I’ve Got Those AP Bias Blues..
Aussie Dave | Dec 18, 2005 | 4 comments
AP are currently running with the following headline:
Sounds pretty clear. An Israeli airstrike is responsible for the killing of one person. Problem is, a couple of key facts are missing from this headline (and even the accompanying story):
Fact #1: Reports of an Israeli airstrike have not been verified. Only neo palestinian sources have claimed this, and the IDF has denied it. Yet the AP are stating it as fact.
Fact #2: The person killed was a terrorist.
Shoddy, biased journalism, but not at all surprising. The only thing missing so far are pictures of the terrorist’s grieving relatives.
Update: We do get the obligatory car swarm pictures though.
About the Author
An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.Filed Under: General
I listened to your podcast, and have serious issues with it. You speak of Bush as if he is not willing to do anything about the Iranian nuclear threat to Israel. This is a slap in his face, and a slap at America in general.
Bush said before the last election that he would not allow Iran to develop a nuclear bomb under his watch. Repeating that statement would only give liberals ammo about him being gun-happy.
Israel is in the most danger should Iran develop nuclear arms. America is in trouble on the world-opinion front for being too agressive, so can’t solve the problem militarily, unless no other options exist. Israel is justified in its interest in destroying Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
My point is, it’s Israel’s job. America will back Israel without doubt (though the media won’t) should you attack the nuclear bases, and supply any equipment if needed. If Iran doesn’t cave on the nuclear issue, and if Israel reneges on their duty, America will solve it militarily, but you will have let your American ally down.
Iran is an evil country and the evil is directed at YOU. We can and will help our Israeli allies, but if you leave it up to us to resolve the Iran problem… quite frankly, you suck as an ally.
Wow! What a nerve you got! Bush said he would not allow Iran to develop what’s already almost done and now that he hasn’t kept his word, Israel is solely responsible to make it come true? You mean, Israel never should have relied on its own allies words? That’s what you’re saying.
No surprises here. Yes, we definitely have to help ourselves but this may not be in line with the assurances given Israel by the Bush Admin or possibly even by NATO in times past.
And this is all assuming Israel is militarily capable of pulling off such an attack. It’s just taken for granted, isn’t it? If anyone can do it, Israel can, right? How presumtuous!
Shy Guy
“Almost done” is not the same as “done”. And as any good ally should know, it is not the job of your allies to protect you, but only to help you protect yourselves. Bush said he would not allow Iran to be a nuclear threat (as did Sharon), but he didn’t say he would resolve it personally. You guys are our closest ally save Britain, and it should be clear to you that we can’t take military initiative on this right now.
No one but you is saying that Israel is solely responsible to resolve this. I recall writing “America will back Israel without doubt” in my previous post.
I’m not sure where you heard about assurances to Israel that Bush or NATO would not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons. I find it troubling that you can’t see that the only way to resolve this should diplomacy fail (it will, I predict April) is with an Israeli strike backed by the American military. Would you consider that to be a failure to deliver by Bush? That would be a very selfish position to take.
Don’t join the blame America crowd.
Kevin
As an Israeli, I’m with Kevin on this one.