THE Pentagon says Geraldo Rivera is welcome to go back into Iraq with U.S. troops - now that he's learned his lesson.
Chased off the frontlines by charges he'd compromised troop safety, Geraldo Rivera yesterday left Iraq for Kuwait - where he was immediately re-assigned as a "general war correspondent."
But the Pentagon last night said Rivera can go back if Fox gets another opportunity to "embed" a journalist with troops, Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. David Lapan told The Post
"As long as it is clear to him and to [Fox News] what was wrong the first time and that it not happen again," Lapan said. Fox News officials declined to comment yesterday.
It was a stunning turn-around for Geraldo, who appeared just 24 hours ago to be on the verge of a career meltdown.
Rivera's latest gaffe infuriated U.S. war commanders who - at one point Tuesday -threatened to remove him physically from the battle zone if he did not "voluntarily" agree to leave.
It all began early Monday morning, when the high-flying reporter drew a map in the sand on live TV that clearly showed the position of U.S. troops in relation to Iraqi troops - breaking the Pentagon's cardinal rule for embedded reporters.
An angry field commander immediately ordered Rivera expelled from the combat zone.
Word of his expulsion apparently didn't immediately reach Rivera who, several hours later, denied on the air that he was leaving and blamed "rats" at his former employer, NBC, had been spreading "lies" about him.
After that, the Pentagon announced publicly that Geraldo was mistaken and he had to leave Iraq.
But Rivera stalled, filing a third report from inside Iraq Tuesday morning - which proved a final straw for Pentagon officials who threatened to remove Rivera by force if he did not leave by Tuesday night.
"We [were] hoping that he would leave voluntarily and keep his dignity intact," a Pentagon source said.
Meanwhile, a war of promos has broken out between Fox and MSNBC over the Rivera/Peter Arnett controversy.
Earlier this week, MCNBC aired a chest-thumping spot that said: "We won't report anything that would put our troops in harm's way," a dig at Rivera.
Fox was quick to repsond with a promo of its own, starring Peter Arnett. "He said America's war against terrorism has failed. he even vilified America's leadership and he works for MSNBC. Ask yourself, is this America;s news channel?"
Fox officials say the rivalry was a fun distraction from the grim reality of war coverage.
"Sometimes we like playing against the JV," said a spokeswoman.
I just about died when I saw he was over there to begin with. They should keep him around though, there's gonna be alot of bunkers to go through in Baghdad before this is over.
