Guidelines for Reporters in Combat Told

EASTERN SAUDI ARABIA — U.S. commanders proposed a 12-page set of dos and don’ts Thursday to govern relations between reporters and the military during combat in case the Persian Gulf standoff leads to war.

Unlike Vietnam, where reporters were generally free to roam freely in the fighting zones, the military this time plans to assign journalists to “combat pools” in which they must share whatever information is gathered with their colleagues.

Here are some of the rules, as listed in a memo given reporters:

In the event of hostilities, pool reports will be subject to security review prior to release.

You must remain with your military escort at all times. . . .

You must be physically fit. If you are unable to withstand the rigorous conditions required to operate with the forward-deployed forces, you will be . . . evacuated.

Interviews with military personnel entering/departing the (Saudi) Ministry of Defense or other public places will be coordinated in advance. . . . There will be no ‘ambush interviews.’

The following categories of information are not releasable: Number of troops, number of aircraft, tanks, trucks, water trucks. . . . Names of military installations, specific geographic locations of U.S. military units (unless specifically released by the Department of Defense). Rules of engagement details. Information on intelligence activities. Information identifying postponed or canceled operations. Coverage of religious services in . . . Saudi Arabia.