Sadly, this has been little different in Australia with the ABC largely only featuring military types, former generals, politicians and so-called experts who endorse the US-led war. Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting shows how not to do it in the US: If public television’s mission is to bring diverse viewpoints to the airwaves, the discussions…
Showing all posts in June 2019
Obama defenders find ways to justify use of arms here and there
The New York Times, being an establishment paper, unsurprisingly backs Barack Obama’s military intervention in Libya. Much more revealing, however, is this interview with Samantha Power, a senior director on the National Security Council. I truly wonder if she believes the words she’s telling Politico: Obama “has used his pulpit and a number of speeches…
Hands up who wants more nuclear material travelling through Australia?
Sure, Australia already sells the stuff to countless nations around the world but are there any limits to what privatised companies will be allowed to do here? Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam has slammed provocative plans by Canadian uranium mining company Cameco to truck uranium through several WA cities and towns. The…
Canberra should ditch Serco and offer support for people not firms
This is what Australia has created. A militarised and privatised system to house asylum seekers. Christmas Island remains in a state of heightened tension. The Australian offers a little more information about the state of dysfunction between the federal government and British multinational Serco: While private security firm Serco has come under scrutiny for understaffing…
Do we know anything about Libya’s “rebels”?
Not much, no. In fact, what’s remarkable about the Western intervention is the complete lack of understanding who is fighting for what and why. Calling for democracy is essential, of course, but what else? Barack Obama’s recent speech backing the war was all about protecting civilians and America not willing to watch massacres take place.…
Another day in the history of Israeli non-democracy
Such news barely registers in the West, it’s such a normal occurrence: The board of Hebrew University summoned representatives of the university’s Hadash Party to a hearing before the Dean of Students last week. The hearing was for Hadash’s screening of the film Jenin, Jenin, and is yet another act by Hebrew University in actively…
This is what Australians pay for; detention centres with gross abuses
Shameful: In October 2010 ChilOut was told – women at the ASTI have been waiting 6 months for… knickers- yes underwear. Many women had only one pair of pants – the one they came off the boat wearing. Many times advocates asked – why can’t you walk them 5 minutes down the road to the…
American firms happy to assist with Arab dictatorships
Middle East brutality brought to you by good old capitalism: As Middle East regimes try to stifle dissent by censoring the Internet, the U.S. faces an uncomfortable reality: American companies provide much of the technology used to block websites. McAfee Inc., acquired last month by Intel Corp., has provided content-filtering software used by Internet-service providers…
NYT editor says his staff just report the news as they see it
Executive Editor Bill Keller, writing in his paper, argues that his glorious newspaper is the best humans can create, an impartial collection of stories that tell us about the world. No agendas. It’s embarrassing that a supposedly senior editor will write such nonsense in 2011. Everybody has opinions and agendas; the challenge is what you…