want America in Iraq.  Williams is confused because American troops actually believe in their mission and have successes.  Williams is confused because he's not read this from the teleprompter at work, so how can it be true.  Williams is confused becuase his visit to Iraq didn't fit his paradigm.

Exactly. I'll bet that Iraq

Exactly. I'll bet that Iraqi lady has been taking her insurgent male relatives out to the woodshed and then insisting that they help the nice Americans. They're reconciling, and that's a good thing.