Fisk, here: "Sewage is coming through the manhole covers, there's still only 15 hours electricity a day and anarchy grips the streets of Baghdad, but yesterday America's toothless Iraqi "interim council" roared like a lion, issuing a set of restrictions and threats - against the press, of course. Aimed primarily at the Arab satellite channels al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya, which always air Saddam Hussein's tape recordings, the almost Orwellian rules -- each of which begins with the words "do not" -- mean Iraqi or foreign press and television news organizations can be closed if they "advocate the return of the Baath party or issue any statements that represent the Baath directly or indirectly [sic]". The council, which was appointed by Paul Bremer, the US proconsul, admitted yesterday that it had consulted his legal advisers before issuing its set of restrictions. True to the chaos that governs Baghdad, the council's spokesman Intefadh Qanbar - Ahmed Chalabi's man - initially said al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya were to be closed in Iraq. Within two hours, news emerged that the two Arabic-language channels would be punished for their alleged transgressions by being refused all co-operation from the "interim council" for two weeks - a punishment many journalists here would wish to have inflicted on them. But the list nevertheless provides an intriguing reflection on the "democracy" that Mr Bremer - who ordered his legal advisers to draw up censorship rules in the late spring - wishes to bestow on Iraqis..." That Bush team, they are very funny, in a "ought to have their asses kicked" sort of way...
Robert Fisk is simply the best investigative journalist in the Mid-East. My daughter and I had the pleasure of meeting him last year. Of course, this entitled my daughter to claim one degree of separation (Fisk) from Osama bin Laden. She mentioned this to her high school journalism teacher, and the teacher asked, "who is Robert Fisk?" Needless to say, my daughter wanted out of that class. The US, and Bremer in particular, are in a very difficult situation in Iraq. The seventh revision of our mission there is to impose a model, modern democracy. So now the actions there need to appear to support that objective, even though such an objective is almost unachievable. It would be interesting to see the real plan for the US in Iraq. It certainly isn't what we've been told (WMD, 45 minutes, mushroom cloud over America, 9/11 link, al Qaeda link, yellow cake uranium, weaponized small pox,....)
You know bulls go after red... Ben turns off his brain when the magic word "Israel" is even implicit. Fisk criticizes heavily israel policies, fisk is not a journalist. There you have also why a left leaning man, interested and caring about welfare system and social justice, sees no (or very little) problem in iraqi war and occupation, Bush's lies and so on. It's ok for Israel than no other issues are important.
Is this what passes for "argumentation" in your neck of the woods, BR? I'll admit I hadn't heard of Fisk before, so quickly googled his name. Simply put, others seem to disagree with your assessment. "The most decorated British foreign correspondent, Fisk has been based in the Middle East for the last twenty-five years, and his knowledge of the area is unparalleled. He has interviewed Osama bin Laden three times, once in the Sudan and twice in Afghanistan, and his take on the man is instructive." -The Progressive
I hold this quaint notion that journalists should maintain some semblance of objectivity. I'm not a fan of Fox "journalism" either. No, no. First of all, the Iraq war has harmed Israel (greatly, in my opinion). I can't see how you could think Israel benefits from this unless Bush was correct about Saddam's tremendous capabilities. Second, I'm a lot more right-wing about foreign policy than domestic. Third, if I were Iraqi, I would support the war (easy to say, I admit). Fourth, Americans desparately want to be lied to. They despise honest politicians (ask Walter Mondale). Bush was just doing exactly what Americans demand. Who can blame him for that? Is it a lie if you know the person is lying? (really, is it?, I'm asking..) Lastly, many of my comments on the war have to do with Democratic politics. Americans want to see their President as: but are more concerned about
Have you ever thought that maybe it's you being not objective? At least Fisk goes there to see and judge with his eyes and brain. Sure... That's why Israel tried hardly to stop it... Each day I could read members of sharon's cabinet asking for war against iraq. http://www.israeleconomy.org/strat1.htm Read this But I trust you if you say that you think Israel has no benefits. As a sidenote, am I the only one who notices the similitudes in the approach (and in the actual "opinion makers") with neocons' agenda? Am I the only one who notices that this strategy is very near to what has happened these past years being Sharon in power? Well, we have the king of liars as a PM... Maybe when movies, tv and other medias will stop painting the world as Fantasyland as they do most of the times mankind will grow in its awareness. Guess it's unlikely... this would affect consumptions and spendings. And the real religion with its dogmas, nowadays, is money. This society is doped with growth hormones.
Fisk has already made up his mind decades ago. There's no doubt that many Israelis supported the war, but it was very much not in their interests. By the way, another part of the report is clearly not in Israel's best interest: