Posted on 07/19/2006 5:28:21 AM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
by Mark Finkelstein
July 19, 2006 - 08:08
It's been a tough week for the MSM. You just know they'd like to find a way spin events in Lebanon and Israel for purposes of criticizing the Bush administration. But one senses they have had a tough time getting traction. Even for our liberal media heroes, making common cause with Hezbollah might be a bridge too far.
When the MSM is reduced to fixating on a mild four-letter word that Pres. Bush let fly, and to second-guessing tactics - as opposed to goals - you know the media's Bush-bashing cupboard is alarmingly bare.
The last best hope for the MSM seemed to be the alleged slowness of the evacuation of Americans in Lebanon. There was Tucker Carlson accusing Israel of 'doing nothing' to help stranded Americans. And the MSM widely reported the number of Americans in Lebanon at 25,000, downplaying the fact that the great majority have dual Lebanese citizenship and are not looking to leave. The actual number of those wishing to get out is apparently in the 5-8,000 range.
By the way: when it comes to American and Israeli concern for Americans in Lebanon, does the MSM think it's a coincidence that, as of last report, no American has been killed in the fighting? Isn't this likely the result of careful coordination between the governments as to the location of Americans and the precise targeting of attacks?
Even on their remaining front - the slow evacuation - the MSM suffered a major blow overnight, with news that Americans are being evacuated by the thousands.
But that didn't prevent Harry Smith and the Early Show from giving it the old college try this morning. Here's how Smith opened the story: "Let's get right to our top story this morning, the crisis in the Middle East. Here's the latest. The first major evacuation of Americans is finally under way in Lebanon."
Smith then brought in CBS correspondent Lee Cowan, who reported from Beirut that
"A lot of Americans are expressing frustration as to why this all took so long. Thousands of Americans in Beirut are trying to flee the war zone. But the process is slow, hot and frustrating."
CBS then rolled a clip of a dissatisfied young American fellow:
"Very disorganized. We got on the boat around 4:30 in Beirut and it was a long time. We were sleeping on the deck all night in wet conditions and no food. So could have gone better."
Gee, an evacuation from a war zone that wasn't perfectly organized and catered? But things went so well in Dunkirk in 1940!
Another MSM line of criticism has been to attack the administration for charging Americans for the cost of evacuation. But the media have generally been derelict in reporting that this was not the result of some mean-spirited Bush administration decision, but merely the implementation of a law adopted by Congress in 1956 and re-enacted in 2003 calling for evacuations to be 'reimbursable.'
In any case, whereas CBS' Cowan was still reporting this morning that the evacuations would come 'all at [the Americans'] own expense', an article from yesterday, Government Will Foot the Bill, reported that Sec. of State Rice had decided to waive the charges.
Hat tip to the first NewsBuster reader to spot an MSMer comparing the evacuation to the Bush administration's handling of Katrina!
Oh, man...the memo has gone around! This sore thumbed at me this morning on my little local radio news (I think they're an ABC affiliate). What's the latest from Lebanon? "Some people are wondering what took the government so long to begin evacuations." I 'bout swallowed my toothbrush. Like, who cares?
"the lack of food on a five hour "cruise"..."
More testament to these pathetic fools that they didn't bring a can of tuna or a box of crackers with them for the "cruise", along with a bottle or two of water.
People like these should have their passports revoked. What an embarrasment.
Thanks, DK. By the way, that really was terrific work on your post. A lot of work, too. How long did it take to put together?
CNN interviewed a blond woman named Chrisline who claimed it was IMPOSSIBLE to get through to the authorities to get out. She was highly critical. Near the end of the interview, she said they had finally had it and started calling that morning (their first attempt). They got cut off a couple of times due to power glitches but made contact in an hour and a half. They were told to get to the embassy that afternoon at 1:30.
So, a 1 1/2 hour effort got her and her kids out that afternoon. How is that so difficult?
I doubt her interview will be replayed.
"I'll bet the ferry's buffet lunch also won't include enough lobster, provolone cheese, and tiramsu for dessert."
Nope. And no tofu, sushi or strange organic foilage that is supposed to resemble a salad either. And no Starbucks.
Oh, the tragedy!
"On the TODAY Show, did you see the woman scream into the camera, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!!"
The one that got me was a few days ago, a woman in America complaining about the "rescue" of her relatives in Lebanon, tears streaming down her blubblering face and moaning about the indignity of it all.
It really got my goat.
"Ugly Americans on display."
Truly and honestly, I've not seen a more sickening display of selfish and monumentally ignorant behavior in a long time. A real embarrasment.
Paging Pony-Tail Guy!
"dual citizenship Lebanese with families and other ties in Lebanon"
Debbie Schussel says 7,000 from Dearborn alone.
I was a little surprised at the number of burkas in the evacuee queue.
Lol. The first I heard this Katrina analogy was 2 days ago. And as soon as I heard it I thought, OK, Here's the New attack on Bush. Then I heard it again yesterday. I guess it took a day to get the memo out.
I don't think it's gonna fly far though, no matter how many dems jump on board.
It had to be a monumental task.
I appreciate the compliment. I probably spent about five hours on it, which included spending time selecting the pics.
Wish I had email addys to sent to Rush, Laura, Ann, Michelle, Sean & O'Reilly. Think they'd get a kick out of it.
Try googling. You'll find them.
Spare my grammar. I hit post before correcting.
Obviously, the next time something like this happens, we should send a boat over the first day. Then, after being docked for 12 hours, leave. Don't make the boat, tough $hit. You snooze, you lose. Of course the boat would leave empty, because no one would have known it was there, the state department wouldn't have had the names and phone numbers of the potential evacuees to call and tell them where to go and when, or what to bring with them to ensure their boarding of the boat. Not to mention, the US had to coordinate the boat's escort by US destroyers and coordinate with Israel so they knew what was going on. But hey, why get caught up on the details, the MSM sure doesn't.
Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:
Pelosi Calls Out President Bush
Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is calling on the president to immediately declare that the U.S. will start bearing the costs of evacuating its citizens from Lebanon, instead of charging them, saying, "A nation that can provide more than $300 billion for a war in Iraq can provide the money to get its people out of Lebanon."
But the president isn't authorized to reverse the policy — which requires citizens to pay commercial fare plus a dollar for government evacuation — since it's encoded in the 2003 Foreign Relations Authorization Act. That law was approved by the House and the Democratic controlled Senate in 2002. Pelosi herself voted for the measure.
What you said.
Most of these whiners are fellow travellers of hizbullies. It would be a blessing if they never got back to this country.
These folks are just like the people who live in hurricane prone areas and have no disaster plan.
If you live in or visit a locale prone to calamity, you'd better know ahead of time what you're going to do should that emergency arise. At minimum; water, food, first aid, communication, and at least two paths of evacuation.
Oh Yeah, if you know in advance that said calamity is imminent take one of those two paths and bring your supplies with you.
Frankly, I wish the captain of the car carrier who rescued those ingrates.....would have turned around the deposited them back in Lebanon.
Because it's not chock full of American-hating Hezbollah terrorists.
As someone who has travelled several times to the country in recent years (it was a favorite spot for R & R from Iraq), I can assure you that Beirut is easily the loveliest and most tolerant city in the Middle East. Stroll along the Corniche, eat and drink in the fabuluous bars and restaurants in Achrafiye, watch the hot babes in tiny skirts wander down Bliss Street, soak up the sun in the beach clubs on the Med or ski in the mountains, and you will swiftly realise this is not an Arab city.
Most of the country is fine to travel to as well, Baalbek and Biblos are truly superb and even Tyre and Sidon have their charms.
Hizbollah extremists are in the south and continue to receive backing from Syria but let us not tarnish the wonderful people of Lebanon with the same brush. Remember Lebanon was OCCUPIED by Syria till recently until the Cedar Revolution in 2004 which was hailed as a positive consequence of the War in Iraq.
Israel's actions against Hizbollah are justified, but spare an thought for the many innocent people of Lebanon who are facing tragedy at a time when hope was at its highest after so many decades of catastrophe. The tourist industry will be dead from this and many innocent lives shattered. I am not attacking Israel, but we need to face up to this reality.
We also need to remember that most of the Lebanese government hates Hizbollah as much as Israel does. The problem was their weakness made disarmament all but impossible. The Lebanese government needed far more international support than it did and to a large extent we have let them down.
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