Deadliest Year For Journalists In Decade

(AP)  Eighty-one journalists and media staffers were killed worldwide in 2006, making it the deadliest year for reporters in more than a decade, Reporters Without Borders said Thursday.

Iraq was the most dangerous country for journalists last year, with 39 reporters and 26 other media workers killed, according to the Paris-based media advocacy group.

It was the most dangerous year for journalists since 1994, which was marked by the Rwandan genocide, civil war in Algeria and conflict in the former Yugoslavia.

Worldwide, 871 journalists spent time in jail in 2006, and China put more reporters behind bars than any other country, the report said. Thirty-two journalists were jailed in China last year. Cuba jailed 24 and Ethiopia 21.

Reporters Without Borders raised concerns about democratic countries having "little ambition, and sometimes even giving up, in defending the values they are supposed to embody."

During the international uproar over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, the international community did little to help journalists who were threatened or arrested, the report said.

"It was as if, fearing a fight with Arab and Muslim regimes, Europe, for one, renounced all desire to make itself heard," the report said.

The Muhammad drawings were first published in September 2005 in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten and were reprinted four months later by a range of Western publications, triggering massive protests from Morocco to Indonesia and some attacks on Danish embassies.

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It is common knowledge that Iraqi units are infiltrated by all types of Insurgents, Terrorist, and Execution Death Squads members of Both Religions. The Sunni supported by Saudi Arabia who are killing most of American troops, and Shiite supported by Iran. Those people who support this Surge of Troops in Iraq are forcing American Soldiers to sleep with the enemy in small units exposing them to undue kidnap threat. Americans soldiers who are captured by these enemies are without mercy, tortured and mutilated beyond recognition by their captors. Still our political leadership is planning to send these Brave Men and Women in to this environment. Would those Neocons or Chicken Hawks that pushed so hard for America to go into this war like to volunteer to live with death squad members? If American proceeds with this deployment our troops will be kidnapped and America will see such beheadings, torture and captivity that have never been seen before on Cable, Internet, and National Television. If you support this surge in troops and the tactics it brings you are responsible for every one of these deaths. Be prepared to watch American men and women begging for their lives on television while they are decapitated. Here is the contact address for your Senator! Send them a message of your opinion. All Class Two Senators are up for Reelection in 2008. http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_in
formation/senators_cfm.cfm