Lil' ole al-Jazeera

Democrat columnist for the Sun Times Lynn Sweet, based in Washington, is campaigning for Duckworth in her latest column, "In shot at rival, Roskam points to...al Jazeera? (Earlier column went to bat for Bean.)

Sweet defends al-Jazeera as just another news organization, which just happens to like the convenience of O'Hare airport to cover the race of an anti-war former member of the military.

Here's a look at lil' ole al-Jazeera by the British newspaper The Independent. Apparently the "news organization" is having a little trouble launching its international news wing.
First there's the manner of its sudden entrance into the Saudi market:

It is said that al-Jazeera, the Arabic news channel funded by the Emir of Qatar, owes its growth to pornography. One year after launch in 1996, desperate to expand from humble beginnings, it sought access to a Saudi-controlled satellite used by the French network Canal France International (CFI). Enquiries revealed that no space was available. But then a CFI engineer pressed the wrong button and transmitted hardcore porn into Saudi homes, so infuriating the Saudi authorities. CFI was expelled from its slot and Al-Jazeera got bargain distribution.

Then there is the matter of, ahem, journalistic integrity:

"Morale has been plummeting throughout the year," says a source at al-Jazeera's Knightsbridge bureau. "There is serious confusion about what the station is for and real tension between al-Jazeera's Arabic programme makers and the new international team."

Wadah Khanfar, director general of the al-Jazeera network, has said: "The launching of the English channel offers the chance to reach out to a new audience that is used to hearing the name of al-Jazeera without being able to watch it or understand the language." But British sources describe huge difficulties in reconciling al-Jazeera's established editorial identity with Western ideals of balance and impartiality. One describes the visit of a Qatar-based editorial consultant to al-Jazeera's London offices in August: "He told journalists that the events in Iraq and Palestine which we usually refer to as suicide-bombings should be referred to on air as 'martyrdom operations'."

This is perhaps not a surprise to most, except perhaps a few liberal journalists, (see previous post for, at best, presumed future al-Jazeera reporter) as al-Jazeera has a tradition of being Osama bin Laden's preferred broadcast network. (Perhaps they will elicit a testimonial from OBL for their projected international debut later this month.) They also are the conduit for graphic hostage tapes, which, of course, need no translation. But not to worry, according to the head of the new international network, al-Jazeera will not be a direct translation:

Nigel Parsons, the former Associated Press television executive who is managing director of al-Jazeera International, has sought to reassure his staff that comparing Arabic language al-Jazeera and the new AJI is pointless. "The brief is emphatically not to do an English translation of the Arabic channel. It will have international appeal and fill a lot of gaps in existing output."

Very reassuring indeed. But apparently not reassuring enough even for staff recruited from those weak reeds of the liberal MSM---BBC, CNN, "people with real public service records" who wanted to deliver the "death knell" to "blue-blazered, square-jawed imperialists" presenting the news. (Figuratively speaking, of course.) Even these guys have found the guts to say no to al-Jazeera---I take that back---the story gives no indication that they have left, only that "morale has plummeted". More from the visionary head of AJI:

Parsons has said: "CNN have been dragged to the right by Fox... They have lost some credibility on the international stage."

The mind boggles.

CNN, the Contemptible News Network---a tool of FoxNews---who knew?

Quite an example of clear-eyed journalistic impartiality. Granted, it's an opinion piece, but here is one sample from their English language website:

True debate between the Muslim world and the West may well help assuage tensions, political tensions in particular, but the West - especially the US - has a track record of choosing war over debate.

And in debate's absence, while Muslims continue to die as a result of Western aggression and arrogance, the world can be assured that the response from Muslims will grow more violent still.

Laith Saud is an Iraqi academic researcher and lecturer in the United States.

Of course, isn't it obvious? We attacked ourselves on Sept. 11th. Here's another:

If the Democratic party seizes congress or senate, or both, the sycophantic congress will disappear. This might even open the door for impeachment - which would never happen under this Republican legislature.

Incidentally, barring impeachment and conviction or death, Bush will be president until January 20, 2009.

But who is Laith Saud? Does he lecture at Penn? Check this out (scroll down a tad). You be the judge--is it the same person? As al-Jazeera apparently has a crack columnist in the Chicagoland area, perhaps he doesn't even need to take advantage of conveniently located O'Hare airport. Automated translation of main al-Jazeera site here. More background on election coverage and sympathies here. See also previous post, "Terrorists for Democrats".

Should these people with diminished morals, umm morale, finally decide to leave Lil' ole al-Jazeera International, as even CNN is too far-right for them, perhaps they could find a home as a guest writer of Lynn Sweet's column. After all, at least one guy is based here, while Sweet is in Washington.

And Ms. Sweet may want to give fellow Sun Times columnist Mark Steyn a call to get up to speed on the Contemptible Kerry, Duckworth's biggest backer.

By the way, the VFW endorses Peter Roskam.