Citizen media – or networked journalism, a much better term – has revolutionised the media environment. Numerous citizens from the world can now better engage with their environment thanks to the internet. Rising Voices is a project to help this along. The latest recipients are fascinating. Take one: Shaghayegh Azimi and fellow veteran Iranian videobloggers…
Showing all posts in June 2019
Kill Arabs, work for the Times
Want to be a New York Times columnist? Embrace endless war, hate Arabs, fellate Israel, never apologise for issuing countless bogus accounts about Iraq, the terror “threat’ and WMDs. William Kristol, welcome to your new gig.
Iraq, from outside the Green Zone
At the end of another year, the mainstream narrative around Iraq is that the American mission is nearing success. If one simply relies on military press releases, this would be the truth. But the reality, of course, is far different. Dahr Jamail explains: Despite all the claims of improvements, 2007 has been the worst year…
The real Bhutto
Robert Fisk, The Independent, December 29: Weird, isn’t it, how swiftly the narrative is laid down for us. Benazir Bhutto, the courageous leader of the Pakistan People’s Party, is assassinated in Rawalpindi – attached to the very capital of Islamabad wherein ex-General Pervez Musharraf lives – and we are told by George Bush that her…
Permission not required
I’ve called Israel many things over the years – rogue state, racist outpost etc – but this may take the prize: Israelis are known for being direct and blunt. But comments made by David Landau, editor of the Israeli daily, Haaretz, to Condoleezza Rice about Israel needing to be “raped” by the U.S. to achieve…
Trampling on Saudi rights
During my recent trip to Saudi Arabia – to research information for my upcoming book on the internet in repressive regimes – I spent time with blogger and activist Fouad Al Farhan, a generous, critical and warm man. He’s now allegedly been arrested for daring to challenge the Washington-backed dictatorship: Saudi blogger, Fouad Al-Farhan was…
Bombing without concern
War crimes aren’t war crimes when carried out by principled Zionists (according to Israeli law): The Israel Defense Forces will not take legal action against senior officers who were involved in the firing of cluster bombs into populated areas in southern Lebanon during the Second Lebanon War, the Military Advocate General said Monday. Brigadier General…
War by committee
Arguably the most essential new site of the year, Wikileaks, reveals yet more secrets from the “war on terror” and Iraq: Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld launched the failed April 2004 assault on the Iraqi town of Fallujah before marines were ready because it had become “a symbol of resistance that dominated international…
The fall will be slow and sweet
Tony Karon, Rootless Cosmopolitan, December 24: A year from now, the Bush Administration will be emptying its desks into cardboard boxes and preparing to hand over to its successor. And, it’s a relatively safe bet that the menu of foreign policy crises and challenges it will leave in the in-trays of its successors will be…
Sane Jews slapping crazy Jews
William Kristol is a leading neo-conservative, Jewish commentator who advocated the invasion of Iraq and whose ideal Middle East is multiple wars against Islamic “fascists”. He must be disappointed with George W. Bush’s hesitations. Tragically, the Jewish community has allowed people like Kristol to speak for them on matters of national security, despite the majority…