Letters to the Editor, Dr. Hassan El-Najjar, January 26, 2005
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Congratulations: Al-Jazeerah in its 4th Year
To the Editor:
It would be unseemly, indeed, to allow the date of January 24, 2002, to pass into history without some degree of recognition of the courage and respect for truth that the launching of Al-Jazeerah sought to embody.
During the past three years, in your dedication to professional journalism, you have not only clearly seen your duty but more importantly dared to do it. Thank you.
Don Speakman, NC, USA
I just read your 3rd anniversary editorial: thanks so much for providing a vehicle for trying to get the truth out in America. I bet it's a difficult slog at times - I hope you get the support you deserve. Still trying to find a way to get a shot of truth deep into the heart of ---- evil,
Bill Henderson, Canada
Editor: Thanks and congratulations for all of the Al-Jazeerah contributors who dared to join and for millions of its readers all over the world who also dared to read.
The Islam Memo Figures of US Casualties Are Exaggerated
Dear Editor:
With the exception of one or two small stories every day or so--often masked or portrayed as US-coalition success operations or advances--there continues to be an almost virtual blackout in the media (including the independent media) about what is actually happening on the ground in Iraq, particularly with regard to follow up of al-Fallujah and Mosul. In the absence of any real or substantial coverage, I notice more and more that al-Jazeerah.info is relying on round-up war news reports from Islam Memo (though always with the disclaimer that is has not been able to independently verify the stories).
A glance at any one of these stories, and IM's web site (as well as that of jihadunspun.com, which relies heavily on reports from Islam Memo) should raise serious doubts about their being much of any credibility to these reports--almost all of which reported by IM correspondents have never been verified or reported on by any other news source. In today's story, 01/25/05, "Iraqi resistance leaves Al-Falluja completely," IM claims 70 US soldiers were killed in the last couple of days, with "about 6,500 US soldiers who were killed in the 90-day battle of Falluja, extending from November 11, 2004 to January 2, 2005."
If one goes back and follows IM's coverage from the beginning of the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq, the resistance's operations and battles and US casualties are simply staggering--weighing in with roughly 40 to 50 US soldier fatalities each day. The resistance's battles, advances and operations aside, the reported US military casualties by IM is just blatantly ridiculous. These numbers of casualties--and increasingly mounting--could not, in any way, with today's telecommunications accessibility, be hidden from the American public and the global community.
The majority of Islam Memo and Jihadunspun's Iraq war reportage deserves as much weight as a grain of salt, and I find it hugely disturbing and disappointing that aljazeerah.info time and again reprints such absolutely far-fetched stories. Islam Memo would have us believe that US-occupation casualties are now in the tens of thousands. Many deaths conceivably could be hidden or unreported for some time (and certainly a host of operations for a very long time); but we are talking about pockets of soldiers' deaths, not thousands upon thousands, most of whom are in regular contact with someone back home.
Islam Memo's reportage, unfortunately, is like The Twighlight Zone meets Comedy Central meets Hollywood: it's simply beyond the realm of possibility and it's silly.
Barbara Ellis, New York, NY
Editor:
Dear Barbara,
Amen. The Islam Memo figures could not be supported by any evidence. That’s why I write the lack of verification disclaimer. You’re absolutely right about the war news blackout, that’s why I’m putting Cent Com, Reuters, and IM together. All of them are not telling the whole truth. There has been a total control over the ongoing Iraq war news, which made me looking anywhere to give readers some idea about what’s going on. One thing I’m certain about, the Iraq news blackout is meant to keep the American people in the dark about what’s really going on in Iraq.
I'm calling on readers to suggest any other sources of news about the war in Iraq, in Arabic or in English.
This is in response to Dr. Habib Siddiqui opinion published on Jan. 20, 2005
To the Editor:
When speaking about the Oct 30, 2003 European Commission poll, which revealed that Israel was considered the biggest threat to world peace among the 500 people from the European Union nations who were questioned, Dr. Siddiqui left out some important information.
The poll was taken at a time when there had been an increase in anti-Semitic attacks in Europe - and against a background of European media that is biased against Israel. ("The Guardian", Nov.2, 2004) When you're taking a poll where prejudice abounds against one of the options to be considered, the poll becomes somewhat tainted.
I'm not quite sure what Dr. Siddiqui was trying to accomplish with his writing, except to prove that the US is perpetuating hatred towards Muslims. Then he threw in this tidbit about Israel. Why? Why was it so important to throw in anti-Israel material, while condemning the US for practicing hatred against Muslims? It only shows, to me, that Muslims such as Dr. Siddiqui harbor anti-Semitic feelings, while accusing others of harboring anti-Muslim feelings. Clean your own house, Dr. Siddiqui, before you attack ours.
Lisa Stiller, Sparks, Nevada, USA
Editor:
Dear Lisa,
We have to be as accurate as we can be in order to be able to solve our problems. First, criticizing Israeli oppressive occupiers is not anti-Semitism. Even Colin Powell said it. Second, it's the actions of Israelis that have made people all over the world hate them, not polls or few courageous writers like Dr. Siddiqui. Third, the term anti-Semitism has been distorted and abused. It implies racism against people of Semitic origin. Well, Arabs including Palestinians are Semites. Because of the continuous Israeli wars against them since 1948, and the continuous oppressive Israeli occupation of Palestine, then Israel is truly the only anti-Semitic nation and government in the world. Finally, ending the Israeli occupation of the Arab territories and the US occupation of Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula is the solution to the current conflict and anti-American and anti-Israel sentiments.
Don’t Believe NPR About Allawi and Iraqi Election, Especially If He “Wins”
If Allawi “wins” in Iraq, you’ll know the election has been fixed. We got a whiff of that today when NPR, on All Things Considered, talked to alleged “Iraqis” who said they were Shi’is and since Sistani did not tell them to vote for the Al Hakim slate, they would vote for Allawi.
This is pure nonsense. Sistani told his group to vote for the Al Hakim slate; thus, the NPR story is nothing but another lie in the news from Iraq. It looks like another Bush set up. In a poll taken less than 2 weeks ago, Allawi was the most hated man in Iraq; Bush in the world. If that’s the case, then how can they suddenly be for Allawi? This shows you that once again, NPR, like our major news channels, is not to be trusted.
Sam Hamod
Shi'is in Iraq Say Government Will Be Secular
I find it ironic that there seems to be such an issue made of Iraq having a secular government when, here in the U.S, we do not have a secular government!
The Religious Right helped to put George Bush, as well as many of the new Republican Senators and congressmen and women in power to implement policies favorable to their core beliefs.
I find Western, more specifically U.S insistence that Iraqis (and others of predominantly Muslim countries) should keep their faith separate from their governments, at best disingenuous, at worst outright hypocrisy !
Timothy Stinson Miami, Florida
Paul Workman's documentary in Canadian TV (Jan. 24/05)
I had the opportunity to watch tonight the first part of the CBC documentary presented by Paul Workman.
As briefly as possible, I would like to say that Mr. Workman's documentary was loaded with trash information that really hurts the reputation of the CBC as a public broadcasting corporation.
The documentary did not address by a single word the primary cause of the tragedy of the Iraqi people who have been invaded and their country has been totally destroyed and occupied by the Zionist criminals in Washington, London and Tel Aviv.
Mr. Workman did NOT say a single word about the suffering and the daily murder of dozens of Iraqis at the hands of the Occupying forces, using the most sophisticated weapons in man history.
Mr. Workman even misled the audience by calling the group as the 'Army of God' when the correct translation of the name of that group as shown on the camera, on which he focused his documentary on, is the 'Islamic army'.
Mr. Workman, in lengthy interviews with murder groups in the UK, wanted to show that those UK murderers are heroes, conducting an honest job in Iraq by killing the 'Iraqi terrorists', as he calls them. This is despite the fact that those murderers sent to Iraq because of the high pay cheques they get (as much as $1,000 a day as mentioned in the documentary).
In the very end of his show, Mr. Workman concluded his documentary by showing a little child having a heavy US Automatic gun (M16) which is much bigger than the size of the child, saying that this little child is going to continue what his father has started, which is according to Mr. Workman, kidnapping Western hostages and killing them.
In brief, Mr. Workman's show is a bad documentary with very bad taste, as he has the intention to mislead the North American audience, as most of North American nasty media do.
To show, at least, some balance, I hope, however, that Mr. Workman and the CBC behind him would show soon a documentary about the very suffering of the Iraqi people, whose country has been turned at the hands of the Terrorist Invaders and Occupiers, into a Hell. Is that the kind of freedom that Mr. Workman and his likes in the North American 'brainwashing' media want us to know about??
Sincerely,
Dr. Hilmi Salem
Photos of death and destruction inflicted by Israeli occupation forces on the Palestinian people in the following link: http://www.jerusalemites.org/image/rafah-photos/rafah1.htm
Covering the Bush Inauguration in the Washington Post
The Post's editorial "The Rhetoric of Freedom, January 21, 2005" regarding President Bush's Inaugural Address is aptly titled "Rhetoric". Bush's speech (paid for by Corporate America thirsty for cheap labor and resources abroad) like his policies, are rhetorically enshrined in the flag, national security, patriotism, and the lofty goals of "spreading freedom" through a muscular military willing to act preventively when necessary at any identifiable threat.
But who identifies the "threat"? Certainly not disengaged Americans who accept with little intellectual analysis governmental agendas strongly supported by Corporate media. Bush's speech is devoid of the reality of our quagmire in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the denial of America's support of dictators.
Such lofty rhetoric of opposing tyrants and oppression requiring the "decent treatment of their own people" contradicts America's foreign policy support of Israel's occupation of Palestinians, Russia's brutality against Chechens, and our long history of supporting dictators worldwide. Military domination of the Middle East from Iraq's invasion and potential invasions of Iran, Syria, Lebanon can only escalate terrorism costing America more lives and larger debts. .
Post 9/11 Bush surrendered to the "Patriot Act" at home, a Neocon vision of an empire, and an exponential national debt that threatens America's future more than terrorism. With Bush the "buck and gun stops" for no one.
Mohamed Khodr M.D.
Bye Bye Captain Kirk Final version. Please use this one if.....
By Phil Hong
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FIRM
STAR TREKKIN' -
There's Klingons on the starboard bow
Analysis, Mr. Spock
Medical update, Doctor McCoy!
It's
worse than that, he's dead, Jim
Starship Captain, James T. Kirk
Engine room, Mister Scott
Ye
canna change the laws of physics
Star
Trekking, across the universe
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HARD POWER
One century at no. 1 One thousand years on the chart
War mong’rin’, across the
On the
War mong’rin’, across the
Boldly going forward, 'cause we can't find reverse
Condo baby, report
Resistance on the starboard bow Starboard bow, starboard bow Resistance on the starboard bow Starboard bow, George
Watch out for those roadside bombs, Roadside bombs, roadside bombs, Watch out for those roadside bombs, Frightfully unfair.
Analysis Rummy
It’s life, George, but not as we know it Not as we know it, not as we know it It’s life, George, but not as we know it Not as we know it, George
There’s Iraqis all across
Across
There’s Iraqis all across
What’ll we do now, George?
Torture fun at Abu Ghraib, Abu Ghraib, Abu Ghraib, Torture fun is all the rage, Across our universe
Long detentions, detention without trial. Without trial, without trial, Long detentions, detention without trial Sod the law, George, and don’t apologise.
Medical update, Collin
Ha-ha! We talk of ‘peace’, shoot to kill Collateral damage’s fine George, fine George fine George, Women and children died George That’s all acceptable.
Rummy again
It’s
democracy, George, but not as they know it
It's
democracy, George, but not as they know it
President George W Jerk
Cluster bombing, across the universe Shock and awe boys, We go from bad to worse
Freedom’s coming, praise to George the Jerk,
Boldly going forward, 'cause we can't find reverse
Democracy through cruise missiles, Cruise missiles, cruise missiles, Democracy through cruise missiles, Scrape them off, Dorks
Let us worship endless war, Endless war, endless war, Let us worship with endless war, Don’t say the word ‘crusade’,
Military command, report
We have changed the laws of war, Laws of war, laws of war Geneva Convention’s dead, George, Real stone dead
Green zone soon no go, George, No go George, no go George,
But you’re never there
War mong’rin’, across the
On the
War mong’rin’, across the
Boldly going forward, 'cause we can't find reverse
Freedom spreading, thro’ the barrel of a gun? People dying, dying by the ton! Freedom’s coming, the democracy of death, Oh my goodness, George – What a f**king mess! |
Arab Media Watch, the Council for Arab-British Understanding, Pluto Books and the LSE Palestine Society cordially invite you to an event entitled:
Zionism: Past, Present and Future
Date: Tuesday February 1, 2005
Time: 7pm
Venue: Room D602, Clement Building, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE
Free entry, all welcome
Events over the last few years have re-focused attention on the nature of Zionism. Demographic trends and Israeli practices, most notably settlement expansion and barrier construction, have called into question the viability of the two-state solution and, thus, Zionism itself. Furthermore, the refusenik movement against Israeli involvement in the occupied territories, while welcome, has brought about the myth that Zionism was a benevolent movement until Israel's expansion in 1967.
To discuss Zionism's past, present and future, we are proud to feature two prominent authors of recent books on the subject, published by Pluto Books, which will be sold at a 20% discount at the event:
John Rose is author of "The Myths of Zionism", and teaches Sociology at Southwark College and London Metropolitan University. Rose was a student at the London School of Economics during the great radical upheaval of the late 1960s. He arrived as a Zionist in 1966 and left in 1969 as a committed pro-Palestinian and anti-Zionist. Why? "Simple," he says, "I heard the Arab case for the first time and it was, and remains, unanswerable."
Norton Mezvinsky is co-author, with the late Israel Shahak, of "Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel", and is a Professor of History at Central Connecticut State University. He has been appointed a University Professor by the Connecticut State University Board of Trustees (in the more than 150-year history of this university, only six University Professors have been appointed). He has published extensively and lectured in many parts of the world on various aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict, Zionism, US policy in the Middle East and religious fundamentalisms. He is currently writing a book on Christian Zionism.
Chair: Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi, Arab Media Watch chairman
For further information, please contact:
AMW: info@arabmediawatch.com, 07956 455 528
Pluto Books: hester@plutobooks.com, 0208 374 6424
Chris Doyle Director
CAABU (Council for Arab-British Understanding)
1 Gough Square, London, EC4A 3DE Tel: 020 7832 1310 Fax: 020 7832 1329 www.caabu.org
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| Earth, a planet hungry for peace |
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| The Israeli Land-Grab Apartheid Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, here separating Abu Dis from occupied East Jerusalem. (IPC, 7/4/04). | ||
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| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03). |