forpressfoundLeaked al Jazeera Memos: Bush confirming press killingsSat Nov 26, 2005 16:04
Leaked al Jazeera Memos: Bush confirming press killings?
by Henk Ruyssenaars
FPF - Nov. 26th - 2005 - Among many journalists who feel threatened by the deadly 'Whip of Washington', there's quite a global uproar concerning the leaked documents which seem to be confirming Bush's plans to bomb al Jazeera. In intelligent European press circles nobody believes this exuberant remark by Bush was some kind of 'joke'. It is by most logically understood that in the document - which frantically is kept secret - Bush tells British PM Blair that killing and bombing can be done: "We've done it before, and we get away with it" - Bush is suspected of bragging. This 'confession of specific crimes' by Bush will - if and when published by the media - understandably be not only another PR disaster for Washington's motor in the empire - their 'War of Terror' - but one more huge reason to drag Bush c.s. into Court.
In England Blair's neocon government still sternly warns news organizations against publishing the transcript of this secret memo with the conversation between PM Tony Blair and 'President' Bush about again illegally bombing the Arabic news network Al-Jazeera. According to the UK paper 'The Daily Mirror' "Blair talked Bush out of launching an air strike against Al-Jazeera's headquarters in Qatar - a U.S. ally - during an April 16, 2004 meeting at the White House."
It is thought that in the leaked - and now hidden again documents - Bush in this case - and especially to convince his 'fellow traveler' in war crimes Tony Blair - refers to the earlier by the US Air Force committed illegal bombing of two al Jazeera offices, and the US tank attack the same day on the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad, where most journalists, correspondents and assorted media were and nowadays only a few are staying. Among journalists and other people - especially in the Arab and other thinking world - Bush has more prices on his head than hair.
It was a deadly and bloody attack on the journalists staying in the Palestine Hotel, and like the atrocious attacks on al Jazeera, apparently deliberately done by the US forces. It is clearly shown too, in the documentary movie 'Control Room', and was last year among others written about by the excellent journalist, Mike Whitney.*
After seeing the movie he wrote: "No one who sees this shocking segment will confuse it for anything other than what it was....cold blooded murder, authored and directed by the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. (Al Jazeera even provided the US Military with its exact coordinates so they wouldn't be attacked as they were in Kabul)."
We all know - also thanks to the BBC's former top foreign correspondent Kate Adie - who was fired because she tried to be a good journalist - that journalists which not 'tow the US propaganda line' are seen by some groups of the US and other nationaities 'Special Forces' as legitemate targets, 'and they have been warned'. In an interview with Irish radio, Ms. Adie said the Pentagon had threatened to fire on the satellite uplink positions of independent journalists in Iraq, and - questioned about the consequences of such potentially fatal actions - a senior Pentagon officer had said: "Who cares.. ..They've been warned."
According to Ms. Adie, who twelve years ago covered the last Gulf War, the Pentagon attitude is: "entirely hostile to the the free spread of information." - Url.: http://tinyurl.com/bkzum
How the killing of information and journalists is performed, was very well described by Mike Whitney in an article on 'Control Room/Inside Al Jazeera', and should be remembered when the debate on the al Jazeera bombing memos 'and why they must be kept secret' goes on.
Mike Whitney: There's a chilling scene in Jahane Noujaim's new documentary Control Room where an American F-16 is seen slowly turning in the sky over Baghdad. The plane arcs lazily in the blue sky and then quickly noses downward, following a straight line towards the building that houses the Al Jazeera news facility. In a flash, two laser guided missiles are fired at the building and their impact knocks out the visual. It all happens in a matter of seconds.
VETERAN JOURNALIST, TARIK AYOUB WAS KILLED INSTANTLY IN THE ATTACK.
Later that same day, fighter pilots would bomb the Abu Dhabi media facility in similar fashion. The day's events would end on the streets of Baghdad where an Abrams Tank slowly turned its turret towards the Palestine Hotel; the accommodation for all the visiting media in Iraq. The tank lifted its muzzle towards the 13th floor, and moments later fired...killing a Spanish journalist and wounding three others.
No one who sees this shocking segment will confuse it for anything other than what it was....cold blooded murder, authored and directed by the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. (Al Jazeera even provided the US Military with its exact coordinates so they wouldn't be attacked as they were in Kabul)
THE COMPELLING NEED TO GENERATE PROFITS IS SIMPLY INCOMPATIBLE WITH OBJECTIVE REPORTING.
Al Jazeera was recently criticized by Iraq's new provisional government for "incitement." - In response they issued the following statement; "These kinds of allegations will not prevent the channel from pursuing its long cherished editorial independence, or its adherence to professional principles and internationally recognized media practices."
Editorial independence? Professional principles? - When was the last time these qualities were even remotely connected to western media? - FOX News, look out!
I'd be surprised if a lot of people don't find this movie as fascinating and infectious as I did.
Give it a shot...it's worth the 8 bucks.
MIKE WHITNEY
Do read the rest of this very good story! - It's at Url.: http://counterpunch.org/whitney07272004.html
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CNN about 'Bomb Jazeera' Memo: Media warned - Url.: http://tinyurl.com/aud3d
Google latest 'News' - Al Jazeera calls for Bush memo to be made public -
Url.: http://tinyurl.com/97fkz
Fwd. in agreement by:
FOREIGN PRESS FOUNDATION
http://forpressfound.blogspot.com/
Editor: Henk Ruyssenaars
http://tinyurl.com/amn3q
The Netherlands
FPF@Chello.nl
* The Nuremberg principles: "Any person who commits an act which constitutes a crime under international law is responsible therefor and liable to punishment." - Url.: http://tinyurl.com/byurp
* 'The war in Iraq is illegal' - BBC: video & text-interview of the United Nation's Secretary General Kofi Annan - Url.:http://tinyurl.com/5pl2v
* Help all the troops of whatever nationality to come back from abroad! We need them badly at home in many countries - AND WITH ALL THEIR WEAPONS, WHICH WE PAID FOR BY TAXES - to fight with us against our so called 'governments' and their malignant managers - Url.: http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/
FPF-COPYRIGHT NOTICE - In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107 - any copyrighted work in this message is distributed by the Foreign Press Foundation under fair use, without profit or payment, to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the information. Url.: http://liimirror.warwick.ac.uk/uscode/17/107.html
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