Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and war correspondent Peter Arnett has died at the age of 91, as reported by multiple media outlets. Arnett won the notable international reporting prize in 1996 for his extensive Vietnam War coverage while with the Associated Press (AP). He gained further acclaim for his notable tenure at CNN, where he became a household name during the first Gulf War.
Born in New Zealand in 1934, Arnett dedicated decades to journalism, covering numerous conflicts across the globe, including in Iraq, Vietnam, and El Salvador. His son confirmed that Arnett passed away surrounded by loved ones in California after receiving hospice care for prostate cancer.
Arnett began his journalism career with AP as a wire-service correspondent in Vietnam from 1962 until the war's conclusion in 1975. During this time, he risked his life to report from the front lines, often accompanying troops on missions. He poignantly recalled the moment he witnessed a soldier being shot while trying to read a map, highlighting the chaos and dangers of war.
After leaving AP in 1981, Arnett joined CNN, where he remained a key international voice during the first Gulf War. His reporting from Baghdad was particularly notable, where he covered the conflict's brutal realities as one of the few Western reporters present in the city. One of his live broadcasts famously recorded missile sounds and air-raid sirens while he relayed the tense situation to viewers.
In 1997, he became the first Western journalist to interview Osama Bin Laden in a secret location in Afghanistan. Arnett’s commitment to presenting the truth often put him at odds with his employers, resulting in his controversial dismissal from NBC following a critical interview on Iraqi state television, after which he was quickly hired by the Daily Mirror.
Colleagues remembered Arnett as an intrepid and fearless journalist. Edith Lederer, a former AP colleague, described him as one of the greatest war correspondents of his era, with a legacy that would inspire future generations of journalists. Arnett is survived by his wife Nina Nguyen and their two children, Andrew and Elsa.
