This cracks me up. Al-Qaida thought they could rely on the Arab media to support them, but no, Al Jazeera seems to be happy pissing off everyone!
"Al-Qaida's wing in Iraq slammed Al Jazeera television on Sunday, saying the satellite channel often criticized by Washington was siding with the United States in its reporting on the violence in the Arab country.
An Al Jazeera spokesman rejected the criticism of its coverage, saying it was balanced.
“Where are you heading, Jazeera? Why this hostility toward the mujahideen (holy warriors)?” the group led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said, according to a statement posted on an Islamist Web site.
“All the American army statements are carried and accepted but no one carries the mujahedeen’s side.”
It said Al Jazeera had reported U.S. statements that its forces had killed 50 insurgents in an operation underway in western Iraq, but did not broadcast the group’s statement that it had shot down eight U.S. helicopters.
“Where is the claimed balance?” the statement said.
It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the Web statement, signed by the group’s spokesman.
The criticism followed accusations by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld earlier this month that the Qatar-based channel encouraged militants by airing hostage executions. Al Jazeera denies broadcasting any executions.
Al Jazeera spokesman Jihad Ballout said the popular Arab channel, which has an estimated 40 million viewers, was used to being criticized by opposing sides."
You would think Al-Qaida would be happy with the head chopping coverage they get. What more do you people want?
San Nakji for President!
2 comments:
I think the US tended to think Al Jazeera was anti-US because, well, Al Jazeera would print things that the US didn't people to know (much like papers in France, the UK, Australia, Germany, Scandinavia, etc.). In other words, the US was angry at Al Jazeera because they wouldn't fall in line (i.e., accept everything so uncritically) like so much of American media did.
They also provided a conduit for news from the other side, which convinced many in the US that Al Jazeera was out to get the US. To Al Jazeera, this was not taking sides, but rather, it was being objective.
But this post of yours shows that Al Jazeera really is trying to be in the middle. They aren't anti-US per se, and they certainly aren't pro-terrorist or extremist. In fact, to some extent the Islamists despise them.
Thanks for the post. I agree with you, they are just telling it like it is!
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