If you had the misfortune to tune into the Today programme this morning at 7.12am, you would have found yourself treated to John Humphrys in full on anti-American military sneering mode.
The news item concerns a US air strike on the Taliban spawn that infest the Herat area of Afghanistan and which killed dozens of the Taliban. Or at least that’s what the US armed force say, but who believes them, right? Straightaway this is disputed by “tribal elders” (Taliban, natch) “locals” (Taliban) and the ubiquitous “Human Rights” activists. (Taliban apologists) Humphyrs line was to immediately weigh-in behind the idea that the US forces had killed many innocent civilians – again. He brought on Grace Ommer from Oxfam (An organisation hardly noted for balance..) and he then made the remarkable assertion that this “war, if war it is..” is going very badly? I wonder what he thinks it is? Is he there to editorialise on this and if so who is there to provide a balance? Humphrys tried to get Ommer to say the war was going badly wrong but in fairness even she figured that Oxfam are hardly in a position to judge. She merely pointed out that US actions against the Taliban made humanitarian work very difficult. She appeared to long for the good old days when the Taliban were in sole control of the country and Oxfam could operate with impunity.
This item fairly simmered with anti-US military hostility and it is an example of how the BBC does all it can to undermine the efforts of the US military everywhere they operate. You should give it a listen, it’s an example of the visceral bias that permeates the BBC.
I am waiting for any Human Rights group to protest when suicide bombers kill civilian. I didn’t hear one Human Rights group after 9/11 or 7/7 but obviously Human Rights only apply when USA, Israel or other Western nations kill Muslims NEVER when Muslims kill us. These Human Rights groups are all blinkered PC fools and that applies equally to the BBC who give them a ridiculous amount of coverage.
If I was operating a war, I would run it like Vladimir Putin does. Refuse any journalists access to the front line, or simply just shoot them. Starve them of information, and then go about the business as you have to.
In the present day wars we have battled, the enemy doesn’t wear a recognisible uniform, and hides behind civilians. To kill the enemy, sadly that means blowing up human shields. This is war. I’m sorry but the the liberal establishment at the BBC and Guardian and ‘human right’ pressure groups are wrong to criticise. The taliban don’t care how many civilians it kills. At least we try to minimise our injuries to them, and yet the BBC still paint us as the bad guys.
As for this story, once again Humphreys, a snivelling libral coward hiding in his Radio 4 studio, believes local elders over the US army. Read Taliban for local elders, or Taliban sympathisers for local elders. How many ‘wakes’ or ‘funerals’ or ‘weddings’ has the US bombed now? This one was a ‘wake’ apparently. I don’t believe it. I believe it was a Taliban nest of would be murderers.
I hold the BBC, and John Humphreys in utter contempt. Running another propoganda job for the Taliban. Who funds the BBC again? I do, not the Taliban.
The BBC betrayed our forces in the Falklands war. That is reason enough to scrap the BBC.
Truly an awful morning for the bbc – the ‘interview’ with the London Mayor was one of the most disgraceful exhibitions of unbalanced and unatractive attempts at distorted broadcasting on record. And all this in a programme which earlier had blandly accepted a ministers assurances , without question, and without asking WHY THEY HAD THEM, that it was all a private contractors fault for losing personal data.
backwoodsman
….and why the records were handed over in their entirety – and without being encryted.
I believe the rule is that such consultants should only see subsets of data – if essential to their work.
Handing over the whole lot was clearly wrong.
The Today programme this morning – it was Tony McNulty immediatly before the 8am news that was allowed to spend several minutes, without interruption, stating that the government were very cross that this latest data had been lost. Immediately after the 8am news poor old Boris was hardly allowed to say a couple of words without a sneer as an interruption, Humphries jumping from topic to topic to get as many attacks in as possible. I did think Boris managed a reasonable defense but the contrast between the treatment of McNulty and Boris highlights the treatment of Left and Right.
Well, as we know, the BBC enjoys dead Americans. They demonstrated this with their celebration on September 13th, 2001.
I think their hand is pretty clear, don’t you?
The BBC betrayed our forces in the Falklands war. That is reason enough to scrap the BBC.
Explanation for younger readers – the BBC World Service announced that British forces were massing to attack Goose Green.
The commander of the attack, Lt Col H Jones vowed to sue the BBC, but did not survive the battle ( winning a posthumous VC leading 2 Para from the front )
The Argentines didn’t believe the report from the BBC ( naively thinking that our national broadcaster wouldn’t do anything to risk the lives of our troops, they assumed it was disinformation ) and Goose Green wasn’t reinforced.
The BBC, trying to get squaddies killed, it’s what we do.
Has the BBC speculated that it was yet ANOTHER innocent Wedding party which was bombed by the merciless NATO forces under US orders?
It’s amazing how easy it is to mistake wedding parties for terrorist camps.
Islamo-Terrorists get married too you know! Sometimes six or seven times.
Suicide vests are prized wedding gifts.
Anonymous: great.
I did not think anyone shared my views that to win a war you must kill the enemy completely as Russia has done in Georgia and to a lesser extent in Chechnya. No good worrying about civilians or the war will never end and even more civilians get killed in the long run. Too many PC fools around
The tactics of lies and disinformation by the leftists regarding terrorist murder campaigns goes back a very long way taking in many wars/conflicts.
Indochina and the Vietminh lied about civilian deaths and the Euro Maxist/leftists spread their lies and propaganda as if it were the truth.
Vietnam and the Vietcong got the same help from the Euro/US leftists spreading the commie lies without question.
South America and Che Guevara(that child murdering evil psychopath) got all the help they needed from the Wests fifth column.
Northern Ireland and the IRA/INLA got all the help they needed and more as they agitated and spread their wicked lies.
Everytime a cruel and evil communist terrorist needed unquestioning help and support for their murder/torture campaigns the leftists were always there in spades and ready to oblige.
Nowadays its the souless,mindless,evil and insane Jihadists/Islamists who get the special help in getting their lies across, I cannot believe that the leftists just swallow the lies whole, I think they know all about the atrocities commited under the red flag/jihad flag but they welcome the torture and murder of the innocent as long as their aims are fullfilled, now that is why I hate socialism/Marxism/leftism/communism!
Jihad Johnny Humphrys
“Taliban-trained Muslims infiltrating Britain”
http://jihadwatch.org/archives/022058.php
This is all just one more example of why I speak out against BBC bias, even though I am a mere United Statesian.
There is little journalism going on here. Only propaganda and a deliberate attempt to educate the British public against the US. And it’s not just against the US, but against anyone held to have non-Leftoid political views, or challenges the Leftoid religious beliefs. Boris Johnson turned against the war in Iraq and Afghanistan at least three years ago, as a result of his Blair Derangement Syndrome. Even though he is in tune with the BBC on that issue, he represents the defeat of a beloved fellow traveler, so he is the enemy by default.
Snide editorial remarks from BBC talking heads are commonplace, and nearly always on one side of certain issues. And they are editorial comments, not part of the impartial journalists behavior. There’s no getting around it, and no way for any Beeboid or BBC defender to come here and explain it away. Hence their continued silence, or at most the tendency to nip at the ankles.
It’s things like this which prove the BBC is almost as responsible as Nanny Labour for the breakdown of values and integrity in British society. And they’re trying mightily to extend their reach to the US.
I’m glad this blog exists, if only to reassure me that at least some people have not yet been brainwashed completely.
David Preiser – I’m also glad that this blog exists, even if only to read what rubbish is put out on Toady and QT, neither of which I would listen to if I had nothing better to do than twiddle my thumbs. Also pleased that someone in the US is in tune with us, if one actually listened to the BBC rubbish you might be under the impression that no one is. Some of us, at least, are thankful for what the US does around the world. (Not to mention the fact that you’re a music, as in proper music, lover!)
Humphreys is a little shit..the more he twists and whines about the Americans the more I like it.The thought of his little foot being stomped as the americans continue to do what is needed is fantastic.
The BBC betrayed our forces in the Falklands war. That is reason enough to scrap the BBC.
They also kindly informed the Argentine Air Force that their iron bombs were not causing much damage in ‘bomb alley’ during the San Carlos landings because they were fused to require a longer drop. After that little gem, the brave Argentinian pilots were able to inflict very significant damage.
“David Preiser (USA)”
mr preiser – it is IMPERATIVE that you chaps fight the reintroduction of the “fairness doctrine”.
As a regular listener to conservative talk radio (hugh hewitt, denis prager) , you cannot underestimate the sheer pro-freedom value of those shows to other people in the world – all thanks to podcasting and the internet.
in my own case, its a blessed relief from the leftist garbage churned out by the BBC.
I really think that the BBC is passed its sell by date.
If we are going to accept blatant bias from our news media then we must allow the market to choose which bias is most acceptable. I have sneeking suspicion that a leftward bias would not be the market leader.
archduke. As a regular listener to conservative talk radio (hugh hewitt, denis prager) , you cannot underestimate the sheer pro-freedom value of those shows to other people in the world – all thanks to podcasting and the internet.
Amen. I discovered US talk radio on online in 2001, and it opened my mind to the utter tripe I’d been forced to listen to on the BBC since… forever!
Even Talksport and LBC were just pale imitations, with ersatz “conservatives”. John Gaunty fashions himself as some sort of “iconoclast.” The guy is amateur night out.
Unfortunately a Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, or Mark Levin could never get on air in the UK. No way.
Look what happened to James Whale — and he made an incredibly innocuous comment.
No — we have to lump it and like it with Five Dead, Toady, et al. Well, I don’t as I just won’t listen to them anymore.
I can’t as I would stroke out.
They also kindly informed the Argentine Air Force that their iron bombs were not causing much damage in ‘bomb alley’ during the San Carlos landings because they were fused to require a longer drop
I’d forgotten that….
The BBC – Helping Britains enemies fuze their bombs correctly – Its what we do
HSLD: Yep. Sandy Woodward wrote about the scum BBC in his memoirs.
The BBC never miss the chance to get Brits killed.
The BBC and all the leftist,islam loving media,dont care about US/UK troops.
Im a serving soldier,ive done 3 tours of Iraq.
Anyone remember the Mirror printing those fake photos of torture.I was in Iraq when they where printed by Piers Morgan,who defended his right to print them without proof,it was very embarresing for our (former) CO who is Piers Morgans brother.
Baby milk factories, wakes, weddings…all prime targets for the US military, apparently.
Has anyone noticed how the only people who seem to go to weddings and wakes in Afghanistan are “women and children”? Are men banned from weddings?
The naively transparent propaganda of third world countries is nothing more than a source of humor for sophisticated Westerners. To lefties however, it’s a valid and reliable source of information.
BBC slaphead Alistair leithhead said on BBC News 24 today that many of the previous claims about Afghan civilians bring killed have turned out to be incorrect.
Oh really. Shame the BBC doesn’t bother to report that then.
Here’s a thought. Muslims are cowards and hide behind women and children to fight.
Peter T
“If we are going to accept blatant bias from our news media then we must allow the market to choose which bias is most acceptable. I have sneeking suspicion that a leftward bias would not be the market leader.”
It wouldn’t become a market leader, since liberals tend not to thrive in competitive environments.
Hi David,
You mentioned before that propaganda is not only what is said but what is not mentioned. I agree with you on that.
This is from the broadcast you linked to:
“it is hugely important civilians casualties here”
Is this what you call left-wing bias? It is hugely important to the Afghans that civilians are killed. Can you imagine a BBC reporter stating “it is hugely important civilians casualties here” if Britain was Afghanistan?
The guy even comes up with “It’s hugely important civilian casualities here, because this, a country of insurgancy with a mission as such as that is in Afghanistan, any civilians killed drives the population against the international forces, there presence in Afghanistan and the Afghan government; puts more pressure on president Karzai and it does very little in trying to win the support of the people, which is why so many troops are here in the first place”.
This is a joke at best.
Your take “if a war it is” is somewhat breathtaking. The way Humphreys stated it is, one is to believe, that it is no war at all, but benevolent.
Jason:
Baby milk factories, wakes, weddings…all prime targets for the US military, apparently.
Has anyone noticed how the only people who seem to go to weddings and wakes in Afghanistan are “women and children”? Are men banned from weddings?
No, the exact opposite: in Afghanistan, as most central asian muslim tribal areas, women – including the Bride herself – and children are excluded from wedding celebrations (always remember that Islam lives in the Bizarro Universe)which makes me amazed when so many afghan women and children are killed by us vicious zionist crusaders at weddings.
I suspect what we’re really hitting is some local Taliban boss, his hareem and his brood.
Straightaway this is disputed by “tribal elders” (Taliban, natch) “locals” (Taliban) and the ubiquitous “Human Rights” activists. (Taliban apologists)
Beyong parody, but very funny.
I’m only an occasional visitor but it seems there are more left-wing trolls than formerly, posting comments on this website.
Albert the Cat, I don’t know. Perhaps there is, but I rather get the opposite impression sometimes, what with anti-gay, anti-Islam, anti-Guardian, anti-liberal stuff. Thought this was about the BB Bloody C.
Hi David
Here is the latest:
http://news.google.co.uk/news?ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&tab=wn&ncl=1239107598&hl=en