Fox still hosting Dem-smearing Ralph Peters, who suggested Taliban kill captured soldier

Since August, Fox News has hosted “Fox News strategic analyst” Ralph Peters at least 31 times, despite his suggestion last July that the Taliban should kill a captured U.S. soldier. In his most recent Fox appearance, Peters called for the firing of attorney general Eric Holder because he “seems to have never met a terrorist he didn't want to hug.”

In a July 2009 Fox appearance, Peters blasted the Taliban-captured Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl as a “liar, we're not sure if he's a deserter.” Peters added that if Bergdahl is a deserter, “the Taliban can save us a lot of legal hassles and legal bills.”

Peters' remarks set off a flurry of angry reaction from military and veteran quarters. The Pentagon reportedly said that his remarks “could endanger” the captured soldier. Then-Vice Chairman of VoteVets.org Brandon Friedman, who now works at the Department of Veterans Affairs, wrote that “proposing that an American soldier should be executed by the Taliban is extraordinarily inappropriate at best -- regardless of whether or not the soldier is a deserter.” Twenty-three veterans in Congress (Republicans and Democrats) criticized Peters and Fox News; Congressman and retired Navy Commander Eric Massa called on Fox to fire Peters.

On August 29, Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade exclaimed, “I always love talking” to Peters. The feeling is mutual: Between August 1, 2009, and February 3, Peters appeared on Fox News and Fox Business Network shows at least 31 times.* During his appearances, Peters claimed that Obama is “too vain” to fire “politically correct appoint[ee]” Janet Napolitano; Obama “doesn't think” [9-11] was “any big deal”; and “I'm sick of hearing that Islam is a religion of peace,” “It's clear that the problem is Islam.”

The New York Post, which, like Fox News, is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., publishes Peters as a columnist. Peters is also a regular guest on Fox News Radio.

During his appearances on the network, Fox News helped Peters sell his science fiction book, The War After Armageddon.

Peters' continued appearances on Fox beg the question: just what does someone have to do to get fired by Fox?

*America's Nightly Scoreboard (FBN): December 2, February 3. Cavuto (FBN): September 25, November 24. Fox & Friends: August 1, August 29, September 5, September 16, September 20, September 30, October 7, October 10, November 7, November 14, November 29, December 2, December 12, January 16, January 24. Glenn Beck: December 3. The O'Reilly Factor: August 7, September 3, September 10, September 15, September 24, November 6, November 10, December 28, January 7. Money for Breakfast (FBN): August 14. Your World with Neil Cavuto: November 9.