Nets Pounce on No bin Laden-Saddam Link, But Bush Believed Media

Media Research Center ^ | Thursday June 17, 2004 | staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The 1,743^rd CyberAlert. Tracking Liberal Media Bias Since 1996
Thursday June 17, 2004 (Vol. Nine; No. 106)
 

1. Nets Pounce on No bin Laden-Saddam Link, But Bush Believed Media
The networks pounced Wednesday night on how the 9-11 Commission decided, as CNN’s David Ensor put it in echoing the commission’s exaggeration of administration claims, “the commission staff report says Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11 and backs that up with some evidence.” CBS’s John Roberts stressed how the commission undermined President Bush, describing the Iraq connection as “one of President Bush’s last surviving justifications for war in Iraq.” Roberts charged: “The report is yet another blow to the President’s credibility.” ABC’s Terry Moran proposed: “After the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq undermined President Bush’s main argument for going to war, this new finding by the 9-11 Commission challenges his case on another front.” Unmentioned by ABC, how maybe the Bush administration believed there was a bin Laden-Iraq connection because they believed ABC News. In 1999, ABC’s Sheila MacVicar trumpeted how “ABC News has learned that” a top Iraqi official “made a secret trip to Afghanistan to meet with bin Laden. Three intelligence agencies tell ABC News they cannot be certain what was discussed, but almost certainly, they say, bin Laden has been told he would be welcome in Baghdad.”

[windchime]

Great job, Mo1!

Pinging RC.

[Peach]

Let me know in the morning if you haven't gotten a copy of the indictment yet; I have it saved in my file and will post it here if you need it.

[EQAndyBuzz]

This morning, I sent this letter to the editorial board of the Star Ledger.

Dear Mr. Aregood,

I have been a reader of the Star Ledger for a long time. While I understand the bias in the media, I also know that it is the responsibility of journalists to be ethical and present the facts. At a time when this nation is at war, it is imperative that we all come together to support our government, regardless of our political leanings.

As you know, this hasn't happened. Every day, hundreds of articles from around the country, most from the AP and reprinted in local papers present our government in a negative light. This despite our military's successes of liberating millions of people from the oppression of the Taliban and Saddams regime. We have witnessed the beheadings and the torture, yet all we see as viewers and readers are some insurgents that aren't covered by the Geneva Convention with panties on their heads. Five years ago, the nightly news shows highlighted for weeks the links between Iraq and Al Queada.

Yesterday the same programs as well as the Star Ledger and every periodical in the country headlined that there is no link. Both you and I as well as many Americans know that the Commission meant that there was no link between Iraq and Al Queada in attacking the US on 9/11. Yet it wasn't reported that way. This troubles me as an American and as a father of two young children that have to grow up in this world.

Honestly Mr. Aregood, I am confused. Pledging allegiance to our flag is almost a crime. Politicians have politicized and have jeapordized our very existance in the name of regaining the White House. Every Socialist and Communist government wants our current President out of office and they publicly state it. Socialist groups have web sites pleading for money so that they can continue their campaign of hatred against the administration. Even the terrorist organizations that want to destroy us want a change in government. I mean a terrorist blows himself up and kills twenty innocent people and the paper reports, "Man bites Dog." Doesn't anyone get it?

Whether you are a Democrat or Republican it shouldn't matter at this stage. What should matter is protecting our nation from another 9/11. What I am having trouble understanding and maybe you can enlighten me is why the Star Ledger and the press is going along with this anti-administration fervor. I know, "if it bleeds it leads." But this isn't about bleeding. This is about political realignment and from what we have been witness to communism and socialism do not work. It stifles our creativity and ability to grow as individuals. It takes away our liberty and right to express ourselves. Maybe you want to work for a paper like the "Peoples Daily." Because that is what the Star Ledger, NY Times, LA Times, Washington Post and others have become. Your right to expression has been taken away and your reporters now write in support of a political party and not the facts, or for that matter what they feel. Or they are fed stories that are so blatantly politically slanted and rather than deciphering it, checking the facts and rewriting it, they print it verbatim.

Our nation is at war. It is a just war. It is a war to protect our freedoms and to bring liberty to millions of people. People like you and I whose only desire is to see our children educated, earn a decent wage, practice religion without interference and to be free from oppression, torture or death because we have different political views are being subjected to they daily bombardment from the media in support of a political philosophy that has been proven a failure.

All I ask is that the American people are presented the truth. Whether negative or positive, present the facts as you have been trained as journalists to do. Let us figure out what is right or wrong. Our views as Americans are driven by our freedom of choice. However if you do not give us that, you are no better than regimes that support oppressing its people. You are no better than the "Peoples Daily."

[wku man]

It most definitely is a question of his New Tone. His insistence on going along to get along with the CommieLibs is keeping him from getting his side of the story out. I can't for the life of me understand why he's not trumpeting at every opportunity the fact that 1) UNMOVIC has finally admitted that Saddam had NBC weapons, and moved them out before, during, and after the main combat operational phase, and 2) that the enemy has already used chemical weapons against our guys! Bush's insistence on being everyone's friend is getting in the way of him getting the truth out.

I wanted to puke the other day when I saw him sucking up to Klinton, but it was just another example of his belief in the New Tone. I didn't vote for him in 2000 to be buddy buddy with the 'Rats, I voted for him so he could lead. His touchy-feely, PC pursuit of this WOT is getting getting our guys killed, and earning us no respect from our enemies. Dammit, when is he gonna quit worrying about people liking him, and start fighting this thing like it's a WAR?

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[Peach]

Beautiful letter! Right on target and kudos to you for taking the time to write it.

I will note for other freepers - I have written many letters to the editor. Some have been accepted.

Once I came onto FR to post a letter I'd written regarding the economy. I received an e-mail from one of the newspapers I submitted it to that they couldn't use the letter because it had been posted on the internet and I may have copied it!

They had no way of knowing that I was peach, of course, and so I would warn freepers to post their letters to the editor AFTER they have been accepted or after a suitable period of time when it becomes obvious it will NOT be accepted.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for posting this.

Time to send this the head Rat of ABC Eisner and tell him that America will not tolerate his ABC anti Americans omitting history for the Rat party.

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks for posting this.

Time to send this the head Rat of ABC Eisner and tell him that America will not tolerate his ABC anti Americans omitting history for the Rat party.

[been_lurking]

It most definitely is a question of his New Tone. His insistence on going along to get along with the CommieLibs is keeping him from getting his side of the story out. I can't for the life of me understand why he's not trumpeting at every opportunity the fact that 1) UNMOVIC has finally admitted that Saddam had NBC weapons, and moved them out before, during, and after the main combat operational phase, and 2) that the enemy has already used chemical weapons against our guys! Bush's insistence on being everyone's friend is getting in the way of him getting the truth out.

Why is everybody so insistent that the administration trumpet these truths. They are obviously "out there" or you wouldn't know about them.

A lie is a lie no matter how many times it is repeated. By the same token, the truth is the truth, no matter how many times it is repeated. Those that support the administration already, don't need convincing. At the same time, no amount of "coverage" is going to convince the rabid left to change their minds. Finally, the "undecided" middle is, unfortunately, undecided because they just don't care. These are the type of people who don't follow polotics, don't read a newspaper, and rarely watch news programs on television. If it's a choice between a Presidential press conference and Who Wants to be a Millionaire, what program do you think they will want to watch?

Do you honestly think the administration can win a battle with the hostile press by calling a PRESS conference? There is an old adage that fits this situation. Don't wrestle with pigs -- you only get muddy and the pigs enjoy it.

Instead of wasting your time complaining about what the administration is not doing, maybe you should devote that time to doing some grassroots convincing on your own. Find one of your local "undecided" voters and educate them. You may have better luck getting them to listen to the truth than relying on them to actually watch the news or read a paper. If you really feel you have a personal stake in the outcome of the upcoming election, then do something constructive instead of wasting your time here "preaching to the choir".

/rant off

[Grampa Dave]

This summarizes the fraud and treason being fronted by the 9/11 jerks and the NY Slimes. MO1, thanks for finding this indictment.

"According to the indictment, bin Laden and al Qaeda forged alliances with the National Islamic Front in Sudan and with representatives of the Government of Iran and its associated terrorist group Hezballah with the goal of working together against their common enemies in the West, particularly the United States.

"In addition, al Qaeda reached an understanding with the Government of Iraq that al Qaeda would not work against that government and that on particular projects, specifically including weapons development, al Qaeda would work cooperatively with the Government of Iraq," the indictment said. ========================================================== The lying and traitorous POS on the left side will be sorry that they ever started these lies.

[Grampa Dave]

Early this morning you posted: "Where is everyone?"


I was in bed asleep like an old grampa, when you posted this.

[windchime]

"......I would warn freepers to post their letters to the editor AFTER they have been accepted or after a suitable period of time when it becomes obvious it will NOT be accepted."

Good advice, Peach!

[dyed_in_the_wool]

Sarin was found a few weeks ago.
Do not expect any liberal to suggest that it means anything.
In fact, the press has been largely silent, instead playing up the frat party games at Abu Gharib as 'torture'.

[Peach]

Dave: May we live to see the day that the mainstream press is destroyed!

And then may I suggest that freepers become journalists to replace those that have been disgraced.

[Mo1]

COUNT FOUR: CONSPIRACY TO USE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AGAINST NATIONALS OF THE UNITED STATES

Did ya read the part about seeking to find uranium ???

hmmmm ....

[Mo1]

EXCELLENT LETTER!

[Mo1]

It took Clinton 3 years to put Bin Laden on the list ??

A 98 WP article
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/eafricabombing/stories/binladen082898.htm

"If you go after his money, you'll hurt him," said Larry Johnson, a former CIA official and now a security consultant. "You need cash to make his system run."

The United States has never launched such a financial attack on terrorists. In 1995 Clinton banned U.S. financial institutions from dealing with several dozen suspected terrorist individuals and groups, and Americans from donating funds to them.

But until last week the U.S. Treasury, which continually updates this list of "sanctioned" terrorists, never placed bin Laden on the list, despite the fact that the U.S. government had identified him since 1995 as the world's leading terrorist paymaster. A senior administration official said the government's understanding of his role "was evolving."

[Grampa Dave]

Thanks more dynamite data against the Clintoons and the anti American Mediots who want to rewrite their sorry history and blame GW.

[PinC]

The finding of WMD or Osama won't affect the election an iota. However, what will determine the ultimate results are the presidential debates.

Bush is a pretty good communicator, despite what the detractors say about his verbal skills. I think Bush will put the last nail on the coffin and seal his reelection because of the debates.

Too bad, though, there will only be three debates. I was hoping for four or five of them.

[Mo1]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/985906/posts

(a bunch of snips - read the whole NYT 1998 article for more info - Plus the posts that follow)


The new indictment, which supersedes the June action, accuses Mr. bin Laden of leading a vast terrorist conspiracy from 1989 to the present, in which he is said to have been working in concert with governments, including those of Sudan, Iraq and Iran, and terrorist groups to build weapons and attack American military installations. Excerpts, page A8.

Both indictments offer new information about Mr. bin Laden's operations, including one deal he is said to have struck with Iraq to cooperate in the development of weapons in return for Mr. bin Laden's agreeing not to work against that country.

No details were given about whether the alleged deal with Iraq led to the development of actual weapons for Mr. bin Laden's group, which is called Al Qaeda.

[Mo1]

Here ya go

Go to page 3 .. Number 4

I don't know how to screen capture it


http://www.fas.org/irp/news/1998/11/indict1.pdf