Good old fashioned censorship Part 2

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » April 3, 2003, 10:05 am

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/04/ ... index.html

Forthe · Post by **Forthe** » April 3, 2003, 1:54 pm

Do you understand what happened?

This would be the same as CNN pulling out of Iraq if the US government sent one of it's reporters packing? Do you think this would ever happen? This war is even more of a cash cow for Al-Jazeera.

I give Al-Jazeera major props for operating on principle rather than profit alone.

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » April 3, 2003, 2:06 pm

Yes I do understand what happened,And yes I give kudos to Al-Jazzare but what I was getting at was, Everyone bitches at the US for kicking out reporters but noone says a word about Iraq when they do it.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » April 3, 2003, 2:38 pm

Cartalas wrote:Yes I do understand what happened,And yes I give kudos to Al-Jazzare but what I was getting at was, Everyone bitches at the US for kicking out reporters but noone says a word about Iraq when they do it.

because the government of Iraq doesnt guarantee "freedom of the press".

The United States does.

so nobody expects unfettered activity in Iraq, therefore they typically dont complain when they arent granted it. In fact, in a country with a state countrolled media, if you are a foreign news outlet, you tend to 'take what you can get' in that environment and you have to operate as best you can under the circumstances.

As an aside I havent heard of any Al Jazeera people being expelled from the US, just their pentagon/White House credentials revoked. The Pentagon and the White House are within their rights to grant and revoke those credentials as they see fit.

The US was mad at AJ for showing the pictures of executed American POWs as a violation of the "Geneva convention" and stuff. It was kind of funny watching Ari Flescher dodge questions when he was asked about how the US doesnt adhere to the Geneva convention in their Cuban detainee camps either, or when they torture people in Egypt to get info about Al Queda.

Granted we arent executing prisoners in Cuba or physically torturing them, but i will say there is a bit of well deserved criticism coming our way when we demand a country like Iraq adheres to military standards that we ourselves pick and choose the opportunities to comply with.

Fallanthas · Post by **Fallanthas** » April 3, 2003, 3:05 pm

The Pentagon and the White House are within their rights to grant and revoke those credentials as they see fit.

And millitary units during time of war do not have the same right?

Free press does not mean you get all the information you want, folks.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » April 3, 2003, 3:12 pm

no shit.

and i said nothing to imply that they should.

but that isnt what is going on here. Al Jazeera is working from a position of strength, and as a result they are going to have the Iraqi government compromise on some of their demands because Iraq depends on Al Jazeera as a propaganda outlet.

Al Jazeera permits this because they get increased access that the western media does not.

That is my opinion of what is going on, i guess i should say. I dont have any knowledge of the situation beyond the story linked above.

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » April 3, 2003, 3:57 pm

Voronwë wrote: The US was mad at AJ for showing the pictures of executed American POWs as a violation of the "Geneva convention" and stuff. It was kind of funny watching Ari Flescher dodge questions when he was asked about how the US doesnt adhere to the Geneva convention in their Cuban detainee camps either, or when they torture people in Egypt to get info about Al Queda.

Granted we arent executing prisoners in Cuba or physically torturing them, but i will say there is a bit of well deserved criticism coming our way when we demand a country like Iraq adheres to military standards that we ourselves pick and choose the opportunities to comply with.

Well one reason the detainee's are not POW's they are Criminals.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » April 3, 2003, 4:15 pm

Cartalas wrote:
Voronwë wrote: The US was mad at AJ for showing the pictures of executed American POWs as a violation of the "Geneva convention" and stuff. It was kind of funny watching Ari Flescher dodge questions when he was asked about how the US doesnt adhere to the Geneva convention in their Cuban detainee camps either, or when they torture people in Egypt to get info about Al Queda.

Granted we arent executing prisoners in Cuba or physically torturing them, but i will say there is a bit of well deserved criticism coming our way when we demand a country like Iraq adheres to military standards that we ourselves pick and choose the opportunities to comply with.

Well one reason the detainee's are not POW's they are Criminals.

interesting you say that, because that is what the Iraqi government calls our military.

Dalmoth · Post by **Dalmoth** » April 3, 2003, 7:39 pm

I somehow believe that if put to a real test, the "criminals" in cuba would be re-classified as POWs. Also, even criminals are supposed to be exempt from cruel and unusual punishment.

It is very fair criticism in my mind.

Forthe · Post by **Forthe** » April 4, 2003, 12:46 am

Cartalas wrote:Well one reason the detainee's are not POW's they are Criminals.

How can you be a criminal if there are no charges against you? They just released some of them a few weeks ago after they determined they weren't terrorists. None ever had any charge laid against them. Only took 16 months or so to come to that determination. Very efficient.

They are also trying to classify some Iraqi combatants as "illegal combatants". They have claimed they won't end up in Cuba.

Voro: They are using sleep deprivation in Cuba.

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » April 4, 2003, 9:22 am

Forthe wrote:
Cartalas wrote:Well one reason the detainee's are not POW's they are Criminals.
How can you be a criminal if there are no charges against you? They just released some of them a few weeks ago after they determined they weren't terrorists. None ever had any charge laid against them. Only took 16 months or so to come to that determination. Very efficient.

They are also trying to classify some Iraqi combatants as "illegal combatants". They have claimed they won't end up in Cuba.

Voro: They are using sleep deprivation in Cuba.

Criminals I say, It will just take awhile to find something on them hell send them to Texas they will wrap it up.

Braxter · Post by **Braxter** » April 4, 2003, 9:27 am

damn that stupid constitution always getting in the way of our revenge!