The BBC interviews two ex-US servicemen. Unsurprisingly, they both have problems with the way that George Bush has run the war.
They are:
“Captain Jonathan Powers served for a year in Iraq in the early stages of the war. After returning he founded War Kids Relief, a charity that rebuilds orphanages in Iraq.
Garrett Reppenhagen was a sniper. He served in Iraq for a year and returned home about four months ago. He now works for a public education group, Alliance for Security.”
The BBC forgets to tell us that Mr Reppenhagen is:
“…another antiwar activist who was on the Veterans for Peace Impeachment Tour with Cindy Sheehan from the very beginning.” source
“involved with Iraq Veterans Against the War” (I love “All points of view welcome”*) source
Hmmmm…
*Look at the programme:
“Fayetteville, NC Fri, Sep. 16th Event Description:
Friday, September 16th
9am–10am— Radio interview on WFNC
12:00—1:00—Peace Vigil on Hay Street at the Market House
1:30–4pm—Press Conference , afternoon buffet, meet and greet
5pm–9pm—National premiere of “Operation Dreamland” at the Cameo Theatre on Hay Street. We’ll be passing out leaflets at the 5pm,
7pm and 9pm showing. The showing at 5pm is free to active duty military, veterans and military families.
9pm—Public discussion of Occupation Dreamland in the Rainbow Room–(located next door to the Cameo Theatre)”
I find it bemusing how moderately the BBC reports the deluded rantings of Iran’s “president” as if they are just casual observations of no particular import.
I find it bemusing because David Irving was arrested in Austria for being a Holocaust denier without even advocating destruction of the State of Israel.
Then again, compared to the vitriol reserved for George Bush, the way in which Charles Kennedy invited humiliation yesterday from an irritated Prime Minister with his bizarre question on US planes landing in Britain; makes one wonder if the fault of the US President in the eyes of the BBC et al is simply that he is not more like the Iranian President who suffers less opprobrium.
I watched the BBC report from Matt Frei when he interviewed the former soldiers and at the back of my mind was the niggling doubt about to the true backgrounds of these soldiers. Once more, the BBC demonstrates that omission is mendacity: your state-sponsored broadcaster.
Does anyone think it might be worth complaining about this “interview” and journalist as to how they were introduced?
Is this sort of thing endemic at the BBC? We all suspect it is.
When I saw the announcement for these interviews, I just took it for granted that the two ex-servicemen were anti-war activists. I didn’t even consider it worthy of googling their names because I was about 99.9 percent certain of what I would find.
just a (mainly) O/T thought –
Shouldn’t Kember declare hinself freed soon, before evertone forgets who he is?
Is this sort of thing endemic at the BBC? We all suspect it is.
Rob Read | 15.12.05 – 2:49 pm | #
Yes ! Usually they interview some “expert” and Google tells you they are Activists and not Expert.
It even extends to declaring that Ben Bradshaw MP – a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at DEFRA is today “Animal Welfare Minister”, and another day “Fisheries Minister” as they change his title to whatever issue they wish to discuss giving the impression that there is a Minister for every orifice and ventricle according to the interviewer’s current obsession.
The BBC forgets to tell us that Mr Reppenhagen is:
“…another antiwar activist who was on the Veterans for Peace Impeachment Tour with Cindy Sheehan from the very beginning.” source
“involved with Iraq Veterans Against the War” (I love “All points of view welcome”*) source
So fucking what.
Is the BBC biased? Yes it Fucking well is.
Do I care? If the alternative is wall to wall Murdoch then NO I FUCKING DON’T.
If the BBC wasn’t around you’d be attacking any aspect of the MSM that didn’t suit your worldview. Go to hell the lot of you.
If the BBC wasn’t around you’d be attacking any aspect of the MSM that didn’t suit your worldview
You miss the point, Simon old chap.
Bias by Murdoch or the Independent is supported by voluntary payment – & they get nothing from me.
But we are forced to subsidise your BBC.
If only people like you paid for the BBC, we would have no grounds to complain about it.