Al-Jazeera's Basra hotel bombed

The UK Guardian ^ | 04-02-03 | Jason Deans

[teletech]

Oops!

[Hatteras]

The incorrect assumption will be made here by our media is that this was another example of the problems for the U.S. and their missile guidance system technology.

[strela]

I've been bombed in a few hotels myself ... too bad for Al-Jazeera.

[AppyPappy]

Damn. What a shame.

What's for lunch?

[Dialup Llama]

> but al-Jazeera said it would be writing to the Pentagon again to provide full details of the location of all its journalists and bureaux in Iraq.

I have a feeling someone is already quite familiar with the location of your 'bureaux.'

[wimpycat]

Ooops! Heheheh...Ummmm, my finger slipped!

[Dialup Llama]

>The shelling of the Basra Sheraton mirrors a similar incident during the Afghan war, when al-Jazeera accused the US military of deliberately targeting its Kabul office, despite having told the Americans where its reporters were based.

How about that!

[uncbob]

I don't think Coalition artillery has hit BAGDAD YET

[AmericanInTokyo]

little to the right, little to the right. ok, back left a bit. ok. ready. target acquired.

[CygnusXI]

[Enterprise]

"but al-Jazeera said it would be writing to the Pentagon again to provide full details of the location of all its journalists and bureaux in Iraq."

MILITARY WAR MEMO

FM: United States Military

TO: al-Jazeera

RE: Recent bombing of hotel of al_Jazeera reporters

DT: 4/2/03

Thank you for your recent letter instructing us again of the exact coordinates of the hotel. We have them on file, and we are conducting an investigation to determine how it was possible for any of our rounds to miss. We believe there was a training error and we are working diligently to make sure that no further rounds miss. Thank you again, because it helps us in our BDA. We request that you cram as many al-Jazeera reporters as possible in the hotel before the next shelling begins. BTW, can you provide us with the coordinates of the French Embassy?

Warmly.

The U.S. Military

[theDentist]

We'd like to apologise. We thought that was the French Embassy.

[AmericanInTokyo]

al Jazeera is part and parcel of the massive, almost uncontrollable anti-American disinformation and propaganda mechanism in the middle east.

i would not be upset if a few errant rounds in Basra and elsewhere found their way in their general direction. their satellite deserves a laser bolt. the crap and lies they broadcast are disgusting and one sided--straight from the Ba'ath Party/ al Qaida perspective. (I get their broadcasts live)

and yet they defend themselves as 'balanced', with straight faces in slick, fluent English on Larry King's puff/softball interview show. they know that 98% of Americans do not get al Jazeera live, and that another 98% of Americans don't understand Arabic, so they hoodwink and hoodwink good!

aJ NEVER show Iraqis greeting American troops, nor do they air stories about human shields used by the Iraqis, etc. they avoid any images of American strength and victory, such as big Saddam statues and murals being defaced or destroyed. just footage of endless civilian "bomb bings" by the Coalition and how cruel the US aggressors (their words) and invaders (again their words) are. enough! blow them off the air. they run a 30 second spot on the hour with Saddam calling all arabs to "Jihad" throughout the middle east. they are a hindrance and an extension of the enemy, ergo a national security threat to our objectives and our troops' safety in the theater of War. they need to be silenced for the rest of this operation.

[FreedomPoster]

If we don't immediately start a VOA/Radio Free Middle East-type operation run by the PENTAGON (NOT the pinstriped pants crowd at the State Dept), we are idiots.

[Kevin Curry]

Sounds like a legitimate target to me.

[Gil4]

The incorrect assumption will be made here by our media is that this was another example of the problems for the U.S. and their missile guidance system technology.

That assumption might be the correct one. After all:

No casualties were reported in the incident

[chuknospam]

Ever Heard of "Warning Shots?"

[Blue Collar Christian]

If our military aimed at al-Jazeera's hotel base camp, there would be no complaints called in from al-Jazeera's hotel base camp. DUH!

[Beck_isright]

Dear Al-Jazeera,

Excrement happens.

Sincerely,
Rummy

V