email to NPR Ombudsman

I am a daily NPR listener, and I admire the quality programming and reporting for the most part. However, NPR Baghdad Bureau Chief Jamie Tarabay's performance on Bill Maher's 'Real Time' was disappointing to say the least.

In particular, I take issue with Ms. Tarabay's response to Bill Maher's assertion that anyone who has been to Iraq knows that the war is lost. Ms. Tarabay agreed with Maher, and added: "Because we're not giving a clear enough picture."

Her agreement with Maher not only is a poor reflection of NPR, but it is inaccurate, dishonest, and flies in the face of a multitude of sources.

Tarabay seems to have not done her homework. She must not have read Max Boot, or recently listened to CNN's Michael Ware, heard Fred Kagan speak, or even NY Times Baghdad Bureau Chief John Burns on this issue, and how the war is NOT lost, and how it would be a disaster if we would pull out.

Furthermore, her admission that the press is not doing a good enough job getting the word out on how bad the war is - tacitly implies she is not doing a good job for one, and secondly runs contradictory to the majority of stories I hear on NPR criticizing the war and emphasizing the deaths and negative events.

I would hope this is at least brought to someone's attention, as I feel that a public media organization such as NPR has the duty to present an honest, nonpartisan image of itself. Furthermore, it should strive to appear competent.

Ms. Tarabay's comments were ill-informed and embarrassing.

Thank you