The attorney general last night threatened newspapers with the Official Secrets Act if they revealed the contents of a document allegedly relating to a dispute between Tony Blair and George Bush over the conduct of military operations in Iraq.
It is believed to be the first time the Blair government has threatened newspapers in this way. Though it has obtained court injunctions against newspapers, the government has never prosecuted editors for publishing the contents of leaked documents, including highly sensitive ones about the run-up to the invasion of Iraq.
The attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, last night referred editors to newspaper reports yesterday that described the contents of a memo purporting to be at the centre of charges against two men under the secrets act.
Under the front-page headline “Bush plot to bomb his ally“, the Daily Mirror reported that the US president last year planned to attack the Arabic television station al-Jazeera, which has its headquarters in Doha, the capital of Qatar, where US and British bombers were based.
No comment.
Al-Jazeera needs to have long term “technical problems”. If Tokyo Rose, were broadcasting from Australia, how long would she have been on the air and not in prison. The real question is if Qatar is an ally at all – given that they allow al-Jazeera on their soil.
Better to let ideas like Al Jazeera’s out there for debate.
I would like nothing more than to see Al Jazeera’s slimey ass wiped off the face of the planet, but if we did that they would become martyrs. That would probably be the worst thing we could do. I think the truely damaging info in this story is what went on between Bush and Blair. What did they say? Did Bush push Blair on the Iraq conflict (we have yet to declare war)? Did Blair know about something the US did that we shouldn’t have?
As obnoxious as Al Jazeera is – knock them off and twenty more popup.
BUT this type of move is what the duhbya would come up with. He has a tallent for doing just the wrong thing at just the wrong time.
The real test of democracy is the defense of those that would criticize the defenders of freedom and democracy.
“I disagree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it”.
It sure couldn’t have been a democrat or a patriot that said that. It must have been some drugged up, insane, commie, revolutionary hippie, wierdo freak out to slander Bush.
Although, if Al Jazeera is knocked off the air for NOT being slanted towards dubya, maybe Rupert Murdoch’s empire should also be burned to the ground for consistently being wrong in its reporting and for lying to the American public. What is good for the goose, is good for the gander.
“I disagree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it”.
Actually it was a drugged up, insane, commie, revolutionary hippie, wierdo FRENCHMAN that said it.
But Fox News is patriotic don’t forget! It’s only those who dare question the Bush Corporation’s infinite wisdom that are traitors and should be shut down. I don’t like Al-Jazeera whatsoever, but if Fox “News” is allowed to broadcast, they should be too.
Al-Jazeera’s reporting is a good deal more accurate than american, particularly fox. If you actually pulled you’re heads out of your asses you’d notice that Al-Jazeera is in constant trouble in the mideast because they question and criticise the regimes there.
Jeeze, just because they’re not kissing bush’s pansy ass you think they’re a propaganda arm ? ROTFL – pot meet kettle.
I wonder how long it will be until you have to change the name of your blog from Dvorak “Uncensored”
For the longest time, I jsut accepted that Al Jazeera was what the Whitehouse said it was… an anti-American, pro-terrorist mouthpiece.
But then I saw “The Control Room” and realized that I hadn’t really decided this for myself.
I’m not sure what I believe about Al Jazeera but I’m pretty sure they aren’t want Rumfeld et al say they are.
There’s a english version of Al Jazeera Here
Judge for yourselves !
Also AlJazeera Magazine
Not sure what the differences between them are