Only a series of big stories in the mainstream media jolted the Journal (J) into today's semi-major story about Pakistan.
It was a tepid and uninformative fluff piece about Benazir Bhutto, avoiding most information that Americans need to understand Pakistan, which many experts consider to be the most dangerous country on earth. Consider this missing information:
Osama Bin Laden moves ever closer to control of a radical Islamic Pakistan armed with nuclear weapons!
While Bush concentrates on Iran, which is far from producing a nuke, Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is falling into radicalism.
Bush’s slaughter of civilians in Iraq and Iran is driving Afghani and Pakistani moderates into the arms of Islamic radicals, weakening our allies, making the world much more dangerous and costly (for us).
Over 20,000 Pakistani schools (Madrasas), pumping out vicious Anti-American, pro-Talibani propaganda, are increasing dramatically in popularity.
The U.S. intelligence community agrees that Bin Laden and the Taliban are now stronger than they have been in years, secure in nuclear Pakistan—a story you seldom see in the J,
BUT, you did get nine paragraphs in Section A about Ms. England. She apparently is too thin.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Slight of Hand Journalism
Today’s Journal (J) spent three columns telling us that Bill Richardson ran behind Stephen Colbert in a recent poll. Now there is real news!
At the same time, the J continues to omit crucial information needed by citizens in a democracy.
Today’s article on the Valerie Plame outing neglects to mention that the President vowed to fire whoever was involved in this violation of federal law, which cost us a valuable expert who was fighting nuclear proliferation. It has since been proven that at least three White House aides were involved, all of whom lied about it, and probably Vice-President Cheney. Not only did Bush not fire the culprits, but he commuted Libby’s sentence.
Yesterday’s front page reported that the war has cost $455 Billion, which is a joke. Responsible estimates (that take into account future obligations) range from one to two trillion, the latter from Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz.
Today’s section A reports that casualties are way down in Iraq and includes a giddy comment from a US general saying he’s never been so optimistic, and that Iraqis are, “coming forward in masses” to fight al-Quaida. Remember this!
Let’s see. Twenty-one U.S. families ruined and 651 Iraqis . . . in just October. Now that is progress.
Oh, and October cost 20 to 30 billion dollars that we DO NOT HAVE out of an economy that is teetering on the brink of recession due primarily to our debt imbalances.
At the same time, the J continues to omit crucial information needed by citizens in a democracy.
Today’s article on the Valerie Plame outing neglects to mention that the President vowed to fire whoever was involved in this violation of federal law, which cost us a valuable expert who was fighting nuclear proliferation. It has since been proven that at least three White House aides were involved, all of whom lied about it, and probably Vice-President Cheney. Not only did Bush not fire the culprits, but he commuted Libby’s sentence.
Yesterday’s front page reported that the war has cost $455 Billion, which is a joke. Responsible estimates (that take into account future obligations) range from one to two trillion, the latter from Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz.
Today’s section A reports that casualties are way down in Iraq and includes a giddy comment from a US general saying he’s never been so optimistic, and that Iraqis are, “coming forward in masses” to fight al-Quaida. Remember this!
Let’s see. Twenty-one U.S. families ruined and 651 Iraqis . . . in just October. Now that is progress.
Oh, and October cost 20 to 30 billion dollars that we DO NOT HAVE out of an economy that is teetering on the brink of recession due primarily to our debt imbalances.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
What's Missing From J "News"
The Journal (J) keeps avoiding the amazing cost of the war which we are adding it to the astounding debt that our children have to deal with.
The fiscal cost of the war, estimated to be at $2 TRILLION by Nobel Prize winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz, is a major factor in the impending fiscal disaster facing this country.
We are cutting back on prevention and enforcement even as crime hits record increases. We cannot afford proper care for our 82,000+ maimed Iraq war veterans. We are cutting programs to schools and infrastructure.
We are the only nation in the industrial world that does not provide health care for its citizens.
The value of the dollar is plummeting, reaching record lows. China and the oil countries are getting very nervous about the US paying its debts in dollars, of which they have trillions, while we pursue policies that reduce the value of these dollar holdings.
We are walking a tightrope of economic and social disaster, but reading the front section of the J will not tell get you the story.
THEREFORE, when slogging through the J’s daily promotion of the Iraq war and ceaseless front page promotion of fluff stories, take note of what important stories the J is NOT telling.
The fiscal cost of the war, estimated to be at $2 TRILLION by Nobel Prize winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz, is a major factor in the impending fiscal disaster facing this country.
We are cutting back on prevention and enforcement even as crime hits record increases. We cannot afford proper care for our 82,000+ maimed Iraq war veterans. We are cutting programs to schools and infrastructure.
We are the only nation in the industrial world that does not provide health care for its citizens.
The value of the dollar is plummeting, reaching record lows. China and the oil countries are getting very nervous about the US paying its debts in dollars, of which they have trillions, while we pursue policies that reduce the value of these dollar holdings.
We are walking a tightrope of economic and social disaster, but reading the front section of the J will not tell get you the story.
THEREFORE, when slogging through the J’s daily promotion of the Iraq war and ceaseless front page promotion of fluff stories, take note of what important stories the J is NOT telling.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Blind Bias
Yesterday, Senate Democrats introduced a bill that would force Congress to pay for the war with a national surtax, instead of merely adding it to the astounding debt that our children have to pay.
Guess what? No mention of this in the Journal (J). NONE! The fiscal cost of the war, estimated to be at $2 TRILLION by Nobel Prize winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz, is bankrupting this country.
We are cutting back on prevention and enforcement even as crime hits record increases. We cannot afford proper care for our 82,000+ maimed Iraq war veterans. We are cutting programs to schools and infrastructure. The President will today veto a bill to provide health care to poor CHILDREN!
The value of the dollar is plummeting, reaching record lows. China and the oil countries are getting very nervous about the US paying its debts in dollars, of which they have trillions, while we pursue policies that reduce the value of these dollar holdings.
We are walking a tightrope of economic and social disaster, but the J will not tell the story.
I know that as one reads the J’s constant criticism of Bill Richardson (front page attack of his stance on the “Boy Scouts” yesterday), unceasing support of all things Republican like Sen. Pete Domenici (and, of course, his saintly sister, THE Sister) and his perky protégé, Rep. Heather Wilson, it is easy to lose sight of what is MISSING from Section A?
THEREFORE, when slogging through the J’s daily promotion of the Iraq war and ceaseless idiocy (like today’s front page article about a man who [gasp] tore up a Mexican flag at UNM), think about ALL the costs of this pointless disaster, costs that your kids will incur.
Guess what? No mention of this in the Journal (J). NONE! The fiscal cost of the war, estimated to be at $2 TRILLION by Nobel Prize winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz, is bankrupting this country.
We are cutting back on prevention and enforcement even as crime hits record increases. We cannot afford proper care for our 82,000+ maimed Iraq war veterans. We are cutting programs to schools and infrastructure. The President will today veto a bill to provide health care to poor CHILDREN!
The value of the dollar is plummeting, reaching record lows. China and the oil countries are getting very nervous about the US paying its debts in dollars, of which they have trillions, while we pursue policies that reduce the value of these dollar holdings.
We are walking a tightrope of economic and social disaster, but the J will not tell the story.
I know that as one reads the J’s constant criticism of Bill Richardson (front page attack of his stance on the “Boy Scouts” yesterday), unceasing support of all things Republican like Sen. Pete Domenici (and, of course, his saintly sister, THE Sister) and his perky protégé, Rep. Heather Wilson, it is easy to lose sight of what is MISSING from Section A?
THEREFORE, when slogging through the J’s daily promotion of the Iraq war and ceaseless idiocy (like today’s front page article about a man who [gasp] tore up a Mexican flag at UNM), think about ALL the costs of this pointless disaster, costs that your kids will incur.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
A Page Three War
During the last week, the front section of the ABQ Journal (J) declared several times that “progress” was being made in Iraq, climaxing today with headlines like “War Deaths Fall in Iraq” and “1 Soldier Killed Monday.”
Apparently, to the J, the 64 Americans killed in September represent progress. The J did not run one picture of a US death. The J always refers to US dead with one sentence -- a few black and white symbols. Where are the coffins? Where are the destroyed families?
It is so much easier to ignore a war whose dead occur only on page three. About ten Americans are wounded for each death, and with today’s advanced medical technology, the reported “wounds” are exceedingly brutal and life-changing.
This is now the longest war in US history. It is bankrupting our country’s treasury, spirit and reputation, just like Vietnam. The J bears much of the responsibility.
Apparently, to the J, the 64 Americans killed in September represent progress. The J did not run one picture of a US death. The J always refers to US dead with one sentence -- a few black and white symbols. Where are the coffins? Where are the destroyed families?
It is so much easier to ignore a war whose dead occur only on page three. About ten Americans are wounded for each death, and with today’s advanced medical technology, the reported “wounds” are exceedingly brutal and life-changing.
This is now the longest war in US history. It is bankrupting our country’s treasury, spirit and reputation, just like Vietnam. The J bears much of the responsibility.
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