As a companion piece to my commentary below, British Chief of Defence Staff General Michael Walker has accused the media of unnecessarily endangering British troops by their speculation reporting of deployment.
Gen Walker told BBC TV that constant media speculation about the regiment's redeployment, which was made at the request of the United States, helped rebels plan attacks from the start of the mission.
"I think that the contribution towards the initial attacks against the Black Watch was certainly
enhanced by, if you like, a media picture that was being laid across a number of channels in all sorts of places," he said.
A series of roadside bombs were planted along the route used by the regiment as it travelled from the southern city of Basra to Camp Dogwood, and the camp came under attack within hours of the troops' arrival.
"Certainly, the attacks against the Black Watch happened at that stage," Gen Walker said.
"And I'm certain, too, that the media coverage would have made it easier for anybody who wanted to conduct those attacks to do so."
Naturally the media is indignant at the charges, calling the claim "absurd".
And speaking of media, propaganda and their part in this war...
Rachel Ehrenfeld from Front Page magazine offers this insight to media and communications companies facilitating the widespread broadcasting of propaganda and fundraising for terror groups .
The most active HAMAS front organization worldwide is the London-based Interpal, which publishes anti-American and anti-Israeli propaganda, and which in 2003 alone sent more than $20 million to different HAMAS organizations in the Palestinian territories. In addition to fundraising in England in Pounds Sterling, Interpal lists on its website four different bank accounts to which contributors can send money. All the accounts are with Nat West Bank, and the international scope of the organization is evident by dedicated dollar and euro accounts.
And England is not alone. While the French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin is calling to shut down Al-Manar, Hizbollah’s TV broascasting in France, his country continues to host the Paris-based HAMAS front organization, Votre Partenaire Humanitaire en Palestine (CBSP), which also publishes anti-West hate propaganda, and whose website calls for contributions to be sent to a Post Office box in Nancy.
Ms. Ehrenfeld also exposes California's Telstar satellite as one providing air wave access to Al-Manar into Canada in the US.
Before any of you decide to scream "foul" for the 1st Amendment right and sic the ACLU on me, let me expound further.
Even with free speech - not allowed in most Islam-dominated countries - it is still illegal in the US to incite a criminal act. While the ACLU did it's utmost to muddy these waters by defending NAMBLA and their website content, there is no question that calls for jihad and fundraising for terrorist attacks are clearly criminal activities promoting death and destruction, and should be illegal anywhere on the planet. There's no fuzzy lines here. Jihad and the money to carry out their assaults is simply criminal.
It's high time that journalists and communications companies are held responsible for their actions in order to minimize the repercussions felt by our troops and the world.
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