Posted on 10/10/2009 6:16:52 PM PDT by Saije
Reporters from the controversial Arab TV channel Al Jazeera - infamous for broadcasting video messages from Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden - are to be allowed to report for the first time alongside UK troops from the frontline in Afghanistan.
Until now, so-called 'embeds' in Helmand Province, where most UK troops are fighting, have been restricted to British media outlets such as the BBC, ITV and Sky, plus US TV stations.
But the Ministry of Defence confirmed last night that Al Jazeera - dubbed 'terror television' for broadcasting hostage executions and the deaths of British and US soldiers - is to be given permission to report from the Afghan war zone.
The MoD claims its decision was made in order to reach millions of Muslims and Arabs in the UK and the rest of the world who might otherwise be denied the chance to see how British Forces are trying to free the Afghans from Taliban rule.
It is keen to persuade the Arab world that, unlike the Taliban, British forces make extraordinary efforts to avoid civilian casualties in the conflict.
But last night Tory MP David Davies warned that British soldiers' lives could be put at risk by allowing Al Jazeera's journalists to study UK military tactics.
Mr Davies said: 'I would be wary of this idea. The MoD should be aware that Al Jazeera has tended to be strongly biased towards Islamic causes. There is a danger that if they learn anything about the way the British Army operates it could put our soldiers' lives at risk.
'But if Al Jazeera is prepared to put across our message from Afghanistan in the impartial way it is presented by Western broadcasters, then there is just a chance it is an experiment worth a go.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Actually, I am glad Al Jazeera is allowed to report from the front line. They produce a much better quality newscast than any of the Western networks, without exception. They are unbiased and accurate, and well worth watching if you want to stay properly informed.
We receive Al Jazeera in NZ at nite: I don’t watch news (or TV) often, but when I do, I will watch Al Jazeera or nothing.
And all of this is an indictment to CNN, MSNBC and the rest of our MSM. And for this we can thank our Enemy: they do us a great Service indeed.
Matters have come to a pretty pass indeed when we must rely upon the Enemy’s news broadcasts to receive reliable, propaganda-free news from our war zones.
This sounds like something ZERO would do. Britain definitely needs new leadership for letting the wolf in the hen house. This is beyond stupidity.
Leads to one fact, cowardly politics and Euro-trash thinking deserves the label of “Useful Idiots.”
> Leads to one fact, cowardly politics and Euro-trash thinking deserves the label of “Useful Idiots.”
Let’s examine that idea for a moment. Al Jazeera broadcasts reliable news for the British from the war front.
CNN &tc broadcasts junk for the US from the war front. It is so bad they might as well be working for the enemy.
If what the British have are “Useful Idiots”, what is it that the US have? “Useless Idiots”? I think so. At least.
“Matters have come to a pretty pass indeed when we must rely upon the Enemy’s news broadcasts to receive reliable, propaganda-free news from our war zones.”
I don’t watch Al Jazeera so I’ll take your word for the quality of its news. I think the concern isn’t the bias or propaganda issue, it’s that AJ reporters might pass information to the enemy, not through broadcasts but privately. While BBC or NBC reporters may seem biased, I don’t think anyone believes that they are collaborating with the enemy behind the scenes. And maybe the AJ reporters won’t either.
“...Useless Idiots”? I think so. At least.”
Can not argue against that, although there is a not so subtle difference, useful versus useless, in the Euro-trash world they are useful to appeasement politics, in the GMSM/CNN world they preach useless dogma to the choir.
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