Biases of the American Press

Well of course American perception will be `biased`. It has been shaped over the decades by the Gaddafi, the PLO, the Hammas, Assad and Saddam, who, whatever the legitimacy of their beef, showed a willingness to `retaliate` agaist civilians in acts of terrorism. It isn`t just Muslims who are victims of this biased perception -- the Commies were too, and now the Chinese are. If the Indian GOVERNMENT was seen as supporting terrorism, you can rest assured a `bias` will develop against them too. (Of course, some imbeciles would like to see Kashmir in a nice -black-and-white light here. Go ahead!)

Oh, nad let`s not factor out stragetic ocnsiderations too, which we can thank God exist. Pakistani Muslims can lament the by products of the Afghan war all they like, but would they rather be singing the Russian national anthem today??

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Superpowers don`t need to be held to any higher moral standard (wrt `biases`) than do other nations. This is so much more whining and moaning about being `unjustly` treated.

The ``objectivity`` of the American media is shaped by many different things: (1)What is perceived to be in American interests, (2) What would be acceptable to the public, (3) The business interests of the media, etc. To a large extent these influences overlap but they also tend to run independent of each other. During a war, American interests are paramount and exposing atrocities by American troops could wait until the war is over. After that, winning an award here and there may motivate the reporters to write about things covered up previously. But, if it is perceived that the public can handle it, and indeed even demands it, then you have expose`s galore even in the midst of a war. The fact that America was, incredibly, losing a war which was becoming unpopular at home compelled the media to express outrage at a few select atrocities in Vietnam, where millions of people were slaughtered by American bombs and troops. You don`t hear about Panama where some 3000 innocent civilians were killed by American bombing in their zeal to capture Noriega. You don`t see the NYT or WP writing editorials clamoring for the trial of George Bush for war crimes. Again, serving American interests, or what newspapers consider to be so, hugely important. Even more important of course is selling papers. If the public won`t accept it, the newspapers won`t cover it. You won`t see the Detroit papers exposing the shenanings of GM & Ford or Delaware papers being critical of Dupont. First and foremost, however, is serving their own business interests. Newspapers write editorials and influence reporting of stories all the time where they have a conflict of interest. What else do you expect from business houses to whom newspapers and TV are another way to make money?

In sum, if India were seen as against American interests - as it was during the cold war - then India would be covered from the FakirSnakecharmerPovertyPagan angle. But for now it is the land of programmers and IITs.

Check out FAIR.org

Pakistan must diassociate from Taliban. Stop fueling the Kashmiri terrorists and stop all the madrassahs that spread hatred. It is not just US but the entire world press is against Pakistan. Look at the BBC, Australian News, European newspapers. Do they project Pakistan positively?

This week it is going to be a major upset for Pakistan when Afghan opposition leader addresses European Parliament and blasts Pakistan for all the misery brought to Afghan people.

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The invitation to Afghan opposition leader Ahmad Shah Masood to address the European Parliament this week is likely to enrage the ruling Taliban militia and their ally Pakistan, analysts said Monday.

Masood, the former defence minister under ousted president Burhanuddin Rabbani, has been invited by the European Union (EU) to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday.

It will be a major diplomatic coup for the opposition commander, who has led the resistance against the hardline Islamic militia since 1996 when the Rabbani government was driven from Kabul.

Analysts here said the gloves appeared to have come off in the EU`s diplomatic struggle with the Taliban following the militia`s destruction of ancient Buddha statues despite international protests last month.

The Taliban, which control most of the country with a unique brand of Islamic law, yearn for international recognition but so far only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have obliged.

``The French government had ominously warned the Taliban that they would earn the world`s hostility if they went ahead with the destruction of the statues,`` wrote Rahimullah Yusafzai, a columnist with the News daily in Pakistan and a follower of Afghan affairs.

``The invitation to Masood to visit Strasbourg and Paris and deride the Taliban could very well be the first manifestation of the hostility to which the French government was referring.

``By shunning one armed faction, ie the Taliban, and befriending another, ie the Northern Alliance (under Masood), the European Parliament and other Western countries may be stoking the fire of continued fighting.``

Parliament President Nicole Fontaine on Saturday described Masood as ``vice-president of the Islamic State of Afghanistan.``

But the Taliban insist that Rabbani`s ``Islamic State`` has been destroyed and now the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, a military theocracy headed by Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad Omar, is the government.

Despite the Taliban`s claims that they control some 90 percent of the ocuntry, the Islamic State also holds Afghanistan`s seat at the United Nations.

Fontaine said Masood, a Tajik who speaks halting French, had been invited to ``explain the situation in his country,`` and would have the opportunity to meet parliamentary groups and hold a news conference.

She cited ``serious and repetitive`` violations of fundamental rights and personal dignity in Afghanistan, and referred to the Taliban`s strict laws regarding female employment and education.

Afghan women ``are banned from working outside and are subjected to physical and moral violence from another age, particularly young girls, who are excluded from the education system,`` she said.

``Women are the principal victims of a fanaticism that hides behind the Muslim religion which it betrays.``

Whatever the greater implications of the visit, it is sure to provide a captivating spectacle.

Masood, a turbaned warrior who is most at home with his rag-tag troops in the valleys and snow-capped mountains of northeastern Afghanistan, will cut a striking figure in the halls of European power.

``The Western media`s interest in Masood, often portrayed as the Lion of the Panjshir for defying the Soviet Red Army ... has always been high and one should be ready for saturation-level coverage,`` Yusafzai wrote.

He said Masood would almost certainly use his speech to launch a ``verbal tirade`` against neighbouring Pakistan, which is widely accused of supplying the Taliban with vital technical and material military assistance

YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW THE JEWISH CONTROLLED MEDIA IS SUPRESSING THE FREE SPEECH IN THE USA??? READ CONGRESSMAN PAUL FINDLEY`S ``THEY DARE TO SPEAK``. IT IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM AND WILL OPEN YOUR EYES AS TO HOW THE SO CALLED `FREE MEDIA` IN THE USA RUN BY THE JEWSIH TERRORIST GROUPS IS RUNNING THE COUNTRY AND WILL NOT ALLOW ANY FREE SPEECH OR WRITING.

By being undemocratic, muzzling the press, and it`s economy in shambles, Pakistan has provided ample ammunition in the West to those who hate it, namely the Jewish lobby in the US and those Hindus who love to kick Pakistan while it`s down and who would, therefore, want to keep it that way.

The article`s conclusion is correct. Unless Pakistan becomes democratic with free press and independent judiciary, kicking it around would be a child`s play for it`s enemies. Without liberal democracy, independent judiciary and free press, Pakistan has got no future. Simple as that.

Pakistan enemies don`t have to be very intelligent to convince the Americans that Pakistan is America`s worst nightmare. Pakistan itself has made their jobs exceedingly easy. More often than not, as it happens in sports, your opponent beats you not because he was good, but because you lost the game yourself.

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It`s a Jewish-Hindu conspiracy. Don`t you know the American media is run by Jews?

Heck, as Spout was saying a while back, even CNN is into the conspiracy (even though it`s owner is not Jewish).

Bechaara Pakistan...no one likes it anymore :(

Omar,

Another pathetic abcd pakistani article, what a self deprecating reason for a democracy in pakistan, to get good reports in the US news papers.

May be it is time for the paksistanis to read something more than their on propaganda, the alleged human rights issues in kashmir maynot be all that bad, there may not be 700,000 indian troops, the jihadists may be a lot more than they think, and a country that supports jihadists that can take on the army of another country may be a `terrorist` supporting state.

Wake up call for pakistanis, others are spitting on your swag.

regards

jay

Sir, I agree with most of what you say but WHY do you have to try to bring in a note of relativity vis-a-vis India in the coverage of Pakistan by the US media? Please appreciate that India, like other countries, is a huge land mass, has a vast variety of people and issues and points of view and you therefore cannot use us as a single point of reference.

It is like saying that George Bush`s views on the Kyoto Protocol are shared by everybody if the US.

As for an independent tv channel for Pakistan, may I suggest you watch Zee TV? They, very often, now have special programmes for and from Pakistan which treat matters without reference to India.

But yes, boss, I think you need to try to answer one last question: assuming that the free and democratic Pakistan is now just a question of time, then would you and others on this board like to place a best case/worst case time frame?

From what I hear, best case 1 year and worst case 3 years?

I like the fact that the writer remains a scourge of fundamentalism, but I`d really be impressed if he lived in Karachi and wrote much of the same. Omar, we speak of the Zionist/Indian/Gabonese conspiracy against Pakistan, but let`s face the facts on ground zero....there isn`t much positive activity happening. bearded zealots burning american flags and yearning for the 10th century makes good airtime for the likes of dan rather. As for what India is doing in Held Kashmir....simply put their spin doctors are much more effective than ours. they spend more money training their diplomats and deal with ``obstacles`` way better than our own goons. In the end that`s what it`s about - intellectual capital. they`ve managed to harness theirs while we`re still trying to figure out which province gets how much after after 50 years of existence.

I don`t know about America`s Worst Nightmare, but a Taliban-like scenario is very possible here, and it`s every peace loving Pakistani`s worst nightmare. I`d like to suggest you come back and work against it.....quite a dilemma for you isn`t it? must be nice to keep the ``crusader`` image intact without putting anything on the line? ;)

The truth, my dear Pakistani friend, has 5 axes. Three are spatial, one is that of time and the last is that of perspective !

I can quite understand why you are upset about Pakistan getting negative press in the west. But what I see is that you are rankled as to why India is not getting the same. I cant make a claim that India is more ``progressive`` than Pakistan, since I havent seen your country. But I can tell you one thing. Ten years ago, there was a sense of despondency in the nation. Today, after economic reform, there is a palpable excitement in the air. You find upbeat people, an optimism of a kind, a can-do attitude. Indians have started to believe in themselves. A few successes here and there reinforced that belief. And you know what, these things spread like wildfire.

Consequently, people who come in contact with Indians take a better view of the country with them. This is not to say that media organizations are not biased. I make no such claim. What you see is a ``feel good`` feeling that has rubbed off on them.

About the ``rise`` of ``Hindutva``, which all Pakistanis keep harping about. The ``death of secularism`` and all that balderdash. I dont see it happening in my lifetime. You see, Indian society has seen n number of such ``movements``. These are passing fancies, essentially the nature of an Indian is to accept. If you have ever met a normal Indian, you will be able to see what I mean. Just because a bunch of street goons in the Shiv Sena decide to knock down a building, all Indians dont metamorphise into devils. I know you would like to believe in all that. After all, it gives you a sense of ``look, they are as bad as us``.

I also admire the fact that you are able to notice a few redeeming qualities in your ``enemies``. Good for you.

Your article was generally ok until I came across the underlying message. About this great ``Indo-Isreali`` combine that is out to destroy you.

Get real. The world is not all about you. I am sorry to inform you that you come from a nation that is a blip on the international radar. If you are pragmatic enough, it becomes apparent that there are no conspiracies etc.

The alternative of course is to go the David Koresh [Waco fame] way - dig a trench, clutch your missiles close to your chest and go to war with your real and imagined foes.

I wish you and your nation well. It would do well to remember that India is the big boy on the block and will remain so. The sooner this strikes home, the better. Fortunately for you, we are peace-loving folks. That does not mean we will give you the other cheek. Pakistan just isnt ready to reconcile to living with India as a friend.

Omar Mirza

A very good analysis.

In order to better assess the situation viz a viz Western media (particularly US) and Pakistan one must explore the answer to the following questions:

1. Has there been one single government in Pakistan that has been ``disobediant`` or confrontational with US on any one single issue since the end of Cold War?

2. If Pakistan`s nuclear progarm is THE issue then why treat Pak different from India. It is India and not the Pakistan where religious nuts are in power and whose fingers are itching to press the red button, then why single out Pak.

Unless one is from planet Mars it is not difficult to understand that the World is headed towards another Cold War. This Cold but still subtle confrontation has already started between West and the China. China`s confrontation with West especially on the issues of World Trade Agreements and Globalization are well known-where China is demanding a more equitable World Order as compared to what West wants. This Cold War will be different in a sense that it is not the West directly in ``military`` confrontation or arms race with China, instead this time India is being used as the point man. It is interesting to note that US Department of State is already using the term ``Strategic Partner`` for India. One may wonder, Strategic Partner against whom? One must also bear in mind the difference between the term ``Strategic Partner`` and ``Allies`` before we further this discussion. Pakistan was once a ``Strategic Partner`` with US in the war against Soviet Union in Afghan War, not anymore; whereas Austrailia, NewZealand, Japan are ``Allies`` in this part of the world.

Now when isolation of China will start, which wont be easy, it will be compellled to get into the Cold War style arms race with India. India has already started running in this race even before someone has blown the wistle. China, when isolated, will naturally try to find Strategic Allies and markets to counter that situation and Pakistan because of its history with India is a natural choice as an ally. That explains the Chinese cooperation in Pak nuclear program.

Now in this situation India has its own agenda against Pakistan, which is known to us since 14 August 1947. It may want to take care of this headache first before embarking on a full time confrontation with China which may not really be in plans but just a facade.

As long as China is alive and well I dont think that signing off on CTBT and relinqishing its Nuclear program will do any good to Pakistan-it just simply wont stop at that point. Therefore in conclusion Pakistan`s Kashmir policy and its Nuclear Policy are both right on track. US gotta find some other way to contain China. Pak will not and cannot be backed down wrt India.

An interesting topic Omar!

Looking forward to the discussion, which will ensue on this topic.

Ciao!