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Inside Al-Jazeera

By Kevin Y. Kim

Samir Khader has covered and observed the war on terror through his work with the Arab news network, Al-Jazeera, which he joined after working as a journalist for French and Jordanian television. Khader’s insights recently landed him a lead role in Control Room, a new documentary by Jehane Noujaim about the war in Iraq. In These Times spoke with Khader… return to article

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    I think Mr. Samir Khader is very cautious in what he is saying. I would rather prefer to here the facts on American foreign policy in Middle East and other places (that policy is very specific and persistent through out the whole history of “American democracy era”. The pattern of that policy is so distinctively recognised.
    And my view America would not be able to change that pattern unless the internal system will stop to be so dependant on external resources.
    We need to know not wishes and political rhetoricís but facts through the history from about after the II World War.

    Ireland Posted by Irina on Jun 21, 2004 at 5:17 AM

    ITT, you have provided a friendly forum for an organization that is one of the greatest obstacles to peace in the Arab world.  In so doing, you have also mislead many Americans as to the true nature of Al-Jazeera.

    I urge you to provide some balance and another perspective to your readers.  Here’s an example:

    June 21, 2004— IMAGINE if, on D-Day, the Nazis had been allowed to place camera teams on Omaha Beach ó with our suffering soldiers forbidden to interfere. What if, on top of that, the Germans had invented American atrocities against French civilians ó and our own officials defended their right to do so in the name of press freedom?

    That’s the situation with al-Jazeera in Iraq.

    http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/26126.htm

    United States Posted by Natalie on Jun 21, 2004 at 10:53 AM

    In response to Natalie.
    It is much easier to live blindfolded, but it is our humane responsibility to be open to information and then to filter it through our experience and knowledge.
    About the atrocities of allies in the II WW -you will know if you know the history: carpet bombing of German cities for example, atomic bomb - no purpose can justify it and should not do so. To be a patriot we need to admit our mistakes and crimes (that concerns all the nations), to change our countries for better, not to cover and live blind.
    As to Al-Jazeera, they have rights and courage (in hostility of the West)persistently broadcast their views and fillings, so to get your blindfold off. respect them for that.
    Read, Listen and you will understand.
    Have you red “Quiet american” by Graham Green? No offence but reed it, please.

    Ireland Posted by Irina on Jun 22, 2004 at 4:44 AM

    Do not fear terrorism, understand it: ask the question WHY? Terrorism is not an invention of the Middle East. Same name should be applied to citizen resistance through out the history: uprisings in ancient times, Spartacus, French, English revolutions, American war for independence, partisans of all possible wars. The key element- there is no other means to defend against organised power. In my country ìterrorismî brought independence from England.
    The question is why innocent civilians? If you live in so democratic society then you are taking responsibility for your government actions against innocent civilians in other country? Is it not so?

    I am Irish by the way.
    All the best.

    Ireland Posted by Irina on Jun 22, 2004 at 5:05 AM

    Irina, your response illustrates my point beautifully.  You have such a narrow-minded view of the world and such an apparent lack of historical knowledge that I am led to believe you watch al-Jazeera 24-7.

    You talk of “atrocities” committed by the U.S. as if there was just no reaon at all for them to be necessary.  Do you have any knowledge of the MILLIONS that have been killed by their own governments?  Do you not know enough history to know that at least 150,000,000 people have been intentionally murdered by their own totalitarian governments in the 20th century alone?

    Then we have the evil United States, while no doubt guilty of a few atrocities herself, chalking up a grand total of around 1.5 million killed.  And why were the majority of this number killed?  So millions even billions could live.  If not for the evil United States, what do you think the world would be like today?  I assume you live in freedom, as you are able to express your thoughts on the Internet.  Do you think you would be able to do that and enjoy all your other freedoms if the United States had just stayed home in 1941?

    Currently we are in a struggle with a relatively small number of Islamist that seek to bully the world into following their sick twisted “religion”.  They threaten to steal your freedom to live without the fear of being blown up, poisoned, or radiated. Or of your economy being destroyed and being without a job.  If you don’t recognize this threat for what it is, you are simply living in denial. 

    While the United States certainly has made some mistakes in looking out for itself and others, I hope you could look at the bigger picture. The alternative to American “unilateralism” and “hegemony” was and is catastrophe.

    More on al-Jazeera:

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A24987-2004Jul3?language=printer

    United States Posted by Natalie on Jul 4, 2004 at 2:14 PM

    Well, personal attacks is a well-known tactic, sorry to discuss on this level. As to history I have masters degree in it, as to millions killed in II WW, I belong to nation who lost the most (not Jews, not Americans) in that war. As to saving role of America - Look at the countries “saved” by Americans in a past 50 years - economical, political disaster - they lived better before. But America never looks back, it is too scary and will never prove the point about “saviour”.
    But the matter is not in it. The matter is that nobody expects America to be anything but expansion force, because its economic nature: parasitic nature all together- how much do you produce and how much do you consume? As any economy of that sort you need aggressive policy in economical interest regions (ever wonted to install “democracy” in the country without resources? Woops.

    Ireland Posted by Irina on Jul 5, 2004 at 4:33 AM
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