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Wolfowitz backtracks on his criticism of journalists

Paul Wolfowitz, US deputy secretary of defense, appears before the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. PHOTO: AP

US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz issued an unusual apology on Thursday addressed "to journalists covering Iraq," in which he expressed "deep regret" for saying correspondents in Baghdad were afraid to travel and, therefore, published rumors.

"I know that many journalists continue to go out each day -- in the most dangerous circumstances -- to bring us coverage of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan," Wolfowitz wrote in the letter of apology.

"Since the beginning of hostilities in Iraq, 34 journalists have given their lives; many others have been injured while bringing us that story," Wolfowitz wrote.

During a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday, Wolfowitz criticized what he described as a partial picture presented to the US of the mission to rebuild, stabilize and install new political institutions in Iraq, and he cast blame on the media.

"Frankly, part of our problem is a lot of the press are afraid to travel very much, so they sit in Baghdad and they publish rumors," Wolfowitz said in his House testimony.

In his letter, Wolfowitz retracted that part of his testimony, writing:

"Unfortunately, in meaning to convey my frustration about the erroneous coverage of one particular news story, the statement I made came out much differently than I intended. And while I know reporters understand better than most that sometimes the best of intentions and the most elaborate of preparations can't prevent error, that doesn't for a moment change the seriousness of my mistake."
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