Part of the video that I watched on the Fox News Network yesterday was live from Al Jazera. It was clearly live because it was depicting yesterday's events and it carried their logo on the screen. It prompted debate by the talking heads about whether or not Al Jazera was feeding those satellite images to TV stations in Arab countries. The talking heads were assured they were and that folks in these countries were somewhat shocked considering that the AJ feed before this focused, essentially, the message of the Iraqi Minister of Wishful Thinking. At any rate, there it was, live with their logo on their satellite feed. and I watched it. Perhaps it was really a CNN feed and those pesky Bush folks put the AJ logo on surreptitiously. I am not convinced that the incidents at the Palestine Hotel or offices of Al Jazera or Abu Dhabi were mistakes. If the buildings housed or were perceived to house enemy troops those troops are targets regardless of what they tell central command. Again, the IFJ also added, "At the same time the IFJ condemns what appears to be Iraqi tactics of using civilians and journalists as a "human shield" against attack. 'The Baghdad authorities are just as culpable with their reckless disregard for civilian lives,' said White" We do not necessarily stop the war for human shields. Again, If you are a journalist in war, do not be so self-centered as to assume that because an army, any army, is shooting at your building that you are the target. War is dangerous for the military, war is dangerous for journalists and war is dangerous for civilians. War is messy business with tens of thousands of soldiers just trying to do their job the best way they know how. There are always mistakes and in all wars, some soldiers suffer from friendly fire. Sometimes what happens is deliberate when an army uses civilians and journalists and/or their buildings for cover. Get used to this fact and come to terms with it. Frankly, I'm surprised that no camera man 100 yards off with a shoulder mounted video cam and long lens pointed at a tank hasn't yet been taken for a hostile with a shoulder mounted rocket propelled grenade. The parts of said innocent camera man that are not vaporized would be spread over a 25 yard circle. No one is targeting Al Jazera or Abu Dhabi. Think about it honestly for a minute. What advantage would be gained by the US or the coalition? Who cares what they show Arab TV? What is the motive? Really? Again, war is a dangerous place. Soldiers know this. Journalists know (or should know) this. Get used to this fact and come to terms with it. and stop whining. Regards, Bob... -------------------------------------------- "Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we then prohibit and abolish women?" -Martin Luther From: "Ken K" <kenkagawa@hotmail.com> > Bob, > Its possible that the Palestine Hotel killing may have been a mistake.But > the Arab TV offices were deliberate. > From what I can gather from sketchy news is that Al Jazera and Abu Dhabi > TV were both targeted by bombers .Al Jazeera may have been hit with > missles. > They were both Identified as TV offices with large banners visible to > aircraft. Both had given their coordinates to central command .Both are > located in civilian neighborhoods with no military targets in the vicinity. > Neither Al Jazera or Abu Dhabi TV were able to broadcast live from Bhagdad > yesterday or today. > KenK > > > >"The US, and the Bush administration in particular, is not > without regard for > >the press or for basic freedoms of any kind." > > > >"No one has at any time targeted any satellite uplinks. The local > TV > transmission was targeted. If the US had targeted any satellite > uplinks, > then they would not be working, but I assure you, feeds from > both western > >and Arabic news sources were available today." > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE* > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus > >
