– I am sure readers can add a lot to this post. There are many examples of where the BBC just spouts nonsense for no apparent reason- one suspects just a dilute form of PC is at work.
This article was a typical one for the Beeb– post-colonial handwringing. I am not saying that it is unimportant what went on in the past- not at all. However, one point struck me. Peter Biles reporting genocide in Namibia under German colonial rule says that the estimated deaths involved were 40,000 (he gives before and after figures). Then he goes on to say that
‘Close to the centre of town, there is an old German church, with a powerful reminder that the Germans too, took casualties in the fighting with the Herero in the early years of the last century.
The graves of more than 50 German soldiers are laid out in a neatly kept cemetery, and on the granite headstones are recorded the names of those who perished in a far-flung land.
This was not an altogether one-sided conflict.’
But how absurd. 40,000 v 50 is not one-sided? What’s he trying to say here? And why? Mystifying, and typical.
That is mystifying – would he have a similar take on the battle of Rourke’s Drift?
…and Tasmania?
If you factor in those of the fifty that died of illness, or accident it becomes even more one sided.
Odd that there is no mention of the extermination camps at places like Shark Island which they would be sure to mention if the British were involved.
They’re trying to be “balanced”.
Actually I believe it is simply that they have only a sketchy knowledge of the issues and have no depth in facts. The BBc briefs a lot about a little and knows very little about quite a lot
OT: Chirac doesnt rule out French nuke response to terrorism
*********************************
http://www.israpundit.com/archives/2006/01/france_on_viagr_1.php#more
France said on Thursday it would be ready to launch a targeted nuclear strike against any state that carried out a terrorist attack on French soil.
In a speech defending France’s costly nuclear deterrent and toughening policy against terrorism, President Jacques Chirac said Paris must be able to hit back hard at a hostile state’s centers of power and its “capacity to act.”
************************************
its reported on the beeb here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4627862.stm
but it hasnt made the front page of either UK or International versions of BBC News – quite frankly, that Chirac announcement is incredible and ground breaking. Looks to me as if he’s sending a message loud and clear to the Iranians.
One can only speculate that its got something to do with the aftermath of the Muslim riots in France, added to the Iranian nuke program.
Remember, the BBC need more money to meet your needs:
Spending your money can be fun…
BBC stockpiles web addresses
http://media.guardian.co.uk/newmedia/story/0,,1689338,00.html
i’m in Ireland at the moment , and the Chirac nuclear announcement is top of the news agenda. (just heard it on the radio).
News24 headline summary (realplayer stream)- in order:
1. Ruth Kelly
2. Mark Oaten Lib Dem drop out
3. Cannibis classification
4. Murder of city lawyer
5. Rendition memo
6. Brazilian mistaken shooting
7. Iran “ready to comprimise”
8. City Academies
No Chirac…
Interesting article..
“FOX News UK” anyone?
Needing the “Fox Effect”
http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=011806F
Oh how it must pain the BBC!
“Correspondents say the relatively long period without an attack in Tel Aviv can in part be attributed to Israel’s controversial barrier, which divides the Palestinian West Bank from Israel.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4628412.stm
The truth sometimes hurts, Beeboids.
But note they still ensure “controversial” and “Palestinian” are inserted prominently, just to let us know they haven’t forgotten.
“Palestinian West Bank from Israel”
Factually incorrect.
It was annexed by Jordan in the 1948 war, as part of the 1949 armistice agreement between Israel and the Arab states.
It was recaptured by the Israelis in the 1967 war.
So, it’s the JORDANIAN west bank.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_bank
Needing the “Fox Effect”
Why the hell doesn’t Sky News meet this need instead of joining the crowded BBCview?
“FOX News UK anyone?”
I wouldnt be surprised if it does, considering the rift between New Labour and BBC over the Iraq war.
Even that rather nice chap, the Chief Rabbi, has become exasparated with the Beeb over their blatant anti-Israel bias in recent years.
“FOX News UK anyone?”
Yes but why would Rupert want to do that when he has Sky ?
‘They’re trying to be “balanced”.’
Exactly. The Beeboid handbook says ‘appear balanced’, and so, like obedient drones, they make the effort. Only, it really is like watching a chimpanzee playing with a rubics cube: the Beeboids can work out that the ‘balance’ thing involves viewpoints moving at right-angles to one another, but the very obvious solution to the puzzle still eludes them.
See, most of us would approach this story by saying, yes, 100 years ago the Germans were b*stards to the Herero tribe. But. No. That doesn’t give their scrounging, dysfunctional descendants any right to fleece the West. Of course, for a Beeboid, that can’t be said because it would imply that members of a Designated Victim Group were anything less than completely deserving of help.
So what to do? What to do? Ooh. How about compare 50 dead Krauts to 40,000 dead Hereros? Yes! Victim status for everyone! That’ll work. (Leastways, so long as no one asks one of those ugly, pro-life questions like: ‘Isn’t all human life equally sacred?’)
ot
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/e805e2d4-88e6-11da-94a6-0000779e2340.html
What’s going on here then?
OT: These left-wing BBC journo hand wringers don’t even bother pretending (to be impartial) anymore, reporting as they do from their protective, fully funded, untouchable, charter ignoring, socialist broadcaster:
Sorry but its “From our own Adolescent again”. He has a “view” – left wing or right wing – care to guess?
Reporting the crisis in Iran
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4625792.stm
“No referral to the UN security council required here, move along…..”
snip
“It is frustrating to see Iran do such a bad job of presenting its argument abroad.
No proof
After all Iranians do have a case.
The UN nuclear inspectors have yet to find any proof Iran has a clandestine weapons programme, no matter how many times the Americans repeat this allegation as if it were fact.
Nationalism can easily boil over into xenophobia and there was a touch of that in the attacks on CNN this week
And they do have the right to peaceful nuclear technology under international law. It all comes down to Iran’s intentions.
Just saying Iran has not been transparent in the past about its nuclear programme is not enough to prove it is going to conceal it in the future.
The outside world simply does not trust the mullahs with nuclear technology that can be adapted for bombs and more so now Iran has a hardline president like Mahmoud Ahmedinejad.
If Iran was not a radical Islamic state would the West worry?
It is easy to see how the sense of discrimination festers here.”
Hmmm, the World (ex Russia/China) ‘discriminates’ against a country who openly state they will ‘wipe’ their neighbour off the map, if they had the means. The BBC has a problem with this. Figures.
Roll on Fox News UK….
http://news.bbc.co.uk/ (international edition)
Bin Laden audio tape – big “breaking news” thing at the top
Oh. and a suicide bomb went off in Tel Aviv. thats rather less important.
And the Chirac “we’ll use nukes against terrorists” thing? Nowhere to be found. (latest Irish radio news headline – it top of the agenda still)
Ian – thats on the BBC , but its buried. Click on “Europe” – it on the right in “other top stories”.
like i said above , its buried.
But the beeboids cant figure out that this is a MAJOR SEA CHANGE in French geopolitical strategy.
Ritter: jesus h. christ – what planet are these people on?
bbc:
“After all Iranians do have a case”
what case is that exactly? that an Islamic fundie state run by a madman, that has murdered thousands of political prisoners, who has threatened to wipe Israel off the wipe, and have a system of Sharia law with lots of beheadings and stonings to death – should have access to nuke technology?
Hello???????
oops typo
should read:
“threatened to wipe israel of the map”
foxnews – bin laden tape
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,182153,00.html
warnings of future attacks on america take prominence
bbc
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4628738.stm
offering of a truce takes more prominence.
Can you imagine if Blair has said today what Chirac just has?
We’d wake up tomorrow to the R4 ‘Socialism Today’ prog with Naughtie & Montague foaming at the mouth, welcoming Ming Campbell, Shami Chakrabarti, Clare Short, FoE/Greenpeace spokespeople, Billy Bragg, Harold Pinter, quotes from “the late Robin Cook” and any other rabid anti-nukes who would be given a platform to stand on and condem Blair for his “undiplomatic” and “inflamatory” comments.
I wait to see how (and if) they cover Chiracs comments tomorrow….
How does the so-called ‘truce’ offer work, exactly?…..
FWIW Russia (either Putin or his defence minister Sergei Ivanov) said something almost identical to Chirac’s statement a couple of years back – I don’t recall that getting much coverage in the British press.
seems to me as if Chirac is deadly serious. note how he said that he wouldnt rule out a nuke response to a terrorist attack, even if the terrorist attack used conventional explosives.
that’s serious! and coming from the French too, of all people.
and yeah – if blair said it, he’d be crucified.
the bin laden “truce” offer? probably works along the lines of – lets have a murderous taliban regime in iraq and afghanistan and saudi arabia, and we’ll leave you alone – for a while anyway.
Ming and Ritter
Le Monde is embarassed by Chirac’s “pronouncement” too. It’s on the front page (of the website) but you gotta scroll past the lead story, “France will be as obese as the USA by 2020,” to reach it.
Venichka -> yeah i remember that. and funnily enough the terrorist attacks in Moscow all dried up after he played the nuke card.
odd that , isnt it?
Tel Aviv attack…
“One person has died and at least 10 have been injured in a suicide bomb attack in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. ”
Israel kills Palestinians while Israelis merely die.
Reportingat all on the 50 dead Germans is the simplisic way that the BBC now thinks it represents some kind of ” balance”. But this is just “smoke and mirrors.” However to the 50 dead Germans and to their families I am sure it was very very important. As is every death of an individual. Perhaps one day they might venture to make the analisis that these deaths were all caused by goverments trying to enforce their will on other goverments. Then come to the conclution that the best way to stop unnessery deaths is to keep your goverment, here or in Africa small and accountable, or shit will happen. But dont hold your breath. That is far to complicated and conservative for them.
OT – That was quick:
‘Bin Laden tape’: Your reaction
http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=785&&edition=1&ttl=20060119161303
bin laden tape threatening more attacks on America- then chirac nuke annoucement on the same day?
is this chirac’s way to avoid forthcoming al qaeda attacks on France? has he been tipped off by his security services maybe?
the coincidence is too great, to me anyway. something is up.
ritter – > no “have your say” on the Chirac nuke thing.
typical beeb priorities.
What brand tape does Bin Laden use I wonder ? noone ever says whether these tapes are top-quality or cheap stuff. It would be nice to think he cares sufficiently to make effort to use quality stuff when he threatens us and not the kind of cheap stuff which suggests a slapdash approach………….he is after all an institution by now although methinks he should be in one.
“Iran shows solidarity with Syria”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4627820.stm
Im visiting Israel in a few days so you might all get some peace for a while. I am tempted to make a one man protest their to demmostate our common greivance. A burning of the BBC and EU flags outside the Israei parliment might get on the BBC. But I really dont have the balls, or any faith that it would.
BBC (D)HYS
“Bin Laden Tape: Your Reactions”
http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?sortBy=1&threadID=785&edition=2&ttl=20060119162153&#paginator
I wonder it my ‘reactions’ will make it past the BBC moderators? I used the word ‘terrorists’ a couple of times. On reflection, my language will probably act as ‘a barrier to understanding’, so maybe they should censor my mainstream views.
Talking of non-reported News…….over in Die Welt they report that Javier Solana was in Ramallah and has cut off EU funding because the PA cannot account for the money – that the PA incorporated armed gangs into the police payroll, and that the whole coterie got big pay rises to buy loyalty before the election and………………that the PA is running out of cash and will certainly be dry before end-February……………..and that a vote for Hamas is a vote for penury as EU funds are severed permanently.
Has the BBC noone who can source news from Die Welt ?
http://www.welt.de/data/2006/01/19/833300.html
‘Bin Laden tape’ warns of attacks
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4628738.stm
“The BBC’s security correspondent Frank Gardner says Bin Laden’s chief aggravation is Western countries invading Muslim countries and imposing their beliefs and culture.
Come again?
OT – Compare & contrast
Fox News
Islamic Jihad Claims Suicide Bombing at Tel Aviv Bus Station
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,182145,00.html
BBC News
Suicide bomb attack in Tel Aviv
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4628412.stm
Which report is accurate and which one biased, by deliberate omission of facts?
Tel Aviv attack…
“One person has died and at least 10 have been injured in a suicide bomb attack in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. “
Israel kills Palestinians while Israelis merely die.
marc
The BBC report has now been edited to make clearer that the 1 fatality was the bomber him/herself.
The bomber, the only person killed in the explosion
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4628412.stm
I’m just waiting for “Blair rejects Peace offer” report on BBC News.
Interesting nugget hidden in the ‘have your say’ rules. Apart from the fact thatall comment is subject to a bolshevist editorial policy, “our registration process requires you to supply us with your email details, but we will only use this information to validate your access to the discussions and for other service administration purposes. However, from time to time we also contact a small number of contributors to ask them to participate in related television or radio programmes.”
Any guesses as to who they contact?
Yes Ritter (4:43 pm ) the BBC are determined to link al-Qaeda with the invasion of Iraq, even though terrorist activities precede it by 10 years. Do they fool anybody with these tactics?
G Powell (4:30pm) – go for it. At least it’ll get on Israeli television and FoxNews.
and please do tell our Israeli friends that we’re not all Islamic Jihadi apologists. Thanks.
Ritter, there’s another bit thats flawed in that beeb report
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4628738.stm
“The other is the old leadership, including Bin Laden… whose primary role is not to stage operations, but to act as spiritual figureheads and inspiration for others”
bzzzzt… wrong. The inspiration is Mohammed and the Koran. (read it.. it really is all in there)
Note also in that report, the “I” word is never mentioned – not once.
The “i” word being – Islam
This is a serious misrepresentation of the nature of Jihadi Islamism – if the Beeb can’t inform the public about this, the they have utterly failed in their charter.
Rick: “Talking of non-reported News…….over in Die Welt they report that Javier Solana was in Ramallah and has cut off EU funding”
because that doesnt fit into the average Beeboid’s view of that its the israelis doing all the bad bad things to the palestinians. bad israel! bad bad israel.
it also doesnt fit into the beeboid mental view of palestinians as “victims” nor does it fit into the beeboid view that we should “understand” that those Hamas people are really cuddly underneath but are “forced” to blow themselves up, because of those evil Israeli’s
More Iran news. Read it after you’ve eaten!
http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=5184
P.S. You’ll never see THIS on the BBC. Pleas for clemency for More-equal multiple murderers in the States YES. Please for clemency for Self-Defence from a Rapist NO.
I don’t know what sickens me more, the BBC or Islam.
I don’t know what sickens me more, the BBC or Islam.
Come now…..the BBC lives in fear of Islam…….tell me that BBC presenters do not live in fear of being “Van Goghed” on Regent Street………
The BBC is staffed with adolescents who shout and run…………
Re the Herero thing.
The BBC have already done a history program on this.
The destruction of the Herero people was supposed to be the prototype for the genocide of the Jews.
The Imperial German Army Officer in charge of the eradication, survived WW1 and went on to serve the 3rd Reich. I believe he was tried for War Crimes.
____________________
Ming the Merciless
“France said on Thursday it would be ready to launch a targeted nuclear strike against any state that carried out a terrorist attack on French soil.”
This (if it represents French Policy and is not just Chirac writing cheques with his mouth) represents one of the most important doctrinal shifts since Nato recognised it could not hold the Warsaw Pact in Germany without Tactical Nukes.
To the BBC it is just a line in the bulletins.
These people relly don’t understand what they are seeing!
Of course.
There’s no human interest in the story.
Nobody’s behaving like a cat, or being accused of wearing a coat made from an endangered animal, or even being puffed up for a job as England Manager.
BBC News Dumbed Down?
Makes ya laugh doesn’t it
OT: Beeb shouting to the rooftops on main page about the Police going into the BB House to take away Pete Burn’s ‘gorilla fur’ (allegedly) coat. Pity the Beeb couldn’t then ask the obvious question – if the BB producers let the Police in to take away a fur coat why did they not let a court order be served on Barrymore? Gorillas more important than the truth about how a young man died in horrible circumstances?