“It is a kill or be killed playground for our enemies”

“Our” enemies are not the same Morgoth – as you and anyone who thinks in those black-and-white terms – are part of the problem, not the solution. When we start reducing ourselves to the level of our enemies, then we become no better than them.

What is really sad, Morgoth, is that your narrative is so old and imbecile, and not even the most right-wing hack these days dares to bring up Saddam, democratic Iraq, purple fingers, or even Bush. That’s how ridiculous you have become. That you even contemplate to bring Obama – the anti-war candidate, and Clinton as a sign that you’ve won, just shows how unhinged and delusional you are.

That is how your brain is protecting your ego: it is giving you the bluepill.

It is a kill or be killed playground for our enemies, Douglas.

Regarding your Iraq point, I disagree. Even on the 12th September it was obvious that large sections of people simply would not countenance any action against Bin Laden, and that the “We are all Americans now” was a myth.

If Iraq had not gone ahead (and your “1 million” is ludicrous bollocks, btw, read the latest National Journal for background on that), people like you would shift the goalposts against the US.

You may give me a big hug AND do wiggly fingers if you like, Jai.

Consider it done, Katy !

Why is it that every solution to every problem you have with the world at large consists of killing folk? Is it because of your background? That the world is a kill or be killed playground for you?

What Barak Obama said in the debate is exactly right. Go after OBL, no matter where he is. That, sir, is a policing action. Your favourite wee politicians managed to take their collective eye completely off the ball what with their Iraq excursion. There were other ways to destabilise Iraq and turn it around. I am at a total loss to see how a million dead folk adds up to a success.

*wiggly fingers*

Actually, I’m siding with McCain and Guliliani.

But you didn’t mention McCain or Giuliani at all. I wonder why. It is the second time today that you talked about Obama and Clinton in a positive way. And you even mention them in the context of Bush and neo-cons having won it. Does that sound delusional to you?

“Obama has said… Clinton is if anything more eager…

Face it, Ravi, we’ve won.”

Oh yes, Bush’s presidency is all about winning. That is why you are now siding with Clinton and Obama.

Fantastic to see you back here. Am I allowed to give you a friendly hug ?

If not, how about a “wiggly fingers”, for old times’ sake ?

I hope your mother is well too.

Or are opinions conjured out of thin air and pass off as fact if stated with authority, conviction, and repetition?

Unlike, for example, stating that several people one has never met and knows very little about (with the exception of Sunny) are unable to “read, speak, and understand” a particular language…..

Ravi,
he changed his mind. Admirable in a politican, no?

No, Morgoth – it is criminal (#51). That he changed his mind knowing well the consequences – everything he said back in 1994 came true. But I am really in a good mood this year, because it represents the last of the Bush era, and people like you are going back to where you should never have left: the lunatic fringe.

“I don’t have any proof that Al-J Arabic does not have the same progressive content as Al-J English (as you don’t either)”

Exactly why I have refrained from saying anything about AJ-Arabic’s content!

“it is only the beginning of the year, but your posts seem to display a lot of anger.”

If you had to read Newsweek every week like I have to (and really, I have to for work purposes, not because I like reading Newsweek), you’d be really pissed off too.

“Now, if we are to talk about print publications in the US, Newsweek has to go. We should have weekly bonfires whereby we burn… He irritates me when I see him”

Come on, cosa dolce.. it is only the beginning of the year, but your posts seem to display a lot of anger. I am very optimistic this year, I could share some of it with you, if you like.

“I was talking about the CNN in the US, and how CNN’s coverage of both Gulf Wars.”

You were also talking about CNN’s global reach (#65). I am saying that CNN International – based on my superficial research – is different from the CNN you get in the US, which is to say, it is far better. Why is it better? Because CNN wouldn’t get much credibility here in Europe if it sanitised its news on Iraq, whereas CNN US was too scared to be seen as unpatriotic or even lose access to the White House. While I would not put it in the same league with Fox News, I totally agree with you that they are guilty of yellow and lazy journalism. And I certainly would not want that here in Britain.

I don’t have any proof that Al-J Arabic does not have the same progressive content as Al-J English (as you don’t either), but common sense tells me that it will not have, given that it will be marketed to ultra-conservative societies with repressive governments with no commitment to freedom of speech – and who can close any transmission they don’t like. I have a cynical attitude when it comes to news organisations, and that is why I try to look at different sources to get a clearer picture. And Al-J has no doubt been extremely important in giving the other voice, rather than following the same western narrative.

And speaking of media personalities, I can’t stand CNN’s Sanjay Gupta for some reason. He irritates me when I see him wobbling in some boat which is cruising along a river.

“It doesn’t really happen with the news channels, but certainly the British press frequently run overt campaigns to change laws or introduce new ones, both on the left and on the right, and at local and national level.”

I guess we can stretch the level of “activism” here and include the Judith Miller’s pieces in the NYT claiming that WMD were found in Iraq.

Oh, and she was running the military plans as well:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A28385-2003Jun24?language=printer

This WaPo article is great. Kudos to Kurtz.

“We don’t receive CNN US, but CNN International.For a few days back in 2005, I compared the coverage of both on the web, and boy were they different.”

Now, I can look at this comment with a little bit more credibility when making comparisons to CNN International vs. CNN USA. Because they’re both in English, and I am assuming that you are literate in English, Ravi.

But comparing AJ in English to the one in Arabic? I’ll be interested in the opinions of someone who actually can comprehend the AJ Arabic transmissions!

I was talking about the CNN in the US, and how CNN’s coverage of both Gulf Wars.

“But I believe he is right on the mark when he distinguishes between Al-J English and Arabic, which is the same as CNN US and International.”

Ravi, please forgive me for asking again, but how can you agree with what someone claims about Al Jazeera in Arabic if this person does not understand Arabic? I know it looks like I’m defending AJ in Arabic, but only to the point that it seems ridiculous to me that someone would say “OH, they don’t report on this and that!” when you don’t understand a freaking word of Arabic.

Seriously, come on. Like I can never say, “Well, the Hebrew press is pathetic and totally different from the Israeli press in English.” Why would I not say that? Because I can’t fucking read Hebrew!

Tell me how Sunny, Jai, and Ravi can say Al Jazeera in Arabic is like this and that when none of you guys can read, speak, and understand it (as far as I know).

Or are opinions conjured out of thin air and pass off as fact if stated with authority, conviction, and repetition?

“No, it’s not irrelevant, and the topic under which I was making that point isn’t the one you wrote above. I was talking about the “flair” of CNN that you love, and I was telling you that this flair reporting can have dire effects”

We don’t receive CNN US, but CNN International. For a few days back in 2005, I compared the coverage of both on the web, and boy were they different. CNN International main headlines were about Iraq quagmire. The US version was more focused on entertainment news, and Iraq news were buried and sanitised.

I don’t agree with Hundal that our news should have more ‘flair’, and there is no reason for anyone to stay more than 30 minutes watching the news. The whole point about 24-hour channel news is that you can watch the news at any time – not all the time.

But I believe he is right on the mark when he distinguishes between Al-J English and Arabic, which is the same as CNN US and International. They do this because they want to customise their product to their audiences… and governments.

I think watching or reading CNN, BBC and Al-J is a good way to balance your news intake. Why should we trust only one source? And Hundal, you need to get a girlfriend – it is not that healthy to stay more than 3 hours in front of your TV set.