Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Reporters under fire and senators play silly

Good evening. We'll get things started with Democracy Now!


US Reporter Kidnapped, Iraqi Interpreter Killed in Iraq
In Iraq, an American journalist with the Christian Science Monitor has been kidnapped in an incident that left her Iraqi interpreter dead. Jill Carroll was seized Saturday outside the offices of a prominent Sunni politician in Baghdad. Caroll's interpreter, Allan Enwiyah, was shot dead. He was 32 years old. The Christian Science Monitor is pleading for Carroll’s safe return. Reporters Without Borders reports she is the 31st media worker to be kidnapped in Iraq since the start of the war in March 2003.

Here's some facts from Reporters Without Borders:

At total of 55 journalists and 21 media assistants have been killed since the start of war in Iraq in March 2003. Of the 76 fatal victims, 56 (73 per cent) were Iraqi and four (five per cent) were American. Baghdad continues to be Iraq’s most dangerous city, with 27 journalists and assistants killed, followed by Mosul, with 12. The pan-Arab satellite TV station Al-Iraqiya has been the worst hit news media with a total of 10 journalists and assistants killed.
Jill Carroll is the 31st media worker to have been kidnapped in Iraq since the start of the war. Five of the kidnap victims (four Iraqis and Enzo Baldoni of Italy) were killed by their abductors. The others were released safe and sound. Twenty-three of the abductions took place in or near Baghdad.

Next item.

Award-Winning Iraqi Journalist Arrested by US Troops
In other Iraq news, US troops have raided and arrested award-winning Iraqi journalist Ali Fadhil. Soldiers reportedly entered his home and fired bullets into the bedroom where he and his wife and children were sleeping. Fadhil was hooded and questioned for several hours. He says US troops gave him $1500 dollars for damage to his home and then dropped him off alone in a dangerous Baghdad neighborhood. In November, Fadhil won the Foreign Press Association award for young journalist of the year. He's currently at work on a documentary about the US and British governments' misuse of Iraqi funds.
Fadhil says US troops have not returned several videotapes they took from him. The director of the documentary, Callum Macrae, said: "The timing and nature of this raid is extremely disturbing. It is only a few days since we first approached the US authorities and told them Ali was doing this investigation, and asked them then to grant him an interview about our findings."

Here are some facts I found at Reporters Without Borders:

At total of 55 journalists and 21 media assistants have been killed since the start of war in Iraq in March 2003. Of the 76 fatal victims, 56 (73 per cent) were Iraqi and four (five per cent) were American. Baghdad continues to be Iraq’s most dangerous city, with 27 journalists and assistants killed, followed by Mosul, with 12. The pan-Arab satellite TV station Al-Iraqiya has been the worst hit news media with a total of 10 journalists and assistants killed.
Jill Carroll is the 31st media worker to have been kidnapped in Iraq since the start of the war. Five of the kidnap victims (four Iraqis and Enzo Baldoni of Italy) were killed by their abductors. The others were released safe and sound. Twenty-three of the abductions took place in or near Baghdad.

"Wait, Mike, are you snoozing?"

No. I'm just saying not a lot of respect for reporters in Iraq period. The US may have targeted Al Jazeera -- I think they did -- and anyone who's not an embed is at risk. Which means Dexter Filkins is safe and sound.

Elaine and I think it's horrible that Jill Carroll, a freelancer, has been kidnapped. We also think it's horrible that the American government hasn't been concerned with staking out a high ground. Journalists are detained and worse. Look into the case of Taysir Alluni and wonder who taught the Bully Boy about America when he was a kid because that's no America I know.

I'm not a big fan of bad reporters. People like Dexter Filkins are people I'll make fun of in a minute. But if one day Dexter decided to actually report and not just publish press releases I'll defend his right to report. I'll defend it right now even though he doesn't want to use it. It's too bad that our mainstream media is so embedded in so many ways. But a free press matters and we gave it up with Iraq not once but twice. We let Poppy embed reporters in Gulf I and we let Bully Boy do the same in Gulf II.

I doubt the New York Times has a Robert Fisk or Naomi Klein but you never know. We'll never know what might have happened if their reporters hadn't gotten in bed with the military.

When our government refuses to allow the press to move freely it sets an example. Maybe journalists would be targets anyway. But more journalists are dying in Iraq than anyone could have expected. Some of that's been from US forces. Some has been from the other side.

I don't respect many mainstream reporters but I do respect the potential of what they could do.
Bully Boy killed that potential when he turned them into embeds and pawns and when he allowed independent journalists to be targeted.

By the way, be sure to check out Elaine's site Like Maria said Paz.

And Wally had a good roundup of comments on the Alito hearings. I'm listening. Hope you're listening and listening via Pacifica. I think Russ Feingold did a great job today. He seemed serious and didn't make jokes about how pretty Diane Feinstein was or other stuff that was just a waste of time. This is serious stuff and I was really surprised that a lot of them didn't seem to take it seriously. I listen and think, "Okay, I guess it's no surprise that the Republicans are sucking up hard but why are Democrats rushing in with 'you're a good man' and all that other stuff?" This isn't a comic book convention. It's supposed to be deliberating about whether or not someone is qualified for the Supreme Court. They're all, "Yes, Miss Carey" and "Sparkle was a really good movie, Miss Carey." They need to get serious and ask questions. That was what Feingold did. They're not supposed to be making nice on either side. This is a job interview and they're treating it like a Sunday brunch to meet the new neighbor. Remember to listen to the hearings on Pacifica and show your support for independent media.










Posted by at