Iraqi Council Plans to Ban Arab TV Channels (Iraq says No to Al-Jazeera!)

Reuters ^ | Sept. 23, 2003 | Huda Majeed Saleh

[Alouette]

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Governing Council said Tuesday it planned to suspend the Iraqi operations of two Arab satellite channels it accused of inciting violence against U.S.-led occupation forces.

Entifadh Qanbar, spokesman for council chairman Ahmed Chalabi, said the move against Qatar-based Al Jazeera and Dubai- based Al Arabiya was intended as a clear message to other channels that might stir unrest among the Iraqi population.

U.S. forces face daily attacks from guerrilla fighters seeking to drive them from Iraq. Dissatisfaction with the occupation is aggravated by grave shortcomings in many basic services such as water and electricity.

"Yesterday the council issued a resolution...to close Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya satellite stations for violations (of rules) and promoting sectarian differences in Iraq," Qanbar told a news conference in Baghdad.

"For promoting political violence, promoting killing of members of the Governing Council, promoting killing of members of the U.S. coalition, putting on their screens videotapes of terrorists."

Local staff of the two channels in Baghdad told Reuters they had been informed their operations would be shut down for two weeks, and that they planned to appeal to the U.S.-led administration in Iraq.

The administration has promised media freedom in Iraq, and says it will close media outlets only if they are guilty of inciting violence.

STATIONS WIDELY WATCHED

In Dubai, Arabiya said it had received no official notification and was still operating normally.

"We are trying to cover all aspects of the situation in Iraq as objectively as possible and that includes allowing our channel to be a forum for everyone in Iraqi society, be they opposition, the Americans or the government," Abdul Sattar Ellaz, program editor for Al Arabiya, told Reuters.

Both stations are widely watched in Iraq by satellite. Both have aired videotapes of ex-president Saddam Hussein encouraging Iraqis to fight the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

Qanbar said the council, after a short ban, would issue regulations for the stations to follow, and punishments to be applied if they did not.

"Our belief is that Iraq, in such a critical situation, cannot afford to sustain such attacks and promotion of sectarianism and political violence," he said.

Qanbar said the Governing Council was meeting with the U.S. civil administration to discuss how to pursue the matter legally.

[swilhelm73]

Well, when you are on Saddam Hussein's payroll, their are consequences when the people of Iraq gain political power...just ask the French.

[OldFriend]

No doubt our esteemed national media will issue a complaint to the UN.........

[Swanks]

Kind of like the US banning CNN

[VRW Conspirator]

...spokesman for council chairman Ahmed Chalabi, said the move against Qatar-based Al Jazeera and Dubai- based Al Arabiya was intended as a clear message to other channels that might stir unrest among the Iraqi population.

The Libs are in a dilemma. If they choose to hammer the Iraqis about censorship, they will look like fools for encouraging the promoters of violence. If they do not criticize them then it is a tacit agreement that it is muslims killing other muslims that is the problem and not GWB policies.

[prairiebreeze]

The libs will perform the former. GWB policies must be protrayed as "the problem" at all costs. No matter what the price.

Prairie

[BJungNan]

What about CNN?

[pointsal]

WHAT'S THE LAT/LONG FOR THEIR STUDIO? MAYBE A LOCAL TRUCK DRIVER WITH A "ONE-WAY" WISH FOR 70-VIRGINS SHOULD VISIT THE STUDIO.........

[Mo1]

When are they going to ban CNN?

[Bobby777]

Qatar-based Al Jazeera

I hate to say it, but there's a lesson in there ... and it ain't too hard to find ...

I hope that new airbase at Qatar operates at high-levels of security 24/7 ... I don't know how much they still operate in Saudi Arabia but the same rules apply there, obviously ...

[Lunatic Fringe]

Bravo! They aren't even a government yet and they have already learned how to supress Freedom of the Press.

[Imal]

While I have concerns about freedom of the press in the new Iraq, no nation, no matter how free, should be expected to tolerate sedition and incitement to violent overthrow of its government in any form, whether public speech, articles in the press, or propaganda on television.

Frankly, we shouldn't tolerate it as much as we do in the U.S.

Peaceful dissent has its place in a free society. Violent dissent is civil war, and nothing better.

[PhiKapMom]

The following is about Ambassador Mark Ginsberg, a Fox Analyst for the Middle East, Gore Foreign Policy Advisor in 2000, Foreign Policy Advisor to the 10 Indians for 2004, and speaker at the DNC Convention in 2000! Ginsberg is brought out by Fox day after day for his expertise and this morning when he was trashing the Bush Administration about Iraq, I decided to do some research. I found that he is a member of the RATs Politics at the Podium Speaker's Bureau and this was his biography on that site:

Marc Ginsberg
Greater Talent Network
New York City
(800) 326-4211
www.greatertalent.com

Ginsberg, a former U.S. ambassador to Morocco and special adviser for Mediterranean security and trade policy under the Clinton administration, is fluent in Arabic, French and Hebrew and knows well the mind-set of people in the Arabic world and the Middle East. He now serves as a consultant to the Arabic Al-Jazeera television network as well as CEO and managing director of an equity company in Washington, D.C.

Ginsberg explains to groups the often complex world of U.S. defense, economic and foreign policy; other talks focus specifically on Afghanistan, Iraq and the ongoing Israel-Palestine crisis.

Source: http://www.meetings-conventions.com/issues/0503/features/feature4.html

Have been watching Ginsberg on Fox for a long time and until I did my research today I had no idea he was an advisor to Al Jazerra! What is wrong with Fox News Channel for not noting that fact?

[Wait4Truth]

This needs to be pointed out to Fox News. Letting them know that someone knows will make them think twice...maybe. With the way the media is going, I don't know what will make a difference anymore! Fox should not be using this guy! Thanks for the great info pathetic as it is.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

(Iraq says No to Al-Jazeera!)

But they dont want freedom right ? I mean thats what the dems are screaming were not wanted there right ? Hmmmmm someones full of proverbial dungage

[Bogey78O]

It's not exactly back to civilian law. They're lucky, in New Orleans a Union general hung a man who tore down the US flag. AA and AJ are inciting violence and rebellion. They're lucky they are allowed to leave.

[RightWhale]

How's the new Iraq Constitution coming? Martial law is tough on individual liberty, especially the liberty to encourage violence.

[FreeReign]

Martial law is tough on individual liberty, especially the liberty to encourage violence.

The encouragement of violence is not a unalienable right and the discouragement by individuals or groups of individuals of those who would encourage such violence is an unalienable right.

[Clock King]

Hey at least Qatar is become (has become?) an open society where women aren't under the thumb and education is valued. Al-Jazeera is occasionally critical of other Arab societies, something that could probably only happen in Qatar.