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[Phoenix]

As a senate hearing, Paul Wolfowitz came out and said that the reason why things look bad is because and I quote "the press is afraid to travel and sits in Baghdad and publishes rumors". Christiane Amanpour (working CNN bureau in Baghdad) was quick to denounce his claim. Perhaps Wolfowitz should actually look at the news and the news feeds and see that apparently that the news organizations of the world are gathering better intelligence on the ground than apparently the people who are feeding him information. Needless to say the reporters in the feed with Reuters, AP, CNN, etc. were none too thrilled by this.

I dunno, the fact that pool reporters are actually embedded with soldiers and getting KILLED in Iraq suggests that Wolfowitz doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.

 

[Willco]

How many embedded reporters have been killed?

 

[Phoenix]

How many embedded reporters have been killed?

I can only speak for CNN of which I know 2 have been killed in the past couple of months.

 

[Vennt]

Paul Wolfowitz says things look bad because of the press

In a way he is right, If the hackjob meddlers would stick to reporting on celebrity trivia and stop reporting on shit they would rather was swept under the carpet & forgotten about the fools in control (ha!) wouldn't look so bad...

So yes, they look bad because of the press, nothing at all to do with their actions, totally unrelated, yessiree.




Freeburn.

 

[Chesapeake Silt]

He picked a great day to make that comment, didn't he?

 

[ge-man]

I don't know how Wolfowitz could say something like that with straight face. I don't believe for a second that he actually thinks that.

 

[Ripclawe]

Whats the problem? the reporters are sitting in Baghdad in the green zone reporting on reuters/ap pool feeds as news reporting, I wouldn't call them cowards, but they are not doing their jobs and now get pissed because someone calls them on it? you can read the stories and see the common theme and "facts" flowing thru them. They are in secure areas like the green zone and then whine that someone says they are not actually reporting? poor babies.

There are some embedded reports in west iraq near the syria borders, very few traveling now with troops, no one bothers to report much from southern iraq or northern iraq, most of them are in the sunni triangle in the safe zones. I get better information from Iraqi bloggers than I do the mainstream media.

Christiane Amanpour

STFU damn yasser arafat loving ho.

 

[Triumph]

Oh Ripclawe, you're so preciously predictable.

Yeah. The press is having a rough time of it over in Iraq. Nevermind the fact that the military hardly LETS them go do their job, and has failed to make Iraq a safe place for them to travel and gather facts. This article does a great job of making Wolfowitz look like an idiot(although most would argue-correctly- that he needs no help in making himself look like an idiot):

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story?id=6186837&pageid=rs.Politics&pageregion=single1

 

[Willco]

Heh, you linked to Rolling Stone.

 

[bionic77]

Whats the problem? the reporters are sitting in Baghdad in the green zone reporting on reuters/ap pool feeds as news reporting, I wouldn't call them cowards, but they are not doing their jobs and now get pissed because someone calls them on it? you can read the stories and see the common theme and "facts" flowing thru them. They are in secure areas like the green zone and then whine that someone says they are not actually reporting? poor babies.

There are some embedded reports in west iraq near the syria borders, very few traveling now with troops, no one bothers to report much from southern iraq or northern iraq, most of them are in the sunni triangle in the safe zones. I get better information from Iraqi bloggers than I do the mainstream media.



STFU damn yasser arafat loving ho.

If Bush came out tommorrow and claimed the earth was flat somehow I think you would come up with some lame ass way of supporting it. I don't think any normal person would be this attached to any party, you must be connected to them in someway.

 

[Triumph]

Heh, you linked to Rolling Stone.

And? Credible journalism is incapable of coming out of Rolling Stone?

 

[Willco]

And? Credible journalism is incapable of coming out of Rolling Stone?

Dude, it's Rolling Stone. It'd be like me linking an article about terrorism to Vogue or GQ.

 

[Triumph]

Um, Rolling Stone happens to have had some of the best, most well written articles on political issues since it's inception in the late 60's early 70's. Or are you pissed because Travers didn't give the highest possible rating to Spiderman? Tell you what, just read the article. It'll take 10 to 15 minutes of your time. If you don't agree that it's informative, then I'll actually SEE Spider-man 2.

 

[Ripclawe]

Oh Ripclawe, you're so preciously predictable.

Yeah. The press is having a rough time of it over in Iraq. Nevermind the fact that the military hardly LETS them go do their job, and has failed to make Iraq a safe place for them to travel and gather facts. This article does a great job of making Wolfowitz look like an idiot(although most would argue-correctly- that he needs no help in making himself look like an idiot):

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story?id=6186837&pageid=rs.Politics&pageregion=single1

sorry, the iraqis and armed forces have better things to do that make sure media types are safe, like they demanded, a couple of weeks ago, the armed forces make sure that the MEDIA gets better protection. sorry. As for the military when you have reports the media gets tips on attacks and they move in place to film them without warning, its no wonder the military doesn't give a shit about them.

Um, Rolling Stone happens to have had some of the best, most well written articles on political issues since it's inception in the late 60's early 70's.

Time Magazine says whatever. Rolling stone political articles fit whatever agenda(mostly left) they feel like pushing. only saving grace is PJ O'Rourke

 

[Willco]

Um, Rolling Stone happens to have had some of the best, most well written articles on political issues since it's inception in the late 60's early 70's. Or are you pissed because Travers didn't give the highest possible rating to Spiderman? Tell you what, just read the article. It'll take 10 to 15 minutes of your time. If you don't agree that it's informative, then I'll actually SEE Spider-man 2.

Peter Travers is a HACK. That magazine is for hippies written by hippies!

 

[Triumph]

sorry, the iraqis and armed forces have better things to do that make sure media types are safe, like they demanded, a couple of weeks ago, the armed forces make sure that the MEDIA gets better protection. sorry. As for the military when you have reports the media gets tips on attacks and they move in place to film them without warning, its no wonder the military doesn't give a shit about them.

Riiiiight. Listen, I know you're not going to read the article, so I'll swipe a page from your old book and copy n paste some choice passages.

Outside the Hamra, veteran war photographer Robert King lounges by the pool. He and Josh Hammer are awaiting an embed in Fallujah. "Basically, Baghdad sucks," he says. "It's just a bunch of white guys sitting around their hotel rooms, drinking beer. In every other war -- Rwanda, Chechnya, Kosovo, Afghanistan -- the fighters were more than happy to take you to the front. They respected you for it. Here, the U.S. soldiers will accuse you of being a liability if you want to see what's going on. We just want to cover the reality -- which is not them handing out candies to little kids. The reality is that people are dying here every day because of this war."

Hot damn! Yup, seems like the military is doing a fine job over in Baghdad. Nothing to see here folks, it's the MEDIA's fault things are seen as going poorly over there. Or...

Luke Harding, a thirty-six-year-old British correspondent for The Guardian, attends the briefings for entertainment. Once clean-cut and clean-shaven, Harding now has shaggy, shapeless blond hair, and his face is hidden behind a reddish-blond beard. Though he spends half of his time at briefings with his hand in the air, he has only been called on once. Instead, coalition spokesmen choose journalists who lob softball questions, like the American reporter who, as the scandal at the Abu Ghraib prison was breaking, wanted to know about political negotiations that day in Najaf.

"Unbelievable," Harding says, as reporter after reporter ignores Abu Ghraib and asks about cease-fire agreements and weapons buybacks. "I really hate the lack of criticism in the American media. Things that Kimmitt says are reported as if they were true." Harding puts his head in his hands. "It's so depressing."

Iraqi journalists are even more disgusted with the briefings. They don't even bother with questions half the time -- they lecture Kimmitt and once walked out in protest. "In the beginning, the Iraqi journalists were very simpering toward the coalition," says Vick. "Now they ask increasingly hostile questions. Which, I suppose, reflects the feeling in society."

Their questions often go directly to the heart of the matter. One afternoon, an Arabic reporter catches Kimmitt off guard: "Are the coalition forces ready and capable enough to maintain security for the Iraqis by the 30th of June -- without making any violations or offending or inflicting harm to the Iraqi people?" Kimmitt, looking startled, responds that the coalition forces, "side by side with their Iraqi security partners," would "continue to provide a safe and secure environment here in Iraq, not only this month, next month, but also post-30 June as well."

Wow. So the press conferences are a sham? They don't want to answer tough questions? I would have never thought. Honesty and the willingness to confront criticism head on have been hallmarks of this administration and occupation since day one. Oh, and that Abu Ghraib thing? Yeah, that couldn't have been bad, right? Just a few bad apples, right? The MEDIA is distorting it, RIGHT?

Hoping to contain the damage, the Army offers the press a tour of the prison. Some of the press, that is. Harding, whose paper regularly bashes George Bush, isn't invited. Newsweek is also left out of the trip, as are Time, the Wall Street Journal and USA Today. The military says there simply isn't room for everyone. In fact, there are two buses for reporters, one of which is completely empty. Kimmitt claims it's a spare, in case the other bus breaks down on the way to the prison. No one believes him. Several reporters jump into their own cars and head for Abu Ghraib, arriving ahead of the press bus. "We're probably the only assholes in history who've tried to break into Abu Ghraib," says Babak Dehghanpisheh of Newsweek.

When the bus arrives, the reporters file off and approach a massive expanse of tents, each housing twenty-five prisoners. A soldier screams, "No talking to the detainees!" But as soon as the prisoners catch sight of the press corps, pandemonium erupts. Dressed in rags, the Iraqis press their bodies against double layers of barbed wire. There are hundreds of them: shouting, holding up crude signs or crutches. Several wave prosthetic legs. "Where's the freedom?" they shout in Arabic. "Is this the freedom?" A prisoner with a bullhorn denounces Americans in English: "They've taken away our freedom, our liberty, our rights!" The military's staged press tour has devolved into unscripted chaos.

Farnaz Fassihi of the Wall Street Journal stands frozen. "I feel like I'm in a bad dream," she whispers. "God, what have the Americans done?"

Trying to control the damage, the MPs quickly herd everyone back on the buses. "Get the hell on that bus!" an MP orders Anja Niedringhaus, an AP photographer trying to photograph the scene. But when the tour reaches the "hard facility" where the infamous photos were taken, the screams are even more horrific. Female detainees, who, like most prisoners, have not yet been charged with any crimes, shout down to reporters from the second tier of the prison. "I've been here five months!" one woman yells from her cell. "Why?"

These fucking things are being done in my name. I am an American, and I am horrified by them. Fuck you, Mr. Wolfowitz, for saying that the media is the root of the problem. Your corrupt and thickheaded administration is the root of the problem.

 

[Banjo Tango]

Whats the problem? the reporters are sitting in Baghdad in the green zone reporting on reuters/ap pool feeds as news reporting, I wouldn't call them cowards, but they are not doing their job

As for the military when you have reports the media gets tips on attacks and they move in place to film them without warning, its no wonder the military doesn't give a shit about them.

So wait, reporters are both cowering in the green-zone AND rushing in to dangerous attack zones?

 

[calder]

I think it's funny Wolfowitz, like Ripclawe, basically say the media isn't showing how things really are because they are too afraid to travel and find out. Of course, the media in Iraq is *actually there* and know better than anyone if it is safe or not to travel (or even stay in a hotel for more than a night at a time). Gee, isn't the violence and danger that's keeping them bunkered down in Baghdad sort of an idication that things are indeed bad?

 

[bishoptl]

A prisoner with a bullhorn denounces Americans in English: "They've taken away our freedom, our liberty, our rights!"

Where the hell did he get a bullhorn??!

 

[Vennt]

Where the hell did he get a bullhorn??!

The US has obviously captured & imprisoned Flight Lt. Bob "The Scrounger" Hendley, damn them, damn them to hell.

If anyone can fix you up with something while locked away, he can!

"You wanted a bullwhip???... Ahhh man, I'm sorry, I'll see what I can do."



Freeburn

 

[Phoenix]

sorry, the iraqis and armed forces have better things to do that make sure media types are safe, like they demanded, a couple of weeks ago, the armed forces make sure that the MEDIA gets better protection. sorry.

Sorry - not sure where you get your information from but the press leaves the compound DAILY and travels alone in ordinary vehicles to cover stories (in order to blend in and not be obvious targets for people who have been killing them in driveby shootings). The press BROADCASTS from the green zone because you can't carry several tons of satellite uplink equipment into the field.

 

[bionic77]

Does Ripclawe ever respond? Or does he just make new posts in other threads where he continues to lick the balls of the Bush Administration? I swear he can't be real, he must be either a joke character or someone who works directly for the Bush Administration. I can't believe anyone is that fanatical in their support for a party unless they are related to them or work for them.

 

[human5892]

RS article

Those all sound like good points, Raoul, and they might even be talking about many other respected news outlets besides the Rolling Stone. But the fact is, the article came from Hippie Stone and is therefore completely false.

IRAQ IS OKAY, IT'S THE GOD DAMNED LIBURAL MEDIA!!

 

[Ripclawe]

No one wants to go to Iraq -- it's not a fun war. Afghanistan was fun. It had colorful resistance fighters on horseback. It had Al Qaeda bases. There were moonscape mountains and green river valleys. You could get in your car and head off to the Hindu Kush. "You felt as if you were in the back of beyond," says Alissa Rubin of the Los Angeles Times. "I'd probably move to Afghanistan in a heartbeat."

Jesus Christ.. This stupid bitch wrote Afghanistan was fun???? This is the level of reporting coming out of Iraq which is why the military and wolfwitz say they are full of shit.

When I arrive in Baghdad in April, most American journalists are holed up in their rooms, reporting the war by remote: scanning the wires, working their cell phones, watching broadcasts of Al Jazeera. In many cases, they've been reduced to relying on sources available to anyone with an Internet connection.

Wolfwitz was right. I rest my case.

A prisoner with a bullhorn denounces Americans in English: "They've taken away our freedom, our liberty, our rights!" The military's staged press tour has devolved into unscripted chaos.

A prisoner with a bullhorn, okay...

As I said before, I get better news reporting from www.iraqpress.org, iraqi bloggers, than I do from the so called mainstream press. I never said things are a-okay, but the reporting out of Iraq is with an agenda and NOT just news reporting, I know its hard for you to understand MEDIA BIAS But there is a clear agenda NOT to report anything that is even remotely good coming out of Iraq because it curbs the Media agenda. Read that Pew poll, not surprising.

 

[human5892]

Wolfwitz was right. I rest my case.

You're taking it way out of context, though -- he said that the reason the war appears "bad" is because the media there isn't covering it properly, whereas the article asserts that the reverse is true (the media isn't allowed to properly cover it because the war is going badly).

You can go on about bias all you want, but unless that Rolling Stone article completely invented those quotes and complaints from some very well-respected journalists in Iraw, I'm going to go with their version of what's going on over Wolfwitz's...who I'm sure, by the way, doesn't have any bias of his own.

 

[Ripclawe]

Sorry - not sure where you get your information from but the press leaves the compound DAILY and travels alone in ordinary vehicles to cover stories (in order to blend in and not be obvious targets for people who have been killing them in driveby shootings). The press BROADCASTS from the green zone because you can't carry several tons of satellite uplink equipment into the field.

my information is here, the press has already convicted the Forces of deliberately killing them and they are demanding special treatment of some sort.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/iraqandthemedia/story/0,12823,1230681,00.html

and lets use the rolling stone article for the press is travelling daily out of the safety of the compound

When I arrive in Baghdad in April, most American journalists are holed up in their rooms, reporting the war by remote: scanning the wires, working their cell phones, watching broadcasts of Al Jazeera. In many cases, they've been reduced to relying on sources available to anyone with an Internet connection.

thank you.

 

[Phoenix]

But there is a clear agenda NOT to report anything that is even remotely good coming out of Iraq because it curbs the Media agenda. Read that Pew poll, not surprising.

Then perhaps you should give some examples of the good things that aren't being reported?

 

[Willco]

Breaking news. Ripclawe is a CYBER TERRORIST.

 

[Hitokage]

I can't believe anyone is that fanatical in their support for a party unless they are related to them or work for them.

I happen to be blood related to people worse than him, so I have absolutely no trouble with the concept. He's part of the new breed of proto-fascists who spend their days cursing the evil liberal elite and resenting any criticism of the glorious party who will renew America into what it always should be.

...and no, I'm not one to drop the F-word lightly or mistakenly.

 

[Ripclawe]

You're taking it way out of context, though -- he said that the reason the war appears "bad" is because the media there isn't covering it properly, whereas the article asserts that the reverse is true (the media isn't allowed to properly cover it because the war is going badly).

You can go on about bias all you want, but unless that Rolling Stone article completely invented those quotes and complaints from some very well-respected journalists in Iraw, I'm going to go with their version of what's going on over Wolfwitz's...who I'm sure, by the way, doesn't have any bias of his own.

well respected such as the Guardian reporter? Newsweek reports who are a left tilted magazine? You have already made up your mind that the media is right, and here comes wolfowitz with just a little shot at the unbiased and levelheaded media reporting and the press gets all uppity. come on. mostly everyone in this thread would believe anything that fits their mindset including the rolling stone article written by an obvious twit. I still can't believe that Afghanistan quote.

quote:" "Frankly, part of our problem is a lot of the press are afraid to travel very much, so they sit in Baghdad and they publish rumors." "

When I arrive in Baghdad in April, most American journalists are holed up in their rooms, reporting the war by remote: scanning the wires, working their cell phones, watching broadcasts of Al Jazeera. In many cases, they've been reduced to relying on sources available to anyone with an Internet connection.

Let me make myself clear, I have no problems with the press and their reporting with bias, since most of the press is liberal in nature and getting larger, I expect liberal bias in news reporting, but don't insult me by saying you are actually news reporting when you are not or your coverage is completely unbiased and without an agenda. Thats why I like European Press reporting better than American, at least over there the papers stake out their political positions and don't try to hide it.

 

[human5892]

well respected such as the Guardian reporter? Newsweek reports who are a left tilted magazine?

If those aren't good enough for you, here are some more that were mentioned right from the article:

Newsweek is also left out of the trip, as are Time, the Wall Street Journal and USA Today

The last time I checked, the WSJ is most definitely not left-leaning. Also, you cited the Guardian earlier, yet now you're skeptical of their credibility?

You have already made up your mind that the media is right, and here comes wolfowitz with just a little shot at the unbiased and levelheaded media reporting and the press gets all uppity. come on. mostly everyone in this thread would believe anything that fits their mindset including the rolling stone article written by an obvious twit. I still can't believe that Afghanistan quote.

I never stated that I'll believe the media unconditionally, but when faced with a choice between a variety of sources in the media and one government official who is part of an administration which has consistently and deliberately mislead us, I'm going to lead towards believing the media on this particular issue.

 

[Outdoor Miner]

I happen to be blood related to people worse than him, so I have absolutely no trouble with the concept. He's part of the new breed of proto-fascists who spend their days cursing the evil liberal elite and resenting any criticism of the glorious party who will renew America into what it always should be.

...and no, I'm not one to drop the F-word lightly or mistakenly.

Exactly, i have a few members of my family just like him or worse. Anything negative or critical of Bush just gets tossed aside. My oh my what patriots!

 

[Ripclawe]

Then perhaps you should give some examples of the good things that aren't being reported?

I have already posted a couple of links, here is another one.

chrenkoff

 

[Ripclawe]

The last time I checked, the WSJ is most definitely not left-leaning. Also, you cited the Guardian earlier, yet now you're skeptical of their credibility

WSJ is a fine publication, but Farnaz Fassihi tends to be emotionally involved in his stories The Guardian I cited because they were the only one so far pushing the media wants special protection.

 

[Nerevar]

so wait, all those terrorist bombings I see aren't really happening, it's just lazy reporting?


These accusations that the media is entirely left-leaning are just perpetuated by lazy neo-cons who want to make people believe that their version of the truth is the right one. The media likes to hop on sensational storylines because that's what sells newspapers or gets ratings. Prisoner abuse, terrorist attacks, all draw people's attention. Soldier's giving candies to kids in Iraq doesn't. When Clinton had his impeachment, the media was all over it, but you didn't get tons of cries from the left that the "conservative" media was giving a biased view of the situation. Get off your "liberal media" soapbox Ripclawe and accept the fact that the administration and the army has completely misjudged and mishandled the Iraq situation. Yeah, there's progress going on, but there's a hell of a lot of terrorist bombings and military scandals too. And that's whats going to be in the news, whether it's a Republican or Democratic official in office or not.

 

[Phoenix]

I have already posted a couple of links, here is another one.

chrenkoff

Insufficient - what SPECIFICALLY so that I can go and pull a story or feed of it. A blog consists of very frequent updates of information not all of it important or relevant, so I want to know what major thing on part with say todays killing of over 90 and nearly 250 injuries has the media not reported? I know for certain that CNN has been reporting about the situation of the ground, doing stories with people actually in Iraq from time to time, and mentioning what parts of the country are quiet/rebuilding/etc. This has been even more pronounced during this final 7 days when they are talking about the state of the country overall in its various regions. So what specific story of importance has been neglected. Copy and paste it in quote tags.

 

[Banjo Tango]

This article linked from the blog explaining why you don't hear good news from Iraq is awesome. The author states that "conservatives are right to charge that the U.S. media tilts left and is biased against Bush's Iraq policy" because a bunch of news outlets didn't play a tape of the US-backed prime minister, Ilyad Allawi, thanking the US for their sacrifice. OMG, pro-US Iraqi politician praising US policy... stop the presses!

You've also got him claiming that the "liberal" media outlets are only reporting that the Iraqis hate us... I guess I've hallucinated much of NPR's Iraq coverage.

 

[Ripclawe]

[/QUOTE]These accusations that the media is entirely left-leaning are just perpetuated by lazy neo-cons who want to make people believe that their version of the truth is the right one.

"neo-cons"

not entirely, but mostly liberal, that is not even up for debate.

When Clinton had his impeachment, the media was all over it, but you didn't get tons of cries from the left that the "conservative" media was giving a biased view of the situation.

Eric Alterman would disagree, even Newsweek spiked the story on Monica/Clinton before someone from there emailed Drudge about it.

The media likes to hop on sensational storylines because that's what sells newspapers or gets ratings. Prisoner abuse, terrorist attacks, all draw people's attention. Soldier's giving candies to kids in Iraq doesn't.

I have no problem with this but these sensational stories then dovetail into EVERYTHING IN IRAQ IS BAD!!! NOTHING IS RIGHT stories that fit the reporter's agenda.

Get off your "liberal media" soapbox Ripclawe and accept the fact that the administration and the army has completely misjudged and mishandled the Iraq situation. Yeah, there's progress going on, but there's a hell of a lot of terrorist bombings and military scandals too.

completely misjudged and mishandled? No. the terrorist bombings were to be expected unfortunately, but even then the press said this was the work of Iraqi "rebels" or insurgents fighting the evil american occupation instead of what it really was.

 

[Hamfam]

 

[Ripclawe]

Then perhaps you should give some examples of the good things that aren't being reported?

Insufficient - what SPECIFICALLY so that I can go and pull a story or feed of it. A blog consists of very frequent updates of information not all of it important or relevant,

your requested links to news coming out of Iraq that the media is not reporting, I gave it to you and now you want to twist the request around because you deem it not important or relevant enough? interesting.

You've also got him claiming that the "liberal" media outlets are only reporting that the Iraqis hate us... I guess I've hallucinated much of NPR's Iraq coverage.

I am not even going to hit the easy answer on this one, it explains itself.

 

[Hitokage]

No it doesn't. I've heard commentaries from the Heritage Foundation several times on NPR. THEY MUST BE RIGHT-WING BIASED.

Seriously though, comparing the range and depth of coverage between cable news networks and NPR... if being the most liberal news station means not covering celebrity affairs every other minute and airbrained punditry the rest, then damn it I want my news as liberal as it gets.

 

[Banjo Tango]

Yeah really, Ripclawe - I think you completely missed the point I was making.

NPR has run stories on aspects in Iraq that are going well, including polls that show popular Iraqi support for the US troops.

 

[Phoenix]

your requested links to news coming out of Iraq that the media is not reporting, I gave it to you and now you want to twist the request around because you deem it not important or relevant enough? interesting.

You gave me a link to a blog. If you can't provide something specific, that's fine.

 

[Eric-GCA]

"You gave me a link to a blog. If you can't provide something specific, that's fine."

In other words you're too lazy to read. Thats your problem not Rip's.

 

[brooklyngooner]

"You gave me a link to a blog. If you can't provide something specific, that's fine."

In other words you're too lazy to read. Thats your problem not Rip's.

Isn't that cute? He has a fan club!

 

[Banjo Tango]

In other words you're too lazy to read. Thats your problem not Rip's.

The blog consisted of nothing but a bunch of minor articles that aren't major news stories compared to the shit that's currently occupying most headlines. You can easily find other blogs that do this with "bad" Iraqi news stories, claiming that the press is going too easy on the administration.

Pheonix is asking for a link to a major "good news" story that isn't being covered, not stories about how traffic police are now ticketing people for driving on sidewalks.

 

[Phoenix]

The blog consisted of nothing but a bunch of minor articles that aren't major news stories compared to the shit that's currently occupying most headlines. You can easily find other blogs that do this with "bad" Iraqi news stories, claiming that the press is going too easy on the administration.

Pheonix is asking for a link to a major "good news" story that isn't being covered, not stories about how traffic police are now ticketing people for driving on sidewalks.

Exactly. I would no more expect CNN to cover me doing community service work in my community or walking my dog. If there is a major event that is uncovered, what is it? CNN covers a wide variety of CONFIRMABLE 'good news' in a wide variety of countries, so if there is something missing, I'd like to know what it is. My position was well framed and specific in how if could be satisfied. If it was something easily supplied then there would clearly be no problem simply putting it in quotes as I will be doing the hard work of looking for a news feed or story that actually covers it or not and if not finding out WHY it wasn't.

 

[Phoenix]

Worth noting that Wolfowitz's office has just issued an apology for the statement that was made with respect to reporters in Iraq. Perchance someone from his office reads GAF?

 

[sc0la]

Yeah this is a mess because the vast media conspiracy is plotting against wolfowitz cunning millitary brilliance.

I am sure it has absolutely nothing to do with the half-baked, doughy center of Wolfowitz's over decade old personal wet dream/ego-crusade of Iraqi regime change

You know, I may be starting to believe Wolfowitz, I think this whole thing would look a whole lot better if the reporters were out there capturing that crucial footage: Eye witness crews on the spot for immediate footage post "shock and awe" Our military caravan's getting ambushed by insurgents with RPGS. Dead American bodies being burnt to a crisp, beaten and mutilated. Civilian contractors getting ripped from their trucks and having their lives ended. Up close HiDef footage of prisoner abuse, repleat with post-session interviews with interrigators (contractor, Military, and extra-governmental). Live feeds of service men commiting suicide at historical rates. Our soldiers getting put into pine boxes.

But that is the whole point of this concept of imbedding. The government learned valuable lessons from the Gulf War I. Control as much of what the media sees as possible. De-humanze, and go Hi-tech with footage, showing satelite images, laser guided bomb cams, night vision shots of tracer fire, rarely if ever the people on the ground. And hey if all else fails blame these same reporters who don't have full access as it is for just that same thing.

The reporters should be scared, they could die. Just yesterday I listened to a civilian contractor on the radio, whose company stands to make hundreds of millions of dollars on reconstruction projects, talk about volunteer's backing out last minute, because "they neglected their spouse's opionon," or "watced 'too much CNN'," he said they got scarred, got "cold feet" and claimed he didn't really understand why, while this fucker will never set foot outside of the this country for the entire process.

Its easy to call some one a pussy when you wil never experience what they will. Wolfowitz should man up and walk around outside of the greenzone himself before he goes spouting this kind of shit again.

 

[Pimpwerx]

I think both sides agree here, but just don't want to. Yes, Ripclawe is right. The media are a bunch of tools, and depending on where you go, they're just slanting the info to suit their perspective. Objectivity is dead. These are the days of news with opinion. I prefer to watch The News Hour on PBS b/c it may be dull and boring as hell, but they report mostly facts, and try to offer points and counterpoints in the analysis of the story. CNN, MSNBC and FauX give you one biased host after the other who handpick random idiots off the streets for pundits, and give them titles like "Senior Terrorist Analyst" when really it's just some dude who's been watching FOX all day.

But OTOH, how can you defend Wolfowitz? Just look at any news site today. The story of the day (deservedly so) is the 5-city assault that took place today. That's not sensationalism, it's fact. The media may try to dress it up to seem more shocking than it is, but 80+ people dead and 300+ injured is a legit story about a legit beef. Things have gone to shit and back in Iraq, and the media should not be sugar-coating it. This is the reality of war. We're all isolated over here far from the gunfire and bombs, and we make sweeping judgements on the innocence/value of the Iraqis. Meanwhile, they're pretty much ducking the bullets each and every day and seeing their once secure, but oppressed life now turn into a chaoitic free-for-all. The nerve that some suit like Wolfowitz (who was a chief architect in the destruction of many Iraqi lives) can sit so smugly in front of a camera and give a bullshit line like that. Man, I wish someone would have walked up behind him and just bitch-slapped the shit out of him.

To not report the story would be irresponsible. However, the media should be less melodramatic in their coverage. It is equally offensive that they'd use death and destruction to boost ratings, especially since they're the ones who enjoy pointing the finger at Hollywood and video games for the increase in violence. And Wolfowitz...they should give him an M16 and send him to the front lines. We'll see hos inaccurate those reports are then once his name joins the ranks of those KIA in Iraq. God, this administration's douchebaggery is simply too much to handle. PEACE.