Through their tough questions, our television anchors may have provoked the US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton to make the rather curt statement she did in her interview last night. She said, "If you do not want to accept US assistance, you are at liberty to reject the same. The anchors, in their misplaced enthusiasm to appear patriotic, may have rubbed the generous spirit of the sole super power the wrong way. This episode reminds me of the poor man who was nagging his employer to raise his salary with the proviso of an 'otherwise...'. Curious to find out as to what the employee would do if his demand was not met, the employer called the bluff. The employee had to say that 'otherwise', he would serve on the same salary. These anchors who have become virtually an information cartel in the electronic media probably do not know the direct relationship between the economic development and independence. What the anchors should have told the distinguished guest was that the financial assistance being provided through KLB is not enough because our anti war losses have exceeded US$ 35 billion. The anchors' interview of Clinton will encourage the terrorists to kill more innocent people because the position of anchors and terrorists on KLB is the same. Our talented talk show hosts can hide behind the rubric of press freedom as long as they want. But do they know that the nation is at war and they are supposed to unite and not confuse people? -B. A. MALIK, Islamabad, October 29.