US, UK Preventing Water From Reaching Basra,TV Signal Lost [Al-Jazirah Barf Alert]

Al-Jazirah Satellite Channel Television in Arabic ^ | 03/27/2003 | Translated 03/28/2003 | Muhammad al-Abdallah

[gaucho]

Doha, Qatar: Al-Jazirah Satellite Channel Television in Arabic -- Independent Television station financed by the Qatari Government, at 1115 GMT on 27 March carries a live telephone interview with correspondent Muhammad al-Abdallah in Basra.

Asked about the current situation in the city, Al-Abdallah says: "The situation can be described as quiet now after the early hours of the morning, when positions in northern Basra came under missile and air bombardment. Basra City was the target of air raids last night. Government buildings were hit, including the governor's offices and the South Oil Company. The bombardment destroyed most of the governor's building.

"Sources here in Basra told Al-Jazirah that the population of the city, Ba'th Party fighters, the Armed Forces, Internal Security Forces, and other security agencies in the governorate are confronting the aggression and trying to hit the rear lines of the US and British forces. These sources have also told us that the coalition forces are trying to prevent the pumping of drinking water from the Wafa al-Qa'id project on the Al-Nasiriyah road, 25 km north of Basra. The project supplies the city with drinking water. This is despite the attempts of the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] to resume water pumping. However, the US and British forces are obstructing the work of the ICRC.

"I would also like to point out the television transmitter near the Al-Zubayr Bridge was raided last night, resulting in the complete loss of television transmission in Basra City.

"Regarding the military operations in Al-Nasiriyah and its vicinity, exclusive sources told us that US and British tanks and armored vehicles moved into Al-Nasiriayh toward the capital, Baghdad. Iraqi forces resisted them. Intensive fighting ensued, in which the US troops used Apache helicopter gunships. The sources -- I want to stress that these are sources exclusive to Al-Jazirah -- said the shelling targeted several residential areas, in which it was not possible to evacuate the wounded to hospitals, and remained where they were until this morning. The US forces also stopped at Al-Nasr Bridge, which was blocked by the Iraqi forces to prevent the advance of the US and British troops toward Baghdad. A battle raged near Al-Shatrah, 45 km north of Al-Nasiriyah."

[gaucho]

Quick, I need that headache picture!

[LibertyThug]

"I would also like to point out the television transmitter near the Al-Zubayr Bridge was raided last night, resulting in the complete loss of television transmission in Basra City.

My heart is weeping...no TV pictures for their propaganda, LOL.

[arjay]

Boy, I am sure glad to know that we are keeping the water from Basra! This has to be absolute hogwash!!! We are doing all we can to get them water and humanitarian aid. The propaganda never ends.

[wretchard]

To look at the future of Baghdad, watch Basra, and see how Tommy Franks reduces a city. Basra has a population of more than million people, making it just larger than Phoenix or San Antonio. Yet is there any doubt that Basra will fall?

In order to understand how many casualties US forces will endure, look at how many casualties the British have suffered so far in the siege of Basra. It is the best predictor of events because it is in the same theater, against roughtly the same enemy, in the same historical period, under the same commander. Why hearken to Stalingrad? Different place, different time.

One may argue that the possible presence of chemical weapons in Baghdad will make a difference, but why should it if the US forces stand off, as the British are doing.

[tessalu]

The whole of Iraq must feel the pain, before they will ever surrender. Keep the radios and TVs off the air, control all of the water and food supplies, and the gasoline, soon there will be a change and compliance.

[tessalu]

And do not worry about entering Baghdad, let the military take as long as it seems best, for in Baghdad that is where the Iraqis hope for street to street fighting. Let them wait with no running water, no TV, no gasoline, no food supplies, and then see if they feel like street to street fighting. There is no harm in waiting, for all of the USA troops can resupply.

[Nucluside]

Al-Jazirah is as bad as PBS.

[Jeff Chandler]

>>Al-Jazirah is as bad as PBS.<<

Don't exagerate.

[dc-zoo]

Al-Jazirah signal needs to be lost.

[EaglesUpForever]

AL-JAZEERA SAYS CAMERAMAN MISSING AFTER BRITISH SHELLING AT BASRA

Surgical precision, hopefully.

[gcruse]

My first real exposure to propaganda came at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto in 1972.

There was an exhibition sponsored by the Soviet Union that looked at first like a library.  I love books and went in to check it out.  Nearly all the books were hard back and in English.  The prices were really low so I bought several.  As I recall, one was the history of the US and British foreign policy in World War II.  The other was an economic history of the USSR.

The thing I noticed in reading the foreign policy history was that they didn't exactly lie about the events of WWII.  The facts were pretty much the facts as I knew them.  But the interpretation put on things was entirely self-serving and sometimes outrageous.  

I wish Al-Jazirah had an English broadcast service.  I would like to compare their interpretation to ours of the same basic set of facts.  It gives an idea of the other guy's mindset he filters reality through and serves as a check on jingoism on our part.  Also, I'd be curious if they lie outright or just spin heavily toward Arab sensibilities.

[Jeff Chandler]

>>I'd be curious if they lie outright or just spin heavily toward Arab sensibilities.<<

Both.