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-- Freedom of the Press in Iraq?

Posted by MrSquirrel on Sep-24-2003 01:42:

Freedom of the Press in Iraq?

I was just flipping through CNN's site (in hopes of finding the missing $200 bill pics from the BBC ) when I stumbled on this story:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast...reax/index.html

Kind of hypocritical to be banning a couple of news organizations from government press briefings when you talk about "freedom and democracy" all day isn't it?

MrS

Posted by Yoepus on Sep-24-2003 01:46:

As far as I know, I heard that Al J. and another Arab news organization were suspsended for Iraq by the Iraqi Legislative Council (or whatever they call it) for aiding and supporting terrorist actions. Either by invokation or direct support.

If that has a spectical of truth to it, I don't see why they shouldn't evict them or why it would run contrary to freedom of press (or is it speech..).

Posted by occrider on Sep-24-2003 02:07:

Here's an actual article as opposed to a Q&A report.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3131152.stm

Posted by Renegade on Sep-24-2003 02:18:

I saw something about this on the news earlier this morning. Keep in mind that it's not actually the American administration that introduced the ban, it's the Iraqi governing council. According to the story I saw (it was either on BBC or CNN) the American administrators had nothing to do with it, and for various reasons (including the likely public backlash) would have probably prefered for the ban to have been averted.

But it's interesting that the former Iraqi administration (i.e. the Baathist party) banned the station on the basis that it was anti-Arabic and the current administration has banned it on the basis that it is pro-Arabic, in their opinion, to the point that it incites violence against non-Arabic people. Good sign though - you know you're doing something right when both sides of the political spectrum accuse you of "bias".

Posted by MrSquirrel on Sep-24-2003 02:22:

I must say though....Ahmed Chalabi is far from being well-liked at Al-Aribiya. Every time I saw one of their senior anchors ina panel discussion on Nightline or The NewsHour or some CNN show they all basically called him a crook.

Seeing as he is now "President" of the governing counsel maybe he is paying them back?

Just a minor conspiracy theory that popped into my head. But I always have gotten the "used car salesman" vibe from him. Call it a hunch but I don't think he really cares all that much for the general populace of Iraq.

BTW thanks for the real story occrider....I am still lookin for those damn $200 bill pictures.

EDIT: SCORE!!! See money thread

MrS

Posted by occrider on Sep-24-2003 02:24:

quote:
Originally posted by Renegade
I saw something about this on the news earlier this morning. Keep in mind that it's not actually the American administration that introduced the ban, it's the Iraqi governing council. According to the story I saw (it was either on BBC or CNN) the American administrators had nothing to do with it, and for various reasons (including the likely public backlash) would have probably prefered for the ban to have been averted.

But it's interesting that the former Iraqi administration (i.e. the Baathist party) banned the station on the basis that it was anti-Arabic and the current administration has banned it on the basis that it is pro-Arabic, in their opinion, to the point that it incites violence against non-Arabic people. Good sign though - you know you're doing something right when both sides of the political spectrum accuse you of "bias".

LOL that's the wrong answer renegade. If the murderous baathists banned it, and the evil Americans would like to ban it (but couldn't), then the matter they are banning has got to be intrinsicly GOOD!

Well I'm practical, if banning the station lessens the violence and death, and thereby hastening transition, then I'm all for it.