Al Jazeera’s Listening Post leads with discussion about Wikileaks and the Iraq War Logs, and the way many in the mainstream U.S. media are “missing the mark,” with a focus on Assange’s personal life, and U.S. television networks declining to work with Wikileaks to get the scoop on the documents. I am aware, however, that CBS’ Katie Couric used the documents, after their publication, to focus on U.S. troops killed in action–the reverential, pro-Pentagon rhetorical angle–to the exclusion of the massive stories about war crimes and torture of Iraqis. Amazing. They act as if no one will notice what they are doing.
Posted in: COLONIALISM/IMPERIALISM, WIKILEAKS
CM
31 October 2010
I’m not sure who started the cowing of the media but it’s in full flower now. The low ball questions in the White House were quickly followed by the managed question sessions by Harper’s government in Canada. The carefully scripted releases are mostly ignored now by anyone who is interested in Canadian news. The most revealing are the responses to reports done without the Harperites input.
I think Julian Assange thought that WikiLeaks information might get wider coverage if they funneled it through well known outlets but it’s resulted in watered down cherry picking (now that’s a tortured metaphor) of the massive amounts of information in each release.
The look on Ray McGovern’s face was perfect. The delight that they might actually might call for some prosecutions followed by the realization that they were going to prosecute WikiLeaks.
Reading about the Khadr hearings in Guatánamo this week was pretty similar. The total disregard for anything approaching a legitimate proceeding was considered legal because they make the laws as they go along. Since they are the self-described World’s Only Superpower, they can do what they like. Throwing out Rights of the Child and Child Soldier considerations, condemning a kid for the actions of his deluded parents, and manufacturing charges after the fact were all in a day’s work.
The sanctification of the military came with the Speer’s widow’s testimony. When did a halo come with a Delta Force uniform? They are part of the hunter-killer teams deployed all over the world to kill whomever the U.S. wishes. What did she think her husband did all day, pick daisies?
Teredo
31 October 2010
With regard to the much vaunted, it the US anyway, freedom of the press belief, it should be remembered that in reality freedom of the press applies on to those who own one.