Saddam and the CBC

National Post ^ | 12-18-03 | National Post

[Freemeorkillme]

On Monday, National Post columnist Colby Cosh predicted the left would try to figure out some way to disparage Saddam Hussein's capture. We were skeptical. Finding the Iraqi dictator was plainly a massive victory both for U.S.-led coalition forces and freedom-loving Iraqis. Left-leaning media outlets, we expected, would have the good sense to realize that any effort to present this news in a negative light would come across as contrived and petty.

But as the Monday-night installment of CBC's National news telecast made clear, we were wrong.

All week, millions of people in Iraq have been celebrating Saddam's capture. So what footage did CBC reporter Nahlah Ayed show us to lead off the public TV network's broadcast? Why, an angry group of Saddam loyalists, of course. Ms. Ayed then told us that, aside from more violence, "Saddam's capture seemed to make little difference to what's become the everyday here." For good measure, she added later that the former dictator's capture is militarily meaningless and, therefore, Iraq "will likely continue to witness more bombings, more killings, and more injustice."

CBC viewers were then whisked off to Washington where reporter David Halton suggested Saddam's capture had caused U.S. President George W. Bush to lapse into a characteristically "gloating" oratorical style. In conclusion, Mr. Halton informed viewers that "what some Democrats worry about" -- i.e., what the CBC worries about -- "is a big show trial in the fall that will remind people of Saddam's atrocities just before the presidential vote."

From there, CBC viewers were taken to Kabul to get Afghans' take on Saddam's capture. Why Afghanistan? We haven't the foggiest -- except that the backdrop provided a convenient pretext to remind Canadians that, although Saddam is caught, Osama bin Laden -- who "many argue ... is far more dangerous than the former Iraqi leader" -- is still at large.

CBC viewers who hadn't already turned off their sets were later treated to an anti-American hit-job segment titled Skeletons in the Closet, in which reporter Brian Stewart focused on U.S. links with Saddam a generation ago. It was, in fact, France and the Soviet Union that supplied Saddam with most of his 1980s-era arsenal. Yet, oddly, the CBC piece focussed almost entirely on the United States as Saddam's friend. Go figure.

To summarize, here are the impressions a casual viewer might have taken from Monday night's CBC news: (1) Iraqis still love Saddam, and so his capture has only enraged them; (2) Despite Mr. Bush's "gloating," things will get worse; (3) Saddam's trial will be a propaganda trick engineered to re-elect a Republican president; (4) To the extent Saddam did anything bad, America was the real villain; and (5) Saddam's capture is meaningless anyway because Osama is still on the loose.

That all seems fair, doesn't it? You can really see what CBC News editor-in-chief Tony Burman was talking about when he told National Post readers earlier this year that "informed citizenship benefits from the expression of the fullest range of responsible opinion on important issues, rather than artificially limiting the spectrum of debate to favour one particular perspective."

Sarcasm aside, this is yet another example of left-wing, anti-American bias at the CBC. We remind the network's executives again that the public broadcaster is funded to the tune of $850-million per year by Canadian taxpayers. It should not -- and must not -- serve as a closed-circuit forum for the predictable biases of a tiny clique.

We have heard a great deal about corporate governance in recent days. If the CBC board of directors -- which is appointed by the prime minister -- fails in its public duty, perhaps Canada's public broadcaster should be subject to oversight by a more pro-active, hands-on board whose composition is determined by less partisan criteria.

[Freemeorkillme]

Pretty telling, isn't it.

"To summarize, here are the impressions a casual viewer might have taken from Monday night's CBC news: (1) Iraqis still love Saddam, and so his capture has only enraged them; (2) Despite Mr. Bush's "gloating," things will get worse; (3) Saddam's trial will be a propaganda trick engineered to re-elect a Republican president; (4) To the extent Saddam did anything bad, America was the real villain; and (5) Saddam's capture is meaningless anyway because Osama is still on the loose."

[MizRiz9]

My God, these Rats have NO Shame

[Old Sarge]

And the sheep will believe. Happy are they who have received The Word.

[dighton]

Saddamfreude Watch

[speedy]

Obviously CBC uses the same scriptwriters as PBS and BBC and the North Korean News Agency.

[IncPen]

ping, esp. #4

[Adrastus]

I notice that CBC is as free with the negative reports as ours is. Somebody tell me why there have been no reporting on the Arab newspaper editorials and letters applauding the capture of Saddam? The CBC I can live with. Nothing new there, but, what about the US reports? Fox, etc?

[Tench_Coxe]

Actually, it was interesting to catch CNN overseas. They reported the news as it happened the night of Saddam's capture. Finally, the next day they were interviewing Iraqis that said things were better under Saddam.

[catpuppy]

This confirms why there should not be a CBC, a BBC or a PBS. Let them try to peddle that stuff in the market place. They'd all be gone within a year if forced to make it without taxpayer funds.

[headsonpikes]

And from the Communist Broadcasting Corporation we should expect just what, exactly?

Steyn could write a column like this every day of the week about the House Organ of the Party.

[risk]

A bit about our correspondent:

Nahlah Ayed joined the CBC in November 2002, to work in a new pocket bureau in Amman. In this capacity, she reported from Baghdad in the months leading up to the war in Iraq, filed war coverage from Amman then returned to Iraq for the fall of Baghdad. Previously, she was a reporter for the Canadian Press, covering the governing Liberals, justice and immigration issues, and more recently, the war in Afghanistan. Ayed has won several awards for her print work, including a citation for the Michener Award for a series on the living conditions for women living in Canada's prison system. A graduate of Carleton University's journalism program, Ayed also holds a Master's Degree from the University of Manitoba. She is fluent in Arabic. Ayed has also worked for the Ottawa Citizen and CTV.

[Freemeorkillme]

Thanks for enhancing the thread, though, risk, I still can't find the actual author. I've looked for the link from Ayed to the article but haven't been able to produce is yet.

If you have a direct link, please don't leave me in the dark.

FRee Regards,

FMOKM

[risk]

From the article: So what footage did CBC reporter Nahlah Ayed show us to lead off the public TV network's broadcast? Why, an angry group of Saddam loyalists, of course..

[wizardoz]

Makes me think of Richard Gere's number, "A tapdance!" in CHICAGO. Wait till we catch OBL. Then you'll see some real tapdancing. Gritted teeth and tap-dancing. Quite a combo. Hope they break the caps off their teeth.

[Kaslin]

CBC viewers were then whisked off to Washington where reporter David Halton suggested Saddam's capture had caused U.S. President George W. Bush to lapse into a characteristically "gloating" oratorical style.

Does anyone remember seeing the president gloating? I certainly don't.