HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
While the Guardian is often
somewhat better than some of the other bourgeois
news outlets, even
they get caught up in the unquestioned repetition of U.S war propaganda as news, truth and
fact. One glaring example (out of several) in the
article below, is this particular
statement -
" in Singapore
yesterday, the government released a video,
sketches and notes found in
an al-Qaida leader's house in Afghanistan
detailing possible terrorist targets in the island
city state,
including US military personnel, the US embassy, British and Australian high
commissions, and a
list of US businesses "
To be more fair and truthful, they should have at
least stated the material was "allegedly" found in an al
Quaida leaders house. After all, no proof, evidence, or independent verification to back up
this claim was provided.
In this case the Guardian was simply
repeating the *claim* made by the U.S. and Singapore governments (neither of which has an enviable track
record when it
comes to truth), and reporting it as unquestioned
fact.
If the material had been critical of the U.S war
and from an opposing source,
the Guardian and rest of the capitalist media would have
been quick to add
the
oft repeated disclaimer "this report is from (Iraq, Iran,
the Serbs, Cuba,
North Korea, the Taliban, etc, etc, - you pick your villain)
and it cannot be independently verified" .
Well they can't "independently verify"
this one either! Just because the U.S
and Singapore governments say so, certainly does not
make it fact or even
news!
mart
----- Original Message -----
HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UKFrom: Rick Rozoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2002 12:09
AM
Subject: U.S. Military To Reconquer Philippines
---------------------------
[We didn't 'fight' the Spanish-American War for
nothing, of course. The Afghans are seeing history
repeat itself according to the Filipino model
currently as a matter of fact.]
Manila may use American troops
John Aglionby, south-east Asia correspondent Saturday
January 12, 2002
The Guardian
Manila is considering a US "battle plan" to send up to
1,000 special forces troops to help fight a
long-running Islamist insurgency in the southern
Philippines.
US media quoted "confidential sources" yesterday as
saying that the deployment could comprise a full
military battalion - up to 1,000 troops.
However, Manila said that nothing had been decided and
indicated that the assistance may be as small as a
tenth of the figure touted. The Philippines president,
Gloria Arroyo, stressed that any US involvement would
be in a training and supply capacity, although troops
would be allowed up to the frontline. She said Manila
was not asking the US to fight but that it was more
practical for them to be nearer the frontline.
Many Filipino politicians fear the US could assume a
combat role, despite laws forbidding suchinvolvement.
Several dozen US soldiers have been in the Philippines
for a few months, preparing for a larger force and
training Filipino troops. The soldiers are operating
mainly on the islands of Mindanao and Basilan. More
than 5,000 Filipino troops are fighting the Abu Sayyaf
Islamists as well as renegade elements of the Moro
National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation
Front in the southern islands. Abu Sayyaf is holding a
US missionary couple and a female Filipino nurse. They
have killed many captives, including an American. A US
military spokesman, Lieutenant Commander Jeff Davis,
said American troops were unlikely to become involved
in combat. Meanwhile in Singapore yesterday, the
government released a video, sketches and notes found
in an al-Qaida leader's house in Afghanistan detailing
possible terrorist targets in the island city state,
including US military personnel, the US embassy,
British and Australian high commissions, and a list of
US businesses. Singapore said yesterday that the plan
was ready to be implemented. · France has jailed a
Frenchman of Algerian descent with links to al-Qaida,
officials said. Ahmed Laidouni, 34, who had apparently
trained in an al-Qaida camp in Afghanistan, was
arrested on Christmas Eve and jailed for violating a
1999 judicial order forcing him to report to the
authorities.
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