# Bill O'Reilly and his Falklands War experience **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 22, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359 "2015-02-22T18:08:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2015, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/141 "2015-02-26T22:57:17Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > O’Reilly claimed that the police were firing into the crowd, and that several protesters were killed. Everybody else says the police fired only tear gas or rubber bullets, and that nobody was killed. It is worth noting that firing “rubber” (ok usually hard plastic bullets) looks and sounds pretty much like firing real bullets. Guns get pointed, they make a loud bang, people get hit and fall (and in some cases bleed). In some cases those struck die, just far less often than normal service rounds. Throw in hefty doses of chaos of crowd panic (from gunfire and CS) and it probably looked a lot like using deadly force to an untrained eye. Most journalists don’t rate as trained eyes. Afterwards I would expect a good journalist to follow up and figure out what really happened. That part clearly didn’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2015, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/142 "2015-02-26T23:06:50Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > It is worth noting that firing “rubber” (ok usually hard plastic bullets) looks and sounds pretty much like firing real bullets. Guns get pointed, they make a loud bang, people get hit and fall (and in some cases bleed). In some cases those struck die, just far less often than normal service rounds. Throw in hefty doses of chaos of crowd panic (from gunfire and CS) and it probably looked a lot like using deadly force to an untrained eye. > > Most journalists don’t rate as trained eyes. Afterwards I would expect a good journalist to follow up and figure out what really happened. That part clearly didn’t happen. Yes, it would be excusable to think they were firing live ammo at the time, and for the few hours before more accurate reports were obtained. But I don’t see how he couldn’t have learned the truth in the decades since then, nor do I see how he could have reported that people were killed, even at the time. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/143 "2015-02-26T23:07:51Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > \ > [Colombian conflict (1964–present)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombian_conflict_(1964%E2%80%93present)#1980s) > > Colombia has been in a state of war continuously since 1964. FARC, ELN, M-19 and other assorted paramilitary groups and narco bosses have kept them busy. > \ Sounds more like the “war on drugs,” but OK. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2015, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/144 "2015-02-26T23:08:53Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > [Also lying about those murdered Salvadoran nuns.](http://money.cnn.com/2015/02/25/media/bill-oreilly-el-salvador-nuns/index.html) Now, now, now; if you read the article you’ll see that BillO saw pictures of the murdered nuns, and that’s just as good as being there in person. Personally, I’m just sad that Neil and Buzz seem to have lost my phone number ever since I want on that little jaunt with them… > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Who do you see defending Williams here, **magellan01**? Heck, I’ll even spot you the BillO standard and accept a screenshot of somebody defending Williams here… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/145 "2015-02-26T23:11:41Z")
Just wondering — at the Kent State protests, people actually _were_ shot and killed. Does anyone know of any reporter who covered that protest and later claimed “combat” or “war zone” experience? ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/146 "2015-02-26T23:15:45Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Now, now, now; if you read the article you’ll see that BillO saw pictures of the murdered nuns, and that’s just as good as being there in person. Hey, if pictures count, I guess I’m not a virgin anymore! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/147 "2015-02-27T01:24:03Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Just wondering — at the Kent State protests, people actually _were_ shot and killed. Does anyone know of any reporter who covered that protest and later claimed “combat” or “war zone” experience? I’ve read a good bit about the 1970 Kent State shootings, and no, not that I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/148 "2015-02-27T02:06:23Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Sounds more like the “war on drugs,” but OK. It started long before the “War on Drugs”. That said, it’s not terribly relevant to Bill O’Reilly’s severe allergy for the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/149 "2015-02-27T02:23:10Z")
The people covering the [LA riots](http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/feb/26/bill-oreilly-former-colleagues-la-riots-bombardment) with him in 1992 also have called bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/150 "2015-02-27T02:30:11Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > The people covering the [LA riots](http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/feb/26/bill-oreilly-former-colleagues-la-riots-bombardment) with him in 1992 also have called bullshit. At least he was there. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/151 "2015-02-27T05:15:27Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Yes, it would be excusable to think they were firing live ammo at the time, and for the few hours before more accurate reports were obtained. But I don’t see how he couldn’t have learned the truth in the decades since then, **nor do I see how he could have reported that people were killed, even at the time**. I agree a good reporter should have figured it out but I could also see thinking people were killed at the time. Gunfire into a crowd, people falling, and not being that close to the action adds up. Throw in some blood (some “rubber” bullets can penetrate and the police were also using some more direct methods to wound.) I can easily see assumption that deaths were likely confirmed by erroneous “eyewitness” accounts producing an initial wrong report of deaths. That still should have sorted out pretty quickly after the smoke, and CS clouds, cleared. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/152 "2015-02-27T14:19:31Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Can you cite an example of his “choleric denunciation” of BW? Do please pay attention. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/153 "2015-02-27T14:29:55Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Can you cite an example of his “choleric denunciation” of BW? It’s already been cited for you, but in case you missed it: > [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Transcript: > > [Why the Brian Williams Story Is Important for America - Talking Points Memo - Bill O'Reilly](http://www.billoreilly.com/b/Why-the-Brian-Williams-Story-Is-Important-for-America/-756063959256727968.html) Some quotes: > [@Bill O'Reilly](#): > > But when hard news people deceive their viewers and readers to advance a political agenda, that’s when the nation gets hurt. > > Enter Brian Williams, the anchorman for the NBC Nightly News. > … > Look, every news organization makes mistakes. But those mistakes are eroding the confidence of Americans in the press. > > With few constraints on the Internet, it is extremely important that the national media stop the corruption and begin telling the truth without an agenda. > … > I like Laura Ingraham’s take yesterday: > > LAURA INGRAHAM, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: “I know Brian Williams a little bit. I used to work at MSNBC and he was one of the first people who was, frankly, very nice and professional to me there. So he’s always been very kind to me personally. But I will say this—it doesn’t matter whether I watch, whether I want him to be fired, excuse me. It matters what the folks in Paducah, Kentucky think.” > > That’s right on. It’s all about what you guys think. > > If you can’t trust a news anchor or commentator, you’re not going to watch that person. > … > Here on The Factor we are in our 19th season, an amazing run and we have made some mistakes in the past, but very few. > > We put together an honest broadcast and we take great pains to present you with information that can be verified. > > All Americans who love their country should think about what happened to Brian Williams … to think about other news agencies that are distorting the facts. > > We all should open that proverbial “Network” window and say, “We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore!” I especially like the last bit where he says they’ve made very few mistakes :). ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/154 "2015-02-27T14:42:18Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > The degree to which the left has rallied to shift the focus way from Brian Williams is impressive. Anything to protect one of their boys. Gotta love it. Whatever dude. I thought he should be fired and still do. But he is nowhere near the as bad as O’Reilly which should come as a surprise to no one that pays even the slightest bit of attention to the world. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/155 "2015-02-28T01:12:05Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > It’s already been cited for you, but in case you missed it: He already pretended that somehow wasn’t O’Reilly speaking out against Brian Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/156 "2015-02-28T15:12:47Z")
Here is a fun article that claims to document [99 times Bill O’Reilly has lied](http://www.dailydot.com/politics/bill-oreilly-long-list-of-lies/?fb=dd). Enjoy. Oh, by the way, I am sure **magellan01** thinks this is all just liberal haters trying to distract us from the real media liar, right? ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/157 "2015-02-28T15:46:44Z")
> [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](#): > > Here is a fun article that claims to document [99 times Bill O’Reilly has lied](http://www.dailydot.com/politics/bill-oreilly-long-list-of-lies/?fb=dd). > > Enjoy. > > Oh, by the way, I am sure **magellan01** thinks this is all just liberal haters trying to distract us from the real media liar, right? Thanks for the entertainment. One would think that a writer would know the definitions of the words he uses. Particularly one he uses in the headline and is the point of the “article”. Extra thanks for showing the kind of sophomoric mindless partisan drivel you think has value. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/158 "2015-02-28T16:16:46Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Thanks for the entertainment. One would think that a writer would know the definitions of the words he uses. Particularly one he uses in the headline and is the point of the “article”. Extra thanks for showing the kind of sophomoric mindless partisan drivel you think has value. > > Sigh. So which words do you think were used wrong? Or do you think Bill O is just senile? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/159 "2015-02-28T16:16:50Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Thanks for the entertainment. One would think that a writer would know the definitions of the words he uses. Particularly one he uses in the headline and is the point of the “article”. Extra thanks for showing the kind of sophomoric mindless partisan drivel you think has value. > > Sigh. Are you trying to say that O’Reilly didn’t lie at all? Or just not about the Falklands or nuns in El Salvador? This isn’t particularly important, but why shouldn’t we take a look at O’Reilly’s record and see if and when he lied? So far, it’s been a lot of fun to watch (and that seems like reason enough!). ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359/160 "2015-02-28T17:39:51Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > … but why shouldn’t we take a look at O’Reilly’s record and see if and when he lied? So far, it’s been a lot of fun to watch (and that seems like reason enough!). Has [this list of 99 lies](http://www.dailydot.com/politics/bill-oreilly-long-list-of-lies/) been linked here yet? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-and-his-falklands-war-experience/713359.md?page=9)