here is an interesting dialog between Al-Jazeera and CNN. I don't think Al-Jazeera has the monopoly on showing gruesome pictures, recall Somalia and the pictures and video that was aired on CNN and other media outlets. http://www.kieranhealy.org/blog/archives/000332.html#000332
Not to defend US media, which I don't trust much myself, but when gatsby says the US press "NEVER mentions" that the US supported Saddam Hussein in the 80's, I wonder which planet he lives on. Certainly not the one I live on. Moreover, putting Saddam Hussein in place in the 80's in the midst of the cold war seemed a reasonable thing to do, much like supporting the Afghani mujahadeen against the Soviets did.
so it was fine to support him when he was our b@$t@rd? and he oppressed and gassed the Kurds, launched a war against the Iranians and gassed their armies too. the threat from iran to iraq was always overblown in the west. recall that Iraq is majority shia arab. yet during the time of the ayatollah kohemenni and the .iq/.ir war - the shia arabs never rebelled against saddam. in fact basra was never at risk. the force that sparked the ignition for political islam was the russian invasion of afghanistan and the cia/saudi/wahabi recruitment of jihadis from around the muslim world. as 5 million (?) refugees streamed into pakistan, the US government and the rich gulf states did not send them books, doctors, teachers, food, or shelter - rather wahabi mullahs, twisted translations of the qur'an and jihadi teachings (courtesy uni of nebreska, AK-47's and stinger shoulder launched missles were sent. so much for *unintended* consequences It might be
remembered that Iran overthrew the Shaw in 1979, and containing Islamic fundamentalism with a strong neighbor was reasonable. At that time, did the West have any idea what Saddam Hussein would become? there is a famous film of sh, as he came to power, announcing the names of his enemies and friends in a baath party meeting. one by one he announced names of people that were made to "disappear". this film was widely distributed in .iq as warning to his opponents. let me guess the nsa never saw it. you can get it here http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/longroad/
oh yeah, i almost forgot, the shah came into power after the cia helped in the assassination of the iranian prime minister. Anybody who
has ever had a divorce might realize the illogic that drives this particular argument.
never had a divorce so i don't know ....