Lt. Col. Ralph Peters says he's 'ashamed' of Fox News and leaves his role as analyst

[kudzu]

Retired Lt. Col. Ralph Peters, a longtime analyst for Fox News, told colleagues he is done with the network he says has become "a propaganda machine" for President Trump.

Peters said in an email first reported Tuesday by BuzzFeed that he chose not to renew his contract as a paid contributor with Fox News on March 1 because he was "ashamed" of the network.

He said the 21st Century Fox-owned cable channel has gone from being a valuable conservative voice to "assaulting our constitutional order and the rule of law, while fostering corrosive and unjustified paranoia among viewers."

Peters' comments directly targeted the network's opinions hosts — which include Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham — for their consistent attacks on special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's investigation into Russia's interference with the 2016 presidential election. Mueller is also looking into whether Trump obstructed justice when he fired James B. Comey from his post as FBI director.

"When prime-time hosts — who have never served our country in any capacity — dismiss facts and empirical reality to launch profoundly dishonest assaults on the FBI, the Justice Department, the courts, the intelligence community (in which I served) and, not least, a model public servant and genuine war hero such as Robert Mueller — all the while scaremongering with lurid warnings of 'deep-state' machinations — I cannot be part of the same organization, even at a remove," Peters wrote. "To me, Fox News is now wittingly harming our system of government for profit."

Peters' missive is the second time in a week Fox News' top-rated conservative opinion hosts have been subjected to internal criticism. While not nearly as harsh, Fox News anchor Shepard Smith said in an interview with Time magazine that some of the network's opinion programming "is there strictly to be entertaining," which led to some blowback from Hannity and Ingraham on social media. (Hannity called Smith "clueless" about the reporting done on his program).

But Peters' remarks are noteworthy because as a Fox News national security analyst for 10 years, he has been a foreign policy hawk who frequently criticized the Obama administration. He was once suspended from the network for a week in 2015 after an appearance on the Fox Business Network in which he used a vulgar term to describe former President Obama's fortitude in combating terrorism by Islamic extremists.

Peters' email notes that his condemnation of Fox News does not include the hard news reporters at the operation whom he called "talented professionals in a poisoned environment." He also excluded the Fox Business Network, "where numerous hosts retain a respect for facts and maintain a measure of integrity."

A Fox News representative did not comment on Peters' contract but defended its on-air talent.

"Ralph Peters is entitled to his opinion despite the fact that he's choosing to use it as a weapon in order to gain attention," the network said in a statement. "We are extremely proud of our top-rated prime-time hosts and all of our opinion programming."

http://www.latimes.com/business/holl...320-story.html

[kudzu]

A longtime analyst for Fox News is leaving the network, saying that he could not “in good conscience” remain with an organization that, he argued, “is now wittingly harming our system of government for profit.”

In a searing farewell note sent to colleagues on Tuesday, Ralph Peters, a Fox News strategic analyst and a retired lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, castigated the network for its coverage of President Trump and the rhetoric of its prime-time hosts.

“In my view, Fox has degenerated from providing a legitimate and much-needed outlet for conservative voices to a mere propaganda machine for a destructive and ethically ruinous administration,” Colonel Peters wrote in his message, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times.

“Over my decade with Fox, I long was proud of the association,” he added. “Now I am ashamed.”

Without citing them by name, Colonel Peters, 65, wrote that Fox News’s prime-time anchors “dismiss facts and empirical reality to launch profoundly dishonest assaults on the F.B.I., the Justice Department, the courts, the intelligence community (in which I served) and, not least, a model public servant and genuine war hero such as Robert Mueller.”

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“I cannot be part of the same organization, even at a remove,” he wrote.

Fox News responded on Tuesday by saying it was “extremely proud of our top-rated prime-time hosts and all of our opinion programming.”

“Ralph Peters is entitled to his opinion despite the fact that he’s choosing to use it as a weapon in order to gain attention,” the network said in a statement.

Colonel Peters, who appeared regularly on Fox News and the Fox Business Network — including as recently as Monday morning — spent more than two decades in the Army, eventually specializing in Russian intelligence. He began appearing as a television commentator in the late 1990s, and signed an exclusive contract with Fox in 2008.

Typically hawkish in his views, Colonel Peters supported the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and was a strong proponent of confronting President Vladimir Putin of Russia. He was a fervent critic of former President Barack Obama, deriding his foreign policy as weak, and was briefly suspended by the network in 2015 after using a vulgarity to describe Mr. Obama during an appearance on Fox Business.

snip

“As a retired military officer,” he said, “I simply could not continue with Fox in good conscience.”

Fox News’s commentary shows, like “Hannity” and “Fox & Friends,” have become stalwart defenders of Mr. Trump and his administration, often criticizing Mr. Mueller, the special counsel, and law enforcement agencies that have been investigating possible ties between the president’s associates and Russian interference into the 2016 election.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/b...ph-peters.html

[anatta]

good riddance to a Russia phobe

[kudzu]

good riddance to a Russia phobe

He was an Intelligence officer on Russia.. Not like Trumpie..

Here's what Peters said when he slammed out of Fox.

"When prime-time hosts — who have never served our country in any capacity — dismiss facts and empirical reality to launch profoundly dishonest assaults on the FBI, the Justice Department, the courts, the intelligence community (in which I served) and, not least, a model public servant and genuine war hero such as Robert Mueller — all the while scaremongering with lurid warnings of 'deep-state' machinations — I cannot be part of the same organization, even at a remove," Peters wrote. "To me, Fox News is now wittingly harming our system of government for profit."

[anatta]

He was an Intelligence officer on Russia.. Not like Trumpie..

Here's what Peters said when he slammed out of Fox.

"When prime-time hosts — who have never served our country in any capacity — dismiss facts and empirical reality to launch profoundly dishonest assaults on the FBI, the Justice Department, the courts, the intelligence community (in which I served) and, not least, a model public servant and genuine war hero such as Robert Mueller — all the while scaremongering with lurid warnings of 'deep-state' machinations — I cannot be part of the same organization, even at a remove," Peters wrote. "To me, Fox News is now wittingly harming our system of government for profit."

he's a Russia phobe and a neocon -who cares what he says about anythng?

[kudzu]

he's a Russia phobe and a neocon -who cares what he says about anythng?

My God.. Peters knows Russia unlike Trumpie.

Colonel Peters spent more than two decades in the Army, eventually specializing in Russian intelligence.

I think we have reach a point in Trump's America where were seek out and celebrate incompetence.

[Frank Apisa]

He was an Intelligence officer on Russia.. Not like Trumpie..

Here's what Peters said when he slammed out of Fox.

"When prime-time hosts — who have never served our country in any capacity — dismiss facts and empirical reality to launch profoundly dishonest assaults on the FBI, the Justice Department, the courts, the intelligence community (in which I served) and, not least, a model public servant and genuine war hero such as Robert Mueller — all the while scaremongering with lurid warnings of 'deep-state' machinations — I cannot be part of the same organization, even at a remove," Peters wrote. "To me, Fox News is now wittingly harming our system of government for profit."

Anyone with any sense of loyalty to country (and sanity) would have trouble with people like Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Donald Trump...

...who have, as Col. Peters pointed out, never served our country in any capacity — dismissing facts and empirical reality to launch profoundly dishonest assaults on the FBI, the Justice Department, the courts, the intelligence community.

But these disgusting people and the enablers like we see here in this forum...have fallen off the edge. Reality no longer seems to matter to them. Their task is to support their Fuhrer...no matter what.

What a horrible time this is for America...and the world.

[kudzu]

Anyone with any sense of loyalty to country (and sanity) would have trouble with people like Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Donald Trump...

...who have, as Col. Peters pointed out, never served our country in any capacity — dismissing facts and empirical reality to launch profoundly dishonest assaults on the FBI, the Justice Department, the courts, the intelligence community.

But these disgusting people and the enablers like we see here in this forum...have fallen off the edge. Reality no longer seems to matter to them. Their task is to support their Fuhrer...no matter what.

What a horrible time this is for America...and the world.

None of them have ever served their country.... including Trumpie.

[CFM]

None of them have ever served their country.... including Trumpie.

In what branch of service did the last two Democrat candidates service. In what branch of service did leftwing hacks like Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow serve? Neither or them nor the black President and wannabe cunt Presidential candidate served yet they pucker up to his ass and her vagina without question.

[kudzu]

In what branch of service did the last two Democrat candidates service. In what branch of service did leftwing hacks like Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow serve? Neither or them nor the black President and wannabe cunt Presidential candidate served yet they pucker up to his ass and her vagina without question.

Obama was not of age to serve in the military during the Vietnam war .. and there was NO draft for Iraq and Afghanistan. Women have never been subject to the draft. Peters served in the Army as a Russian intelligence officer.

He would most certainly know more than Trump

[CFM]

Obama was not of age to serve in the military during the Vietnam war .. and there was NO draft for Iraq and Afghanistan. Women have never been subject to the draft. Peters served in the Army as a Russian intelligence officer.

He would most certainly know more than Trump

Where did I mention Vietnam? Not being drafted doesn't mean one can't serve.

Why aren't women subject to registering for selective service? I thought women wanted equality. Why aren't all those complaining they aren't being treated equally out pushing for women to have to do what men have had to do for years? That's right. Those pushing and pushing and pushing for equality are the type that want equal benefits just not equal responsibility.

[ThatOwlWoman]

He was an Intelligence officer on Russia.. Not like Trumpie..

Here's what Peters said when he slammed out of Fox.

"When prime-time hosts — who have never served our country in any capacity — dismiss facts and empirical reality to launch profoundly dishonest assaults on the FBI, the Justice Department, the courts, the intelligence community (in which I served) and, not least, a model public servant and genuine war hero such as Robert Mueller — all the while scaremongering with lurid warnings of 'deep-state' machinations — I cannot be part of the same organization, even at a remove," Peters wrote. "To me, Fox News is now wittingly harming our system of government for profit."

I hope he also returned any salary he made.

[kudzu]

Peters' comments directly targeted the network's opinions hosts — which include Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham — for their consistent attacks on special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's investigation into Russia's interference with the 2016 presidential election. Mueller is also looking into whether Trump obstructed justice when he fired James B. Comey from his post as FBI director.

"When prime-time hosts — who have never served our country in any capacity — dismiss facts and empirical reality to launch profoundly dishonest assaults on the FBI, the Justice Department, the courts, the intelligence community (in which I served) and, not least, a model public servant and genuine war hero such as Robert Mueller — all the while scaremongering with lurid warnings of 'deep-state' machinations — I cannot be part of the same organization, even at a remove," Peters wrote. "To me, Fox News is now wittingly harming our system of government for profit."

[kudzu]

Where did I mention Vietnam? Not being drafted doesn't mean one can't serve.

Why aren't women subject to registering for selective service? I thought women wanted equality. Why aren't all those complaining they aren't being treated equally out pushing for women to have to do what men have had to do for years? That's right. Those pushing and pushing and pushing for equality are the type that want equal benefits just not equal responsibility.

Women have never been drafted.. and we don't have a draft now. Are you an invalid?

[kudzu]

I hope he also returned any salary he made.

Why would you return money you earned?