Antony Loewenstein

My latest column for New Matilda discusses the failures of the corporate media and an alternative interpretation – Medialens:

Media writer for the Washington Post, Howard Kurtz, recently argued that the Washington press corps was suffering its greatest crisis in living memory. Aside from uncritically accepting Bush Administration spin on Iraq’s supposed WMD, Kurtz argued that far too many reporters were getting ‘cosy’ with Administration sources and ‘retailing their version of history,’ ‘pulling their punches with the White House because of concerns about losing access’ and ‘meeting secretly with the President while taking a vow of silence about the off-the-record chats.’

Kurtz warned that establishment media — of which he is a central figure — was in danger of forgetting its primary mission, namely, holding governments to account.

But what if the corporate media is structurally incapable of achieving this goal? Medialens is a UK-based group aimed at challenging ‘the distorted vision of the corporate media.’ Their new book, Guardians of Power (Pluto Press, 2006) is a riveting analysis of the failures of contemporary journalism.

My New Matilda archive is here.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi appears in a propaganda video for the first time in years. One of the finest, independent, Western reporters, Christopher Allbritton, explains the significance:

It’s likely not a coincidence that the video was released now, just a couple of days after the deadlock over PM Ibrahim al-Jaafari was broken with the selection of Jawad al-Malaki, the brains of Jaafari’s Dawa Party. While the Iraqi government remained in limbo, the political chaos allowed the Sunni groups room to move. But with the deadlock broken, the formation of the new government will probably proceed apace, with the further strengthening of the Shi’ite-dominated security forces. The Sunnis have to pre-position themselves if they’re to stand a chance in the coming civil war, and AMZ’s video is part of his effort to position himself with the Sunnis. 

Israeli exceptionalism is a disease largely suffered by Zionists with one eye on the Holocaust. Despite the fact that a majority of Palestinians want Hamas to negotiate with Israel, Holocaust survivor and former parliamentarian, Tommy Lapid, believes that Israel’s behaviour is beyond criticism because of the Holocaust:

Israel currently has six million Jews living in it. We will not be deterred by the threats of our enemies; nor will we listen to the advice of our friends. We will not rely on anyone else.

For us, that is the most important lesson of the Holocaust.

So when you have difficulty understanding us, think about the Holocaust. When you find yourselves searching for our motives, remember the Holocaust. When you try to understand the steps we take, consider the Holocaust.

The Holocaust will inevitably shape Jewish thinking on Israel, but this does not justify occupying another people, nor does it explain a state that specifically discriminates against non-Jews. Lapid’s argument may have carried weight in 1949 or even 1960, but 2006 is another matter altogether. How much longer must we hear the same explanation for Israeli-only roads in the occupied territories or arbitrary checkpoints in the West Bank?

Israel needs to realise that to be fully accepted in the international community, it cannot use historical tragedies as excuses for brutality. Indeed, apartheid South Africa similarly claimed that it had no choice but to act cruelly against blacks because they supposedly threatened white existence.

The Jewish state is at a crossroads. Lapid’s hyperbole won’t insulate a perilous future.

Pakistan dictator Pervez Musharraf is a softie, after all:

He seized power in a coup, has shrugged off three assassination attempts and rules with an iron fist. But for all the steel in him, Pervez Musharraf “literally wept” when he heard Pakistani troops had surrendered during the 1971 Bangladesh war with India.

Musharraf, who described the 1965 and 1971 wars with India as “important” events in his life, said he was “emotionally hurt” when he heard the “disgusting” news of the surrender.

One person isn’t too impressed.

The newspaper industry is alive and well, according to New York Times managing editor Jill Abramson. While she is right to suggest that “serious” journalism is needed now more than ever – as Western governments increasingly treat the press with “open disdain” – she is misplaced to argue that establishment media is the best place to achieve this accountability.

“Stand-alone journalism” is rising, as is the power of Google and Yahoo. Hard-hitting investigative journalism requires time and money, and most bloggers simply aren’t interested in anything more than partisan, point-scoring. Institutions like the Times are essential, if nothing else, to determine the voice of the corporate media. After all, the paper clearly believes that a Democratic President would save America.

Let’s not forget, finally, that Abramson’s role in the Judith Miller story remains murky.

Zalmay Khalilzad finally reveals the real agenda of America’s “destiny” – invasion and occupation:

The U.S. ambassador here on Monday urged war-weary Americans to dig in for the long haul: a years-long effort to transform Iraq and the surrounding region, now one of the world’s major trouble spots.

“We must perhaps reluctantly accept that we have to help this region become a normal region, the way we helped Europe and Asia in another era,” Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “Now it’s this area from Pakistan to Morocco that we should focus on.”

Khalilzad, an Afghan immigrant to the U.S. who has for years advocated an aggressive effort to bring democracy to the Muslim world, predicted that the long-term U.S. effort to “shape the future of this region” would continue regardless of which party controlled the White House, how many troops remained in Iraq and what tactics and strategies were employed.

“The world has gotten smaller and is getting smaller and smaller all the time,” he said in the interview. “Isolationism, fortress America isn’t going to deal with these problems of the kind that we’re facing. Willy-nilly, this is our destiny, given our preponderance in the world, our role in the world and because of our successes.”

With Iraq in the grip of civil war, the idea that the US public will support further major interventions in the region is fanciful. Unless, of course, imaginary threats can be sustained.

Manucher Ghorbanifar, “legendary arms dealer, infamous intelligence fabricator, and central figure in the Iran-Contra scandal that almost brought down the Reagan administration”, is back in the arms of the Bush administration:

The Department of Defense and Vice President Dick Cheney have retained the services of Iran-Contra arms dealer and discredited intelligence asset Manucher Ghorbanifar as their “man on the ground,” in order to report on any interaction and attempts at negotiations between Iranian officials and US ambassador to Iraq, Zelmay Khalilzad, current and former intelligence officials say.

Another intelligence source confirmed the spiking of diplomatic action on Cheney’s behalf, explaining that the Bush administration sees such talks as a “sign of weakness.” 

Newsday was already publishing news of the flourishing affair in 2003.

Iranian blogger Farid Pouya explains:

This Cake was distributed in university in Tehran (AmirKabir) to celebrate Iranian nuclear enrichment. I think baker is a fraud follower or a sex & city fan!! 

As Haitians vote in the second round of balloting in the country’s parliamentary elections, only one Haitian blogs about politics, according to Global Voices. Yon Ayisien discusses life in Haiti, internet access in the impoverished country and the political situation:

Q: The D.R. of Congo under circumstances very similar to those in Haiti (UN mission, transition, elections, regular blackouts) have a relatively active blogosphere. How do you see the future of the Haitian blogosphere?

A: The Haitian blogosphere is nearly inexistent. I think the first step would be to actually have a decent number of Haitian bloggers who could represent the variety of voices in this country. I think people in the country have to worry so much about so many basic things that they haven’t been blogging, at least not about politics. But I think we might see more personal blogs in the future. 

Noam Chomsky, champion of Israel?

Worldwide anti-Semitism is on the way down:

The number of violent Anti-Semitic incidents around the world dropped by 20 percent in 2005 compared to the previous year, according to a report published Monday.

There was no change in the violent Anti-Semitic attacks in Britain, but the number of overall Anti-Semitic incidents dropped in the U.K.

Russia and Ukraine are not so lucky.

Some dictators fall out with the West and must be punished for their crimes. Others simply age gracefully, a friend of the West until the end:

Former Indonesian president Suharto, who escaped trial for corruption on health grounds, appeared healthy on Monday as he attended the wedding of one of his granddaughters, a report said Sunday.

Suharto, who walked with a cane, appeared healthy and cheerful, a reporter quoted by AFP as saying.