The Failed Pacifist

Bad News Helps the Enemy

Dorrance Smith, who worked in the White House Press Advance Office and was the media advisor for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, and a supporter of the Pentagon's plans for a 24-hour satellite news and information channel, recently published an op-ed piece for the Wall Street Journal suggesting that "Al-Jazeera continues to aid and abet the enemy" in Iraq and "continues to practice in cahoots with terrorists while we are at war". Smith further suggests that Al-Jazeera "has very strong partners" in the U.S. networks who air footage shot by the Arab news agency.

James P. Pinkerton at Newsday has some problems with these assertions as does Danny Schechter, a former CNN and ABC News producer.

It seems Mr. Smith thinks U.S. news organizations should only air footage which is supportive the U.S. war effort, and ignore footage such as "video of a helicopter being shot, bursting into flames and trailing smoke as it fell to the ground" which was aired by shown on both Al-Jazeera and U.S. networks. He also suggested that Al-Jazeera may get special treatment from terrorist, citing that "No Al-Jazeera employee has been killed or taken hostage by the terrorists", but neglecting to mention the Al-Jazeera reporters killed by Coalition forces in 2003 and 2004.

Further, Mr. Smith asserts "There has been no in-depth reporting about Al-Jazeera in the U.S." and "virtually no scrutiny of Qatar and its relationship with the network", but even a cursory look finds numerous articles about Al-Jazeera, including comparisons with other news organizations. And then there's the 2003 60 Minutes segment on the news agency and its Qatar sponsorship.

So, stay away from the blogs, turn off your T.V. and put down that paper. Know that your ignorance is supporting our troops.

posted by Doran @ 12:08 PM