Few share our privilege, power and freedom – hence responsibility
So Iran is supporting rebels fighting a dictatorship in one country (Yemen) and supporting the dictatorship in another (Syria). In those two countries, the U.S. is doing exactly the reverse: propping up the Yemeni dictatorship while arming the Syrian rebels. Why is one better than the other or a greater sign of aggression and threats?
–Greenwald on the NYT and its propagandizing on the Iranian “menace”.
Despite that important journalism — or, more accurately, because of it — Shaye is now in prison, thanks largely to President Obama himself. For the past two years, Shaye has been arrested, beaten, and held in solitary confinement by the security forces of Saleh, America’s obedient tyrant.
-Greenwald on the case of Abdulelah Haider Shaye, who is being held in Yemen for the crime of reporting and printing the truth about American drone attacks in the country, and Obama’s role in his detention.
“This time, the Times has to show the readers everything. You guys not only aren’t allowed to screw it up, again, you also aren’t allowed to complain that the coverage criticism isn’t fair. You people blew through all our good will, and until you get up off your knees and stop taking dictation from the PR wonks and special interest groups, you don’t get a free ride.”
-A commenter lays it out on the NYT’s warmongering reports
“It is interesting to see the sources on whom NBC News executives rely to develop their understanding of the world, and it’s even more interesting to learn what they’re being told about that.”
-Greenwald on the recent hawkish report that Gen Barry McCaffrey gave to NBC officials, intended to influence their war peddling by hyping the “threat” of Iran.
“The White House keeps praising these journalists … who’ve been killed … How does that square with the fact that this administration has been so aggressively trying to stop aggressive journalism in the United States by using the Espionage Act to take whistleblowers to court? … You want aggressive journalism abroad; you just don’t want it in the United States.
–Jake Tapper displays a bravery too rare in the White House press room
“We don’t need to ask who you’re talking to. We know.”
–Anonymous “national security representative“, to reporter Lucy Dalglish, on why she shouldn’t expect too many subpoenas of journalists for their sources, a la James Risen.
So who gets listened to in national debates, those who have been consistently right on all the key points, or those who have gotten things as wrong as you possibly can? Okay, we know the answer to that, but this knowledge is important. We are dealing with people who have no argument; they are relying on their control of public debate to get their way.
-Economist Dean Baker, on getting the truth out.
Today, finally, the voters of Penn’s Woods go to the polls. But methinks tomorrow we will be no closer to having a Democratic presidential nominee. The recent debate was a travesty. Once again, I had no idea it was coming until after it was over. And now I can’t even use the “had no TV”… Continue reading PA Reality