ANALYSIS: Why Arabic World Press LIES/DISTORTS/SLANTS Iraq War Reporting (Excellent Read!)

Al-Sharq Al-Wasat (Translation from Arabic by MEMRI) ^ | 6 April 2003 | Al-Sharq Al-Wasat (Translated from Arabic)

[AmericanInTokyo]

This was translated from MEMRI from Arabic into English just two days ago. I thought it was EXCELLENT!

It sure answered a lot of questions I had since I have been looking at al Jazeera, LBC (Lebanon), Abu Dhabi TV and Egypt Satellite TV for the last three weeks, wondering "what in the hell is going on?" (Well, I knew it, but this put that sentiment into logical words and reasoning for me).

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for posting this very interesting piece!

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[gcruse]

One of the greatest lessons our fighting forces learned was to not arm themselves in peacetime in order to fight the last war. A word of wisdom to the Mecca-lekkas is to stop fighting the last millenium's war.

[psstoffpatriot]

This is a great article. Although the facts here come as no surprise to most Americans, it is nice to see an Arab journalist, or any foreign journalist for that matter, point them out. Unfortunately, I doubt that this article will get much attention from the rest of the foreign jounalists.

[Paleo Conservative]

Is our press all that different? Instead of exaggerating our military's prowess they denigrate it. They claim we are in a quagmire, that our plans have failed.

[What Is Ain't]

Agreed: EXCELLENT.

The occasional logical voice from the Arab sphere raises my hopes for the future of the Middle East. I only wish there were more.

[truth_seeker]

Larry Elder discussed this article.

The REALITY of 1967 and 1973 is too "Humiliating" for the arab street.

Hence, let them live with the satisfying belief that they win these conflicts. "Feel Good" jounalism--middle east style.

It probably works to the advantage of the civilized coalition. If it sunk in with the arab street, they had NOT beat us, they might prepare, equip, etc.

As it is, maybe they are deluded into thinking their version of WWIV is going pretty well.

[demosthenes the elder]

wow. nice smackdown. VERY nice. refreshing to hear an arab with a brain.

[DeuceTraveler]

My Puerto Rican grandmother says the same images are being shown an Spanish television and Mexican television. The world is showing Americans as baby killers by their dictators who run their media outlets.

[narby]

Dennis Prager had an extreemly cogent statement about Arab lying the other day.

His point is that in Arab culture, it is more important too keep honor than it is to tell the truth. His litmus test is the Egypt Air flight brought down by one of the pilots a couple of years ago, yet Egypt refuses to acknowledge this. The reason is they would loose honor, and the pilot would loose honor, so they see it as better to lie.

Prager said that until this honor vs. truth equasion can be changed in the arab culture, we will always have trouble with them. His is a very interesting point of view.

[cookcounty]

'Perhaps the Arabs' humiliation will be so great that they will finally begin to ask questions about their basic assumptions about life and truth. That would be a result vastly more important than taking down Sddam.

[The Great RJ]

The Arab media is a lot like the tabloids and "reports" sesational and even ludicrous stories because that's what sells on the Arab street. The market for these Arab news outlets is not particularly informed or educated despite all the pretensions that Al Jazeera is just like CNN.

The Arab audience wouldn't watch or buy their papers if they showed US troops giving food or aid to Iraqi civilians or tried to give a fair and balanced view any more than the National Enquirer would sell papers if they devoted their pages to NY Times or Wall Street Journal level analysis and comment.

[cgk]

ping for later reading... :)

[cgk]

oops. ping.

[Jeff Gordon]

Given the continued lies we have seen from Arbic media one can guess at the truth or lack of truth contained in the stories of the Qur'an.

[Carry_Okie]

His point is that in Arab culture, it is more important too keep honor than it is to tell the truth.

That's putting it charitably. It looks to me more like maintaining a facade than respect for personal honor.

[try phecta tom]

Amen. My sister met an Arab guy like 20 years ago. At the time he acted nicely and was mannered and educated. Problem was, after proposing, a number of people who knew of him called my sister and told her he is married. It took like five calls to convince her, she just couldn't believe.

Needless to say she was devastated and one of the callers called back to console her. He explained that he was in the peace core and he served in the Iran/Iraq region. He explained that in the culture if you want something to be true, just say it. It's like "that is how I really feel and you can't hold that against me".

"Hey Abdul, would you help me move out of my apartment and in to my new one?".

"Yes, great see you then."

When he doesn't show it's just accepted, he would really LIKE to help you, he just doesn't want to carry furniture, spend time, whatever. Go figure

[ArneFufkin]

I keep forgetting what the hierarchial order of importance in highlighted passages among bold, underlined bold, red bold and italic bold.

God I miss Uncle Bill.

[Carry_Okie]

Given the continued lies we have seen from Arbic media one can guess at the truth or lack of truth contained in the stories of the Qur'an.

Actually, the Koran will eventually be seen for the pagan fraud that it really is. The name of both Allah, and his tempestuous harlot wife can be seen in numerous scripts (including cuneiform) as carved grafitti along ancient caravan routes all over the Arabian peninsula. Allah was with us 2,700 years before the Koran was written, as a morphed name of Illah, the sun god of Babylon. Allat was goddess of the moon, and was even written into early drafts of the Koran. Yes, Mohammed even switched their roles. He canned Allat in later versions (the original Satanic verses), claiming that Satan had made him put them there in the first place.

So much for divine inspiration!

[Carry_Okie]

God I miss Uncle Bill.

Me too.