Iraqi Government Shuts Al-Jazeera Station

[theoceansnerves]

By Associated Press

August 7, 2004, 7:29 AM EDT

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The Iraqi government has decided to close the Baghdad offices of the pan-Arab television station Al-Jazeera for 30 days, the government said Saturday.

There was no immediate comment from Al-Jazeera, which first announced the news. Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's spokesman Georges Sada confirmed the one-month closure.

Government ministers have recently been critical of the television station.

During a July 25 interview with Al-Jazeera in Moscow, interim Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari accused the channel of tilted reporting and implied its journalists could be barred from the country.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-iraq-al-jazeera,0,2757598.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

[lil-petunia]

1. HOW DARE YOU REPORT THE TRUTH

How dare you tell people that we are fucking up royally?

Get out of here for a month and kneel in your corner.

[54anickel]

8. No truth allowed - only fear-mongering. The villianization of Al-J

started long ago in this country. I remember seeing only CNN-International giving them the time to even try to defend themselves during Shrub's little war.

A few folks here at DU would not consider them reliable for a long time either.

[prodigal_green]

2. Let Freedom Reign

go see The Control Room. Excellent documentary about Al Jazeera. I had no idea before I went that most of the journalists are former BBC.

[geek tragedy]

16. Al-Jazeera is probably getting better

It used to be a cesspool though.

No doubt this move is an exercise in dictatorship by the thug-in-chief Allawi and his masters in Washington.

[NeoConsSuck]

3. Ah, Democracy, NeoCon style..

over on this side, they just buy the media.

I guess you need to ask yourself, what's worse? No media news or Fox, CNN?

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. Then they should shut down FOX News too

It's obvious that they don't want the world to see what's really going on in Iraq.

W's got an election to win you know.

[Junkdrawer]

5. This and Najaf tells me a Pre-Election Crackdown is underway...

I guess they're afraid that Iraq may blow up in October, so the US forces are taking the initiative.

[tlcandie]

6. So much for everyone who says they aren't objective!!!

Let me see, US doesn't like them nor do the Iraqis... Hmmmmm

[wellst0nev0ter]

7. I Heard That Saddam Hated Al-Jazeera Too

[Barkley]

18. Did Saddam Ban Al-Jazeera too?

[Barrett808]

9. But Sadr can print his rag? n/t

[tlcandie]

11. No the newspaper has been shut down again..eom

[jmcgowanjm]

10. Driven to Gossip News sites like Mafkarat al Islam

And the question of what a Gossip News site is
becomes that much more important here at DU.

http://www.neravt.com/left/war/resistance0802-0804-04.html

And still nothing from Ramadi, Fallujah, or Mosul
according to the nonGossip News sites.
The view looking west from the roof of the Palestine
Hotel must be awesome at night.
I wish I could see it.

[tlcandie]

12. Interesting nothing on Electroniq Iraq OR Al Jazeera (English)

about this... VERY odd.

[allemand]

13. The English site of Al Jazeera is always lagging behind

According to CNN "Al-Jazeera also reported the closing."

Qatar-based TV network to close in capital for one month
http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/08/07/iraq.al.jazeera/

There is an interesting quote in that article Hoshyar Zebari, interim Iraqi Foreign Minister says:

"We do not tolerate those who exploited the freedom of the media"...

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

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[IndianaGreen]

17. Our puppet Allawi regime is getting ready for martial law

They don't want Al-Jazeera to witness what Allawi is about to do, which as a former member of Saddam secret police we can easily surmise what that is.

Allawi also knows that American correspondents in Iraq are not about to report on his upcoming brutality since they did not report the news story about Allawi personally executing some detainees.

[Mika]

19. Didja hear w* talking yesterday about dictaters cutting off hands?

Just like Alawi. :puke: