Open thread – for comments of general Biased BBC interest:


Please use this thread for off-topic, but preferably BBC related, comments. Please keep comments on other threads to the topic at hand. N.B. this is not an invitation for general off-topic comments – our aim is to maintain order and clarity on the topic-specific threads. This post will remain at or near the top of the blog. Please scroll down to find new topic-specific posts.

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175 Responses to Open thread – for comments of general Biased BBC interest:

  1. Jon says:

    Another day another muslim story – 2.5% of the population are more important than the rest. What the hell is it – I cannot help but think that if the BBC would lay off mentioning Muslims for a few months things would get better. The more stories they turn and twist with the sonner the backlash will come. I mean do you believe that jack Straw would even have dare mention to hijab wearers to take there veils off a few months ago. Mabe he is waking uo to the problem – funny how this happens when they lose any power to do anything about it.

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  2. GCooper says:

    Jon writes:

    “I cannot help but think that if the BBC would lay off mentioning Muslims for a few months things would get better.”

    In a sense they are. The coverage of recent violent demonstrations in Windsor (of all places!) has been relegated to a single, obscure link buried within the BBC News Online section on England.

    Surely such a violent demonstration of public antipathy to the encroachment of Islam and the widespread belief that Moslems are receiving privileged treatment, deserves maximum exposure?

    But Jon’s point is, of course, quite right. The coverage afforded by the BBC is almost entirely of instances where Moslems can be depcited as victims. And often (in the case of the Straw quotes and the Pope’s recent utterances, for example) seems deliberately designed to incense Moslems.

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  3. Jon says:

    “Straw asks Muslims to unveil” did he – well no – but thats what the BBBC say.

    “Row over councillor’s gay ‘joke'”

    Why are things like this important – Its in the same league as the misreported George Osbourne quip and the eaqully stupid reporting of Boris Johnsons Views on Jamie Oliver. This is NOT news this is a tabloid character assasinations on comments that no one gives a toss about. This is the kind of rubbish that is front page news for the Daily Star or Sunday Sport. It is not what we should expect from the BBC so why do they have to push such nonsense as news. People have the right to freesom of speech. The councilor concerned was not advocatating violence towards “gays” – George Osbourne was not even guilty of anything, and Boris Johnson is just a joke – but even if he was not – since when has disagreement with someone who has not beem elected by anyone but happens to be a television cook such an evil thing that it has to make such big news? There are things happening in this world that are far more important than this. But it seems that even important stories are now being treated in the same tabloid way by the BBC. I’m sorry for this longish post but I had to get it off my chest.

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  4. archduke says:

    “Another day another muslim story ”

    i drove to the garage to get petrol around 8.15 this evening. switched on to radio 4 , and guess what – another Muslim program…
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/mynameis/pip/xnoy0/

    might i suggest to the bbc that the other 98 per cent of us might actually enjoy a “muslim free” week where islam isn’t mentioned at all. i dunno – pick something else – like Hinduism for a change.

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  5. mick in the uk says:

    The three main stories on BBC radio today were about Muslim sensibilities being hurt.
    The usual groups were asked to comment, and as usual they waved the victim card, which we(‘everyone in the world’:source, Anon.) are sick of hearing.
    Let’s hear more from the ‘moderate Muslims’ which we sure do exist.
    BTW BBC Let’s have some news from other countries please (preferably non-Muslim ones.)

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  6. mick in the uk says:

    Dammnit I just saw Archdukes post when I refreshed…is he psychic?

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  7. archduke says:

    actually, scrap that. i wouldnt mind a bit more about buddhism – or even all that confucism/shinto stuff.

    if you think those religions are minor , they arent – they underpin virtually every martial art, like karate, kung fu , taekwondo. and i wouldnt mind finding out a bit more about that.

    ( at the very least, listening to a buddhist monk on “today” would simultaneously make about 5 million listeners LESS wound up…)

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  8. archduke says:

    no no – i’m not psychic. rampant atheist here mate , in the Dawkins mode.

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  9. Jon says:

    “Officer accused of defacing Koran”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/5411630.stm

    GCooper you are right. I really think that this kind of “reporting” is going to backfire one day.

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  10. Jon says:

    And another.

    “Three nights of violence at dairy”

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/5409444.stm

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  11. Anon says:

    Biodegradable
    “However you began this argument by denying that Jews can trace a direct lineage back to Israel “

    That’s a lie. I was objecting to comments made by bjan who said “all” jews could trace lineage to Israel. Of course some of them can. But not all of them, just as many Jews do not appreciate being labelled as part of a race, infact as that link shows you, many find it “offensive”. The fact that you are a Jew does not make you judge and jury.

    You have failed to address the key point about use of the “t” word, it’s not bias, it’s just that most countries do not officially hold that view about hizb. You are perfectly entitled to disagree with it, but it is not demonstrably the BBC’s view specifically which is where your argument and indeed the argument I see on here time after time falls over.

    I see that you’ve managed to get involved in yet another personal slanging match with a contributer to this site. For a man of nearly 60 you need to grow up. I await condemnation for the use of invective from GCooper. GCooper ?

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  12. mick in the uk says:

    Anon:
    “….it’s just that most countries do not officially hold that view about hizb.”

    Which countries?

    “…most countries officially think that Hibollah are terrorists”

    Wow it’s easy to make things up, unless yopu mean ISLAMIC countries?

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  13. Pete_London says:

    GCooper you are right. I really think that this kind of “reporting” is going to backfire one day.

    I’ve been sensing it for some time now and the feeling’s only getting stronger. Even friends of mine with impeccable London liberal credentials are sick to death of islam and what it brings. Even Mark Easton, Home Affairs Correspondent for the BBC, stated on the 10 O’Clock News tonight that the vast majority of people had had enough of political correctness.

    Have you heard the sound of silence from the BNP? Each newsday is a good day for them. At the next general election their vote will shoot up. Sheesh, a woman on Question Time just asked if we’re moving toward an islamic state of Britain! This kind of awareness has been slow to arise but is bubbling up quickly. I predict very ugly things soon.

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  14. pounce says:

    Jon wrote;
    GCooper you are right. I really think that this kind of “reporting” is going to backfire one day.

    The saying you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time rings true here.
    The MSM is somewhat guilty of trying to blindside the public that “Islam” is a faith that needs defending from every accept of western democratic life they object to.
    Radio 2 at lunch had Salman Rushdie talking mainly about that PC affair in London. (But it was really a thinly veiled debate on Islam in general) He summed it up nicely when he stated that the rights of the majority have been run roughshod seemingly by the minority but actually by the politically correct in the name of equality.
    Another thing he also said was that in appeasing radical religious bigots once you don’t pour oil over rough water. But actually set the stage for more appeasement down the road. In that I find the BBC more than guilty time and time again. How they have backed off the MCB and Muslims in general since that panorama program. Religious sensitivity BBC, Nah it’s appeasement by anybodies book bar Neville Chamberlain.
    Anybody watch the BBC news tonight. Wow it appears that the BBC is sending the message that maybe Muslims are a problem in the Uk. Now I’m watching Question time and the theme of the UK having enough of Radical Islam is the central theme. A central theme I should add is keeping all those worthless politicians somewhat quiet. Ian Hislop is really wiping the floor with them all. Oh hang on the BBCs leftwing rapid reaction force has sprung to the defence of the views of the Political elite.

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  15. sean. says:

    francis.
    By the way, I would label Hezbollah as terrorists.
    ……………………………..
    anon.
    The majority of people in the world it seems disagree.
    ……………………………….

    please tell,how do you know this.

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  16. pounce says:

    Anon wrote;
    “it’s just that most countries do not officially hold that view about hizb ”

    Well if that is the case then maybe those countries can fund Hamas and stop the BBC from saying the west is holding an economic embargo against HAmas.

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  17. DangerousBadger says:

    Don’t know where best to put this, but the Jack Straw story about his apparent discomfort about talking to women wearing the veil (notice I didn’t say Muslim women), seems like a very interesting test case. Personally if I was an MP in a surgery, so long as the constituent weren’t carrying a samurai sword, I’d be fine, even if they were wearing a Michael Myers Friday the thirteenth mask, I’d be able to use my so called MP level of intelligence to handle people who ask for my help.

    Has Jack Straw taken up the call for modern figures to put the ‘right on’ comedians to shame (like the Pope has recently) or… Has he gone mad?

    BTW, To be on topic for this site. It has confused the BBC so it’s interesting I think.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5411320.stm

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/5390784.stm

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  18. Jon says:

    “a woman on Question Time just asked if we’re moving toward an islamic state of Britain” Pete_London it wasn’t very long ago when this woman would have been terrified to ask such a question. And if someone had, there would have been boo’s echoing in her ears from the “diversity trained” public in the audience.

    I do believe that times are changing. Do you remember how hostile the Cameroons became over Michael Howards stance on imigration – how he was lampooned by the BBC. The BBC still seem to have that mindset – but even the most pc are beginning to ask questions. The problem is that no one is listening.

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  19. GCooper says:

    Pete_London writes: “This kind of awareness has been slow to arise but is bubbling up quickly. I predict very ugly things soon.”

    There is reasonable historical evidence to suggest that, as a nation, Britain is slow to anger… but watch out when it does.

    Like you, I am getting a very strong sense that people are begining to think enough is enough.

    I actually suspect this is getting through to the commissars at the BBC, which is suddenly looking startled and bewildered in the mixed messages it is sending. On the one hand it is trying to act as an emollient, on the other it is stoking the flames. It simply doesn’t know how to respond.

    The cognitive dissonance among the Left in, on the one hand, openly supporting Islam, while simultaneously pretending to espouse the very causes most likely to raise Islamic ire (homosexual equality, feminism etc) must be really hurting the liberal elite.

    I shall enjoy watching it self-combust.

    But yes, this is starting to get ugly on the streets. Exactly as had been predicted.

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  20. Jon says:

    GCooper – I agree but I honestly don’t think you can label these apeases as “the left” – “The elitist marxists” I would say. The majority of the working class people in this country who mostly have supported labour all thier lifes, are the very people who are being alienated by the very party they used to support. They believed in workers rights against the bosses who were seen as exploiting them. They recived better conditions under Labour. There jobs were secure, and now they have no other socialist party to turn to – except the BNP and there is evidence that that is what they are doing. Also these are the very people that the BBC are alienating. They are portreyed as facists and right wingers – far from it these people are out and out socialists. So are the BNP.

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  21. pounce says:

    The BBC and half a story.

    Anybody read up on that Muslim policeman story?
    Anybody notice how the BBC only aired this contrasting view from the Jews;
    “Lord Janner, former president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said it was a “grave error” to allow a police officer to avoid his duty.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5410094.stm
    But not this one from the MCB.
    “Several Muslims leaders also expressed their concerns at the decision with The Muslim Council of Britain emphasizing it was the officer’s duty to uphold the law. Council spokesman Inayat Bunglawala said: “Any person joining the police force, no matter what their religious background, has a duty to help in upholding the law and should be carrying out their duty as any other police officer. “In this case, and despite objections to Israel’s bombing of Lebanon and concerns over his family’s safety, it is important that the law is upheld.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=408841&in_page_id=1770

    Just wondering why the BBC gave the impression that only the Jews complained about this.

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  22. Jon says:

    “A newsreader should not let themselves get in the way of a story by wearing things that make the audience wonder about the newsreader’s own position on a story. Fiona Bruce did wear a cross recently on a news programme, which was probably a mistake,” he said.”

    http://express.lineone.net/news_detail.html?sku=504

    But the BBC do not object to this.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/newswatch/ukfs/hi/newsid_4820000/newsid_4828400/4828446.stm

    What postion is she taking?

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  23. Jon says:

    Anon said:

    “You are perfectly entitled to disagree with it, but it is not demonstrably the BBC’s view specifically which is where your argument and indeed the argument I see on here time after time falls over. ”

    This is at the very heart of the BBcs problem and Anon has highlighted it nicely. It is not for the BBC to have a view on anything. The BBC cannot act as a political party. They are there to broadcast the news. full stop. It is because they are airing their views and opinions that brings out thier bias. I for one would not object to the BBC at all and I would gladly pay my licence fee if the BBC just told me what was happening.

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  24. Jon says:

    Pounce said:
    “Anybody notice how the BBC only aired this contrasting view from the Jews;”

    Yes I did notice that. But did you also notice that no-one has asked the question – why did he feel at risk for guarding the Israeli Embassy? Who was putting him at risk? The people in the embassy? I don’t think so. Now why didn’t the BBC ask this very important question?

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  25. Biodegradable says:

    Anon:
    Biodegradable
    The fact that you are a Jew does not make you judge and jury.

    I do not claim to be “judge and jury”, but on matters regarding Jews and Judaism I believe I can speak with more authority than you, or any of your sources. Or do you really have so much chutzpah that you want me to believe that you are more Catholic than the Pope, or more precisely in this case more kosher than Blooms’ salt beef?

    I see that you’ve managed to get involved in yet another personal slanging match with a contributer to this site…
    Anon | 05.10.06 – 10:42 pm

    I don’t get involved in personal slanging matches.

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  26. Bryan says:

    It’s then that I remember you are not a UK resident, taxpayer or licence-fee payer, but a free-rider who is looking his gift horse in the mouth.
    John Reith | 05.10.06 – 6:21 pm

    No, I’m not a free-loader, Mr. Reith. I pay my service provider for the internet time. The way you talk, one would think that I actually enjoy the BBC. Believe me, it’s mostly hard work listening to it and battling the bias. Some “gift horse”.

    I also have every right to combat a propaganda outfit that may originate in Britain, but bears little or no resemblance to the positive qualities – like a sense of fair play – for which the British are renowned. And I have every right to do so without paying the BBC for it. You miss the point that the BBC’s reach is very long indeed and it has poisoned minds all over the planet. I don’t need anyone’s permission to do my little bit to help work on the antidote.

    It is true that I promised to come back to you once I had heard the Allan Little programme. I haven’t heard it yet. Sometimes I tell myself that I must really get round to it soon – but every time you go and say something so disobliging and discourteous in one of your comments, I become reluctant to bother.

    Do you really expect anyone to believe that an occasional negative comment from me is enough to deter you from defending the BBC against allegations of bias that I’ve brought to your attention?

    If this is really your position you should set the example. I haven’t said anything to you nearly as rough as the insults you’ve hurled at dumbcisco and pounce and others.

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  27. disillusioned_german says:

    I live in Germany, I’ve got Sky Digital but I have stopped watching all of Al Beeb’s output (except for their football coverage). I’ve also opted out of paying the license fee for German TV (GEZ) because it’s the same thing…

    Left-wing media biased to the extreme extracting money from already highly taxed citizens.

    To everyone on here (apart from the usual leftie suspects): It’s a pleasure to share this blog forum with you, ladies and gentleman. I believe we’re righteous and hopefully we’ll prevail. The fact that we’ve got Jews, Christians, Agnostics, a former Muslim and a progressive Muslim (among others) contributing to this forum shows that we’re not as one-dimensional as some might suggest (note the Al Beeb term!)

    I can’t believe I was actually rejoicing when Al Beeb finally got transmitted via Sky Digital.

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  28. disillusioned_german says:

    Should have read “gentlemen”…

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  29. gordon-bennett says:

    Jon | 06.10.06 – 12:22 am

    My understanding of the story is that the officer didn’t make the request on moral grounds but for the safety of his wife’s family in Lebanon.

    He felt that if he was recognised while guarding the Israeli Embassy during the recent Israel-hizbollah activities then hizbollah might seek out his relatives.

    Given the violent tendencies of these merciless muslims I think he had a good point.

    Another black mark for the RoP.

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  30. Bob says:

    Anons:
    Hasn’t the penny dropped? You point out how all criticisms of the BBC come from what you call “the right” (although how critiques of the BBC’s tacit support for Islamo-fascism can be termed ‘right wing’, I’m not sure). Funnily enough, there are no left wing blogs dedicated to criticism of the BBC. Are you detecting a pattern here? (and, no, it’s not that the left are forebearing in handing out criticism where they feel it’s merited).
    Secondly, the Guardian/social worker world-view of the BBC is apparent day in and day out on Today, PM, Question Time, and Newsnight. But when it comes to describing the perpetrators of the Beslan outrage, the BBC likes to remain ‘neutral’ and ‘non-judgmental’. How repulsive!

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  31. billyquiz says:

    gordon-bennett | 06.10.06 – 3:27 am |

    That’s correct, afaik.

    This indicates that the copper in question is a current and future security threat and should be removed from the force immediately.

    Just because hostilities have stopped it doesn’t mean that Hezbollah won’t kidnap or threaten the same family members in order to gain security related information
    from the copper. I consider him to be compromised until such time as he has no relatives within the reach of terrorists.

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  32. Anon says:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hizbollah#Designation_as_a_terrorist_organization

    Most countries do not officially view Hizbollah as a terrorist organisation. Not China, not India, nor any of the latin american countries, so it’s not just muslim countries as you attest. If the BBC reflect this, it is not “tacit support for islam-fascism” but a reflection of wider internationally solicited views. Not bias at all. If they went against the grain of international opinion, they that would be bias.

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  33. billyquiz says:

    Anon | 06.10.06 – 8:15 am |

    Surely the position of the British Broadcasting Corporation should be same as that of the British government which, in turn, is elected by the British people who provide the very lifeblood of the BBC.

    Whilst I’m quite sure that Vanuatu, Montserrat and Tristan da Cunha do not list Hezbollah as a terrorist group I do not think that their foreign policy, or lack of, should be considered by the BBC.

    Hizbollah, whilst having a valid political force at present, was and still is a terrorist group.

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  34. Oscar says:

    BBC newsreader is the latest presenter to defect to Al Jazeera.

    http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article1813575.ece

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  35. DifferentAnon says:

    “No, I’m not a free-loader, Mr. Reith. I pay my service provider for the internet time.”

    Does your service provider pay the BBC? Your statement is akin to saying you pay your road tax because you buy petrol.

    “The way you talk, one would think that I actually enjoy the BBC. Believe me, it’s mostly hard work listening to it and battling the bias.”

    Don’t worry, old chap. One day, someone will make a film called “The Life of Bryan” about a chap who metaphorically wears a crown of thorns as he battles the injustices of the world from the comfort of his own keyboard.

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  36. MyNameIsEarl says:

    Anon,
    You said ‘people’ before. Now you’re saying ‘countries’. So, because the Chinese govt don’t label Hizbollah as terrorists (or more importantly, don’t care) then 1.1 billion people in China don’t also. You’re living in denial.

    The muslim policeman who wouldn’t guard the Israeli embassy. Was he scared of the Jews, NO, he’s scared of his fellow muslims in HIZBOLLAH.

    They ARE terrorists.

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  37. Rueful Red says:

    Can’t say I remember any of them apart from the scud stud and Frosty who puts me to sleep.
    Is Al-Jazeera funded by a poll tax too?

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  38. archduke says:

    the bbc are at it again:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5411954.stm
    the HYS quote they pick is:
    “The right to wear whatever you want is a part of the liberty we all enjoy ”

    However, the HYS is overwhelmingly in favour of straw’s comments:

    http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?sortBy=2&threadID=4123&edition=1&ttl=20061006101813&#paginator

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  39. Egbert Nobacon says:

    J.Reith,

    I still await your meanderings re the
    Icelandic non-warship Odin.

    Why do BBc apologists go on anon, anon?

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  40. archduke says:

    “as he battles the injustices of the world from the comfort of his own keyboard.
    DifferentAnon”

    be sure to tell all the newspaper editors worldwide about that as well. they obviously are wasting their time, battling the injustices of the world from their keyboards.

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  41. Yorkie says:

    Just came across this quote on Mark Steyn. Excellent for use against Beeboids.

    None of us knows how things will stand in 2030, any more than most of our forebears in 1906 could have predicted the collapses of the Russian, Turkish, Austrian and German empires in a little over a decade. But I like the way the American radio host Dennis Prager put it the other day: some of us worry about a resurgent militant Islam and its attendant complications, some of us worry about global warming. In 20 years’ time, one of us will be proved right and the other will look like an idiot.

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  42. DifferentAnon says:

    Steyn is a master of forecasting:

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/06/01/wsteyn01.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/06/01/ixnewstop.html

    “But, when the naysayers started moving on to claim that the whole post-war scene was going disastrously for the Yanks, I honestly didn’t know what to make of it. As a general rule of thumb, when two non-government organisations, the French foreign minister, Dominique de Villepin, the BBC and the New York Times agree that the whole powder keg’s about to go up, it’s a safe bet that things are going swimmingly.”

    “I spent a pleasant evening prowling round Saddam’s home town of Tikrit, where I detected a frisson of menace in the air, but marginally less than in, say, Stockwell, south London.”

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  43. DifferentAnon says:

    “be sure to tell all the newspaper editors worldwide about that as well”

    OK. It’s a deal. The first unpaid newspaper editor I meet who tells me his job is hard work and he hates it but he has to do it to right the wrongs, I’ll tell him he’s kidding himself.

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  44. Anon says:

    MyNameIsEarl:

    You just can’t accept that you’re in the minority can you ? India is a democractic country, but since they presumably have no real interest in helping creating “club america” in the oil rich middle east they don’t always take one side over the other. Whether the peple of India or China or any of the hundreds of other countries who don’t view hizb. as a terrorist organisation would do if the “knew more about it”, is a mere conjecture. Facts are facts.

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  45. MyNameIsEarl says:

    Anon, here we go again, it’s all the Americans fault. Until a poll is carried out of all 6 billion people then there are NO facts either way. But anybody with any morality knows that Hizbollah ARE terrorists.

    Why is it that you liberals talk about being in the majority all the time but then pamper to certain minorities (usually hateful ones carrying guns). I don’t understand it at all.

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  46. DifferentAnon says:

    Er, MNIE, you could just as well flip that aropund: why is it the majority view is important until such time as it disagrees with yours?

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  47. Anon says:

    MNIE
    “But anybody with any morality knows that Hizbollah ARE terrorists.”

    So it seems the fact that BBC take the same line as the majority of the international community, leads you to blast them as immoral. A clear example of your own bias, not the BBC’s.

    Why is it that you liberals talk about being in the majority all the time but then pamper to certain minorities

    I think you’ll find that Israel with a pop. of just over 7 million is in the minority too. Plenty of Israelis hate arabs, and Israel kill a lot more arabs than vice versa. Plenty of people around the world accuse them of war crimes and think they’re the “real terrorists”. It’s a can of worms. Who’s pandering to who here ? The BBC remain objective and you can’t stand it because of your self-righteous morality. It is not the BBC’s duty to toe the government line on who is and is not terrorists. That what other state broadcasters do, e.g. Pravda – whom I’m sure you don’t care for either.

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  48. MyNameIsEarl says:

    Anons. It’s not about following majorities or minorities, it’s about labelling people “terrorists” if they commit acts of terror.

    22% of the population voted this government in, so do you think this government represents the views of the majority. NO. In other words, the views of governments DO NOT mean the views of the people. A majority of governments may not deem Hizb as terrorists but the majority of people will.

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  49. MyNameIsEarl says:

    Anon, you also make bold statements like Jews have killed more Arabs than Arabs have killed Jews.
    Is this another fact?
    Is this since 1950?
    Is this since 1200AD?

    You’ve no idea

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