Not sure why news organizations like the CBC don't apply some sort of "Stupidometer", or at least provide viewers with honest narrative? Last night I had to endure an "ask the Minister" on "The National" with Peter MacKay and Peter Mansbridge, and watch as MacKay "distorted", or clearly lied about one fact or another in relation to the Afghan war...
Here are a couple of the best distortions: When answering a voter's question about military success in Afghanistan - and the justification to be there, MacKay indicated that we were invited there by the Karzai government (that part is true, although we know Karzai had little choice if he wished to remain in power. His Northern Alliance allies needed outside help. MacKay did not stop here, though. He went on to state that the Soviet Union was an unwelcome occupying force... Hmmm... Actually Mr. Minister, the old People's Democratic Party regime in Afghanistan had also - similar to Karzai - invited a foreign power in to help them stay in control (in their battle against - guess who? - the Northern Alliance and Taliban, of course)...
MacKay's second big "untruth", or distortion of the facts: he stated that we are fighting a terrorist government (when we went to fight the Taliban). Like the Taliban, or not, they took power in Afghanistan much the same way as power has always been achieved in that land - taking it in civil war and sectarian conflict. The Taliban were no more legitimate rulers than any previous governments. The Taliban did indeed support Bin Laden and Al Qaida, but were not terrorists. Only terrorist sympathizers - in much the same way as Americans supported reactionaries in Angola, or the Mujahaddin in Afghanistan. They mistreated their people in a fashion similar to religious regimes anywhere.
It would be great if the CBC and other news agencies provided the public with some real background facts after interviewing political figures - to ensure that viewers got most of the facts straight.
4 comments:
From McKay (or any of his fellow travelers) this is expected.
You are right about the media - and now CBC-TV has become partisan (mostly subtle but pathetic re Afghanistan).
Mansbridge has become a joke. Why doesn't he join CTV (or Fox?) where he now belongs.
Good one. When Peter Mansbridge announced that he was interviewing Peter Mackay, I turned the t.v. off, thinking I did not need more of the same bull. It looks that was the case.
The Taliban did not exist when the Soviets occupied Afghanistan. The Northern Alliance did not exist until after the Taliban were in power. Neither had anything to do with the communist regime's request for Soviet aide: a bit ironic for a post about fidelity to the facts...
As for 'northern pov': airing the perspective of the duly elected government in wartime is not "partisan". It's patriotic.
Actually, Arthur, the bands of Warlords that comprise the Taliban and the Northern Alliance were THE VERY SAME people the old socialist regime was fighting. My point is pretty clear: It's the same groups fighting for power over the years. We have switched sides (or the American's have, more accurately), but it's still a nation of feudal warlords battling it out for supremacy - and all we've done is jump in on one side. Want to know which "Northern Alliance" and "Taliban" leaders were around back when they were fighting the Soviets and the "legitimate" Afghan government back in the 80s?
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