The War on Al Jazeera

"If the classified memo detailing President Bush's alleged proposal to bomb the headquarters of Al Jazeera is provided to The Nation, we will publish the relevant sections. Why is it so vital that this information be made available to the American people? Because if a President who claims to be using the US military to liberate countries in order to spread freedom then conspires to destroy media that fail to echo his sentiments, he does not merely disgrace his office and soil the reputation of his country. He attacks a fundamental principle, freedom of the press--particularly a dissenting and disagreeable press--upon which that country was founded. " --The Editors (of The Nation)

"Al Jazeera's real transgression during the "war on terror" is a simple one: being there. While critical of the Bush Administration and US policy, it is not anti-American--it is independent. In fact, it has angered almost every Arab government at one point or another and has been kicked out of or sanctioned by many Arab countries. It holds the rare distinction of being shut down by both Saddam and the new US-backed government. It was the first Arab station to broadcast interviews with Israeli officials. It is hardly the Al Qaeda mouthpiece the Administration has wanted us to believe it is. The real threat Al Jazeera poses is in its unembedded journalism--precisely what is needed now to uncover the truth about the Bush-Blair meeting."

This piece sheds light on the repeated attacks by our government against Al Jazeera. Because it didn't fall into line and behave like our own "free press", by only reporting in detail, attacks against coalition forces, and not on attacks made by the coalition, they've been considered, in the words of our President; "If you're not with us, you're with the terrorists".

It's very understandable that a nation at war would want to, and need to, censor sensitive information about military operations. However, this administration has gone much farther than that. They've attempted to see to it that journalists are excluded from events they never want known, and completely ban the ones who don't report in the way they're told to. By preventing the media access, instead of at least allowing them to document events, for publication at at a later time, such as at the end of hostilities, they are attempting to ensure that any activities that could be viewed by the public as counter to American (and the worlds') sensibilities, are forever kept out of the historical record, leaving us with only propaganda.

It's impossible to "win the hearts and minds" of any people towards adopting our ideals, while consistantly proving to them that even we don't abide by them.