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Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Comments

Chuck Pelto

TO: JW
RE: What a Crock of Merde

"...the reason is , I think, that it's easier, that we have a problem reporting open societies, particularly in a time of great international turmoil and war. It's just easier to criticize, it's easier to get information, it's easier to find people within the society who are immensely critical of it." -- JW

Going the 'easy route' is a bunch of garbage. And self-serving garbage at that. Take your apologist tripe and cram it up the appropriate fourth-point-of-contact.

Feel free to share....

Regards,

Chuck(le)

Hovig

I find it most interesting that in his last sentence he has in fact successfully diagnosed the condition he finds himself in. He has to apologize for making non-anti-American statements, which implies it's not "easier" to criticize people who hold the opposing, Americo-skeptic view, which seems to imply the opposing view is non-democratic.

Infide

"Going the 'easy route' is a bunch of garbage. And self-serving garbage at that. Take your apologist tripe and cram it up the appropriate fourth-point-of-contact.

Feel free to share....

Regards,

Chuck(le)"

Ok Chuckle, you go to Iran, interview some Iranians who are highly critical of the government and then broadcast that interview from Iran. K thnx buh bye

Kronos

Because this guy spends some time in America he realizes that the BBC's rep has gone down the toilet here and he's doing all he can to salvage now, lest BBC go the way of CBS and the other American networks.

Too little too late.

This is not a wake up to the reality of the BBC, but rather a wake up that America is starting to catch on to what the BBC really is, and respond accordingly.

This guy should quit the BBC now and start blogging.

Christine

It's nice that they're admitting that they'd rather do what's easy than what is right.

Andrew X

We kicked this around a bit on the fabulous French blog 'No Pasaran'. It's interesting that Clive's (and Instapundit's) take is that Webb's comments are "sterling" and in defense of America, while NP is more focused, I think with reason, on the fact that Webb seemingly cannot make his sterling comments without practically grovelling in apologetics for daring to make such a point. I guess you have to listen to the link to draw your own conclusion.

Here is what I posted to 'No Pasaran'...

--

It is weird that I get a sense from Webb that he does want to give the US a fair shake, but you almost get a sense that he is terrified to do so, like a Soviet journalist (or "journalist") trying mightily to say that the US just might might might might, buried deep within it's imperialist warmongering, have a point to make about something, but he is terrified that his KGB handlers might come down on him.

The sheer groveling to the N. Irish caller (castigating the U.S.) was embarrassing. "Oh, I'm SO sorry, PLEASE forgive me, I'm just trying to say that..." and then he goes on to make some genuinely good points slathered in "forgive me for even saying this..."

The Irish caller has every right to his (mendacious) opinion, but so to does Webb, but the caller speaks it forthrightly, and Webb grovels about it.

And such is the state of discourse in much of Western Civilization. It is a state of affairs that many Americans are consciously (to use a smidge of hyperbole) waging war upon, and one that we are given reasons to continue doing so every single day by the likes of the BBC right here.

rezzrovv

Are you kidding me? Easier to bash open societies? OK. On a physical access, plenty of critics to mimic, blahblahblah. Sure. But if the Islamofacist throughout the ME and the totalitarian bastards with their slave labor and other human right's atrocities in Bejing aren't feed for the grist mill w/ or w/out easy access then I'm living in an alternate universe. This is a bunch of crap. This Utopian vision these Third Wayers are peddling is crap and anyone not buying into it and is successful w/out there socialist fantasies is to be ground into the dirt. I am so fed up with this whinny BS. It is frightening how delusional these people have become. It is all the worse when you consider the blatant duplicity of France from the Ivory Coast to Rawanda to China. "Step right up, we'll sell you anything out of the arsenal you like and even cover for you while you use it.", he said in a goofy French accent. Can someone explain to me how they get a free pass?

Joe Peden

Infide, your logic is that because it's hard to criticize Iran from within Iran, therefore it is equally hard to criticize Iran from where the BBC sits - so that the BBC is somehow left to bash America?

Face it: America bashing and nonsensical excuse making is a major part of your Religion and the BBC's, as well as that of a myriad of other genuine nutcases whose views the BBC then touts. That is the problem which Webb addresses.

Chuck Pelto

TO: Infide
RE: Going to Iran

"Ok Chuckle, you go to Iran, interview some Iranians who are highly critical of the government and then broadcast that interview from Iran. K thnx buh bye..." -- Infide

Happy to oblige. And when I get there, it'll be in command of a battalion of US Infantry, Mech or Airborne. The 'interview' will be quite 'interesting'.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
[God is alive...and airborne-ranger qualified.]

Chuck Pelto

P.S. The 'broadcast' is likely to be HIGHLY 'critical' of Iran's current government.

Julian Morrison

There's what he said, but there's also what he did. He apologised! That isn't consistent with differing ease of information gathering. That's consistent with a settled institutional anti-american attitude.

dearieme

I'm struck how coverage of the US contains two different biases. (1) They are absurdly anti-US of the present day. Even allowing that the US has had two dud Presidents in a row, the previous two, Ronnie and Poppie, were good stuff and, anyway, a country consists of more than its presidents. (2) But they seem to accept quite uncritically the standard Ameican account of the country's early days, accepting that that bunch of crooks, cowards and head-cases who constituted a large fraction of the Founding Fathers, were somehow Great Men Without Stain. Very odd.

Nick (South Africa)

[God is alive...and airborne-ranger qualified.]
Seeing trite, mindless, bilge like this signature makes it difficult NOT to be anti-American, and I'm generally pro.

Nick (South Africa)

[God is alive...and airborne-ranger qualified.]
Seeing trite, mindless, bilge like this signature makes it difficult NOT to be anti-American, and I'm generally pro.

The Apologist

"Seeing trite, mindless, bilge like this signature makes it difficult NOT to be anti-American, and I'm generally pro."

Nick, I think your sense of humor is on the fritz. I recommend you lossen it up and chill it out.

P.S. I'm not a medical professional.

The Apologist

Clive, just as an aside, I've had you in my bookmarked blogs for months and I never get around to coming here on my own. I'm always getting directed by Insty or someone else. I read through a few posts and think to myself - I really like this blog, I should bookmark it - only to find that I already have. Anyway, I'm moving you up the list to daily reads. Looking forward to more wonderful content.

Tom Grey - Liberty Dad

Thanks, Clive; it IS encouraging. When the BBC starts asking themselves -- are they supporting pro-democracy America or anti-democracy terrorists in their CHOICE of coverage, they won't like the answers.

I'm wondering if there won't be a class action lawsuit against the big media for supporting the terrorists by their unbalanced coverage, leading to excessive deaths of Americans...

Erik Svane

Thank you for giving No Pasarán a plug. I invite you all to join Americans Anonymous.

http://www.eriksvane.com/aa.htm

Jenn Mikosz

It's impotence and jealousy, pure and simple. The UK doesn't lead Europe, they don't rule the waves, they don't even rule English literature anymore. Or to quote the great English-Irish Poet, Morrissey, "We look to Los Angeles For the language we use / London is dead, London is dead, London is dead..."

Subsunk

Chuck,

I'd love to see that "broadcast". Think it might be highly interesting for 70 million people in that country.

Say it like you mean it, son. Have a great day.

Subsunk

Chuck Pelto

TO: Subsunk
RE: Indeed

"Think it might be highly interesting for 70 million people in that country." -- Subsunk

I recall hearing reports, shortly after we overran Iraq, that some of the college kids in Iran were putting up signs that read....

"Freedom through American boots."

I think that the majority would like it.

Regards,

Chuck(le)
P.S. Something for Nick...

[Once the pin has been pulled, Mr. Hand Grenade is no longer your friend.]

TallDave

I think what annoys the BBC the most is that Americans generally don't even realize they exist, and hence don't care what they think of the United States.

Americans just go on their merry way, with their military/economic hyperpower, high living standards, and belief in democracy and freeedom, hardly deigning to notice their self-proclaimed moral superiors across the pond. Bastards.

moptop

"Once the pin has been pulled, Mr. Hand Grenade is no longer your friend"

Nearly spit my coffee on the keyboard. Good thing I am on mute in this conference call.

byrd

He is, of course, absolutely right. America gets the most criticism not because it deserves the most, but because it's the most open to being criticized. Unfortunately, too many on the left forget that.

Patricia

"And I think there is a tendency, which we always have to guard against, of being tougher on democratic societies simply because it's easier."

Sure, just as it's easier for Google be tougher on the US than China.

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