The New York Sun's blog It Shines for All takes note of the death of  Pham Xuan An. Ed Lasky wrote about Pham last year for American Thinker. Pham the spy worker for both Time Magazine and Reuters itself. Reuters notes his death and adds,

The reporting jobs helped him collect top—secret military information for Hanoi. An told Reuters Television in an interview in 2002 that he started intelligence work in 1952.

"Journalism, it's very important as it keeps you in touch with all kind of people" from those who smoked opium to the military, he said of his wartime job.

An, with the rank of major general in the Vietnamese People's Army, was awarded Hero of the Armed Forces in early 1976.

I cannot detect any sense of outrage, sadness, or apology to readers in the Reuters obituary notice. After all, the agency was deceived and became an agent for one side of the conflict — hardly epitomizing journalistsic ethics.

All of this helps put into perspective Reuters' — and AP's — reactions to information that photographers or other employees have been faking photos or in the employ of Saddam.

An agent of an enemy of America working from inside the news agencies is apparently just a fact of life. Nothing to get excited about, apologize for, or regret. If anything, marking the death of such a spy honors the perp.

This speaks louder than any number of memos from corporate communications officers.

Hat tips: Ed Lasky, Michelle Malkin, and Newsbusters

Thomas Lifson   9 21 06