Tailwind commander says he turned down CNN's offer for financial deal

The commander of the Operation Tailwind military mission in Laos says he rejected CNN's offer of a financial settlement after the network retracted its story that nerve gas was used against American defectors during the mission.

Eugene McCarley, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, also called apologies offered by CNN founder Ted Turner and Chairman Tom Johnson insincere.CNN, which retracted its June 7 report about the Vietnam-era mission and fired its two producers, has quietly begun trying to reach settlements with potential lawsuit plaintiffs, Forbes magazine reports in its Aug. 10 issue.

At least two law firms have offered to sue CNN on behalf of men involved in the mission, Forbes said.

CNN confirmed last week that it had reached a settlement with retired Adm. Thomas Moorer, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was used as a source for the story.