Posted on 07/09/2004 6:21:53 AM PDT by Isara
Media: The U.S. administrator said goodbye to the Iraqis, and at least some were moved by his words. It was the type of story that the prestige press tries to ignore.
Actually, two influential dailies, The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, did more than ignore Paul Bremer's speech. They simply denied that it occurred.
Bremer's remarks aired on Arab-language TV on June 28, the day the U.S. restored Iraqi sovereignty. One Iraqi, a 33-year-old Baghdad physician named Ali who runs the Iraq the Model Web log with his two brothers, reported how a busy hall went quiet when Bremer appeared on the screen:
"The speech was impressive and you could hear the sound of a needle if one had dropped it," Ali wrote.
He said Bremer quoted (in Arabic) a famous poem about leaving Baghdad, and ended by saying: "A'ash Al-Iraq, A'ash Al-Iraq, A'ash Al'Iraq!" (Long live Iraq.)
"I was deeply moved by this great man's words," the blogger said, "but I couldn't prevent myself from watching the effect of his words on my friends, some of whom were anti-Americans and some were skeptic(s), although some of them have shared my optimism. I found that they were touched even more deeply than I was."
The next day, Post readers heard quite a different story. According to reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Bremer left "with a somber air of exhaustion. There was no farewell address to the Iraqi people, no celebratory airport send-off."
On July 4, with the speech widely reported on the Web, Alissa Rubin of the L.A. Times claimed Bremer "left without even giving a final speech to the country — almost as if he were afraid to look in the eye the people he had ruled for more than a year."
Notice the Times and Post stories had a not-so-subtle point: The U.S. mission in Iraq had failed and Bremer's presence had become an embarrassment. Hence the idea he had to slink silently away.
If they were honest with the facts, their stories would have been more complex. They would have had to admit that some Iraqis were hopeful for the future and, yes, even grateful to Bremer.
We've seen nothing from the Post, but the Times printed a correction that may reveal more than it wants its readers to know. By way of excuse, it said the farewell speech was taped for Iraqi broadcast media but "was not publicized to the Western news media."
If we read that right, the Times is paying good money to reporters in Iraq who can't keep up with local TV or the blogs and expect authorities to spoon-feed them the news. It's hard to say which is worse, lazy reporting or biased reporting.
Never. They appears to be gaining more and more momentum. Think they'll cover the request for an apology for last night's remarks at the fund raiser by Goldberg?
"was not publicized to the Western news media."
How nice, they got caught lying so they correct the first lie with a second.
I get it. My 16 yo daughter..for crying out loud, get's it..!! But there are millions in this country...that just don't have a clue.
Sigh..................
We can only wish, but the Rats eat their drivel up and that is what holds them up.
FoxNews managed to broadcast (live) Bremer's farewell comments as he officially turned over authority to the Iraqi Interim Government.
It is amazing that many of the main liberal media couldn't find the broadcast. Couldn't? or Didn't want to?
Then they say Bremer sneaked out of Bagdad in the middle of the night. Well, partially true---it was the middle of the night---in Chicago. But in Bagdad it was around 10:00 a.m., bright sunny day as Bremer walked to the vehicle awaiting to take him to the airport.
The liberal media slept and missed all that.
How can we approach people telling them what they are reading and watching is distorted and biased?
IOW.....they are all Jayson Blair's.
Bremer leaves and we are accused of leaving..........
Bremer gave a farewell speech? No way. I saw multiple reports saying he didn't because he was afraid and had to sneek out of the country in the dark of night.
Hmmmm? I have a guess ..??
On 11/2 .. when their lies about Kerry being even with Bush .. show up as a landslide for Bush.
I just want to see them standing there with their mouths wide open .. revealing to one and all that the media had been lying through their teeth all the time.
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