Distraction of media missiles fired at wrong targets (The Australian vs BBC and DU)

The Australian ^ | July 28 2003 | Andrew Sullivan, The Sunday Times

[knighthawk]

THERE was something wonderfully strained about how various media organisations dealt last week with the news of the deaths of Qusay and Uday Hussein. From the BBC to Reuters, there was palpable – if sternly repressed – dismay. One of the first headlines that the Ba'athist Broadcasting Corporation put out on the news was: "US celebrates 'good' Iraq news."

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[pgkdan]

One of the first headlines that the Ba'athist Broadcasting Corporation put out on the news was:

LOL...this guy would be welcome here as an Aussie Freeper!

[Prodigal Son]

I wish more of the comments over at DU would get aired out for the public to see.

[pgkdan]

I just noticed the writer is Andrew Sullivan. I still say he'd be a good Freeper.

[pgkdan]

Commentators on the popular American left-wing website Democratic Underground were more explicit about how they felt: "Doesn't a part of you wish that Queasy and Duh-day were alive? I'll admit they're scum and rightfully so, but anything that lands even more humiliation on W's grotesque shrivelled face is that much the better.

Think the DUmmies are high fiving each other over their big time media mention?

[agrace]

the popular American left-wing website Democratic Underground

DU is popular?

[Sir Gawain]

Sullivan shouldn't give those DU losers any press time. They're not worth it.

[Plutarch]

but the anti-war hysteria that has crept over the US and British press ...

Oh, its anti-war sentiment, is it? More like Bush and Republican and America hatred.

[Ditto]

"As to security, for all its problems, the current situation certainly compares favourably with, say, the chaos in liberated Germany after World War II, where military casualties mounted as diehard Nazis made their last stand. But somehow I don't remember the Western media describing those isolated Nazi remnants as an "uprising". But then, in those days, the Western media weren't quietly hoping for the allies to fail."

No, they called it 'mopping-up" and I seriously doubt the press even made page one accounts of the number of GIs and Tommies killed after VE day. Now, each is a screaming headline.

Some other points to keep in mind. For months after VE day, many German people were quite literally near starvation as were people all over liberated Europe. Little or no planning and preparation had been done to take care of the most basic needs. Civilians were forced scavenge military garbage dumps looking for scraps of food while looting was rampent. There is no hunger in Iraq, yet that makes no news.

There was an official non-fraternization' policy that forbad troops to have non-official contact with German civilians. (old Mr. Libido quickly made that policy unenforceable). Now we encourage our military to befriend civilians and go out of our way to help them but I doubt giving the cultural differences that we will have thousands of “war brides” this time.

It took nearly 4 years to establish civilian rule in the Western sectors of Germany, which had a history of democratic civilian rule only 12 years earlier. (The Russians accomplished it much faster in the Eastern sector because many of Stalin’s old German Commie stooges had spent the war in Russia and were ready and organized much quicker). Now, less than 3 months after the fall of Baghdad, we have a civilian council beginning to make decisions on the form and structure of their new government --- and these are people with no memory of democratic rule. The press pretty much ignores that process unless there is a ethnic squabble involved.

Maybe if the President in 1945 had been a Republican, the press might have reported differently then. But I think not. I think the press is different now, and not for the better.

[abclily]

The Democratic presidential candidates are encouraging and empowering the terrorists who want to attack us.

[speekinout]

There is no hunger in Iraq, yet that makes no news.

That's a major point. The US had plans in place to house displaced Iraqis and to feed them. The way it's turned out, the Iraqis are offering US GI's food and cigarettes. We expected it to be the other way around.

After a war, the usual condition is that the people are in dire straits, much worse off than they were before. In this case, people are better off, and the complaints are that they should be living in luxury. Freedom is a mixed bag - some people are better off, some worse. It won't be any different in Iraq than it is in any other free country.

[driftless]

Yes, DU is very popular...with lunatics, ignoramuses, and traitors. Good for a few laughs now and then, but too much time spent there makes one lose IQ points. Stupidity is contagious.

[agrace]

I was being sarcastic. :)

[driftless]

I realized that, but I just can't resist slamming DU whenever someone dredges up their pathetic name. Remember there are people who may not have heard of DU and what a nuthouse it is.

[agrace]

Ah, cool, slam away! I personally can only stand about fuve minutes at a time, and the lunacy always leaves me wondering how much of it is freeper incitement. It's hard to believe anyone really, truly feels as they do.

[Salman]

DU is popular?

Compared to other lefty sites such as Indymedia, yes. It's even 'popular' among FReepers in the sense that we give them a lot of hits.

[xm177e2]

But nobody can or should deny that the lives of average Iraqis are now immensely better than they were under a vicious totalitarian state.

Howard Dean can. That's what makes him special!

[Timesink]

Schadenfreude

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[Timesink]

Compared to other lefty sites such as Indymedia, yes. It's even 'popular' among FReepers in the sense that we give them a lot of hits.

Perhaps, but I'd guess they give us at least 7 to 8 times more hits than we give them. We are amused by them, but they are OBSESSED by us.