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Freedom of the Media IS necessary for Peace in the Middle East

Reader comment on item: After Saddam? Remaking the Mideast

Submitted by Alex Dashevsky (United States), Feb 16, 2003 at 14:04

A few months ago, I wrote an article that was very controversial in the Arab Media. Comments on Palestinian Independent Media accused me of deceiving the truth, that I was a "propagandist." I thought that this was very ironic, as I was critizing the arrogance of Arab governance for not listening to the Arab People. I sarcastically called it: "Seven Conspiracies the Zionist Imperialist Controlled Media Does Not Want You to Know" (http://www.hybridmagazine.com/culture/1102/adashevsky.shtml) in which I quoted media sources in the Arab media that accused Israel for everything from 9-11 to Enron.

Zogby Polls show that Arab peoples are more interested in their own families and jobs than in the 'Palestinian' Conflict, yet that is not displayed by the emotional pictures on the front pages showing innocent Palestinians caught in the cross fire between Israelies and terrorists.

As a human being, I am affected by these pictures, as I would be by Holocaust pictures 50 years ago. If I were to read this every morning on the newspapers, and have no alternative information, I would develope a distorted vision of American & Israeli intentions. We need more independence; if we do not, young overly disenfranchised Arabs whose misplaced anger should be directed at their own governments, will continue to be directed at the Americans and Israelies. To say that Arabs are culturally adverse to democracy reminds me of what they said about Japan following World War II. 9-11 proved that imposing democracy on Arabs should be a higher priority.

http://www.hybridmagazine.com/culture/1102/adashevsky.shtml
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Reader comments (45) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Correction: Not "Don't Be Greedy!" but "Don't Get Greedy!" [2 words]Jonathan RickJan 5, 2005 08:3419427
Deconstruct Theocracy [91 words]Don van SickleApr 21, 2003 12:078494
difficulties ahead... [16 words]p cormanyApr 17, 2003 14:458427
Time to leave Saudi?? [69 words]Mark HMar 21, 2003 16:317497
Democracy at home - Tyranny Abroad [60 words]AhmedMar 14, 2003 15:037256
The theory of intended and unintended consequences [442 words]Shfep FargotsteinMar 12, 2003 12:177201
After Saddam? Remaking the Middle East [176 words]Wahid BoctorMar 3, 2003 00:527009
Keep up the fantastic work! [20 words]Dave PryceFeb 18, 2003 01:526707
Democracy? [25 words]HarmoniaFeb 17, 2003 10:216695
Playing the "Liberation" card [510 words]Dr. Ron PollandFeb 17, 2003 09:536694
Freedom of the Media IS necessary for Peace in the Middle East [250 words]Alex DashevskyFeb 16, 2003 14:046688
Not OK Oday [361 words]Chas. DahlinFeb 15, 2003 15:536674
Democracy is born out of maturity [213 words]Karsten BraschFeb 15, 2003 14:396672
3Problems in the US Policy [1260 words]Aslele ZaabiFeb 14, 2003 23:176658
False Dichotomy in Postwar Planning [409 words]Todd WinteringFeb 14, 2003 16:026648
Japan and the ME are like chalk and cheese [124 words]S.R.JudahFeb 14, 2003 08:156638
Beyond Technicality [107 words]A HFeb 13, 2003 19:266624
Japan [113 words]M SchultehenrichFeb 13, 2003 14:316618
Revamping the UN [354 words]Shep FargotsteinFeb 13, 2003 10:106610
How I see it at this time [106 words]Manuel GwiazdaFeb 13, 2003 08:306607
I'm with Ajami [96 words]Paul M. NevilleFeb 12, 2003 19:336598
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Ready for Democracy [85 words]Ted VolckhausenFeb 12, 2003 15:056592
After Saddam - One Detail You Did Not Mention [333 words]Joseph E. RendiniFeb 12, 2003 14:176591
Notes [340 words]Alo KievalarFeb 12, 2003 11:376584
After Saddam: Islam Confronts Democracy [425 words]Dave DavisFeb 11, 2003 21:306573
Democracy vs. Imperialism [330 words]Arlinda DeAngelisFeb 11, 2003 21:266572
We'd have to be brutal with terrorists [192 words]Catherine FFeb 11, 2003 20:326571
America's Destiny [137 words]William L. KorstadFeb 11, 2003 19:526569
Democracy's Core Value [127 words]David JacobFeb 11, 2003 19:326567
Calling the Fouad Ajami Brigade [181 words]Andreas SamsonFeb 11, 2003 17:456565
To the above poster [49 words]JeffFeb 11, 2003 16:376564
Democracy and security are inseparable. [365 words]Quin RobertsFeb 11, 2003 15:566563
Give democracy a chance [233 words]Amir ZadehFeb 11, 2003 12:336556
Arabs already have disposable divorce [66 words]GloriaFeb 11, 2003 12:326555
Strongly disagree ! [225 words]R.IsakFeb 11, 2003 11:486553
Caution in the Middle East [625 words]James M. CarterFeb 11, 2003 11:356552
Forget About Reforming Iraq -- or the Arab World [311 words]Ralph WinstanleyFeb 11, 2003 11:086551
RE: Glenn Klotz's question [173 words]Bob SamualsFeb 11, 2003 10:586550
After Iraq [96 words]John HampeFeb 11, 2003 10:556549
Not trusting the US or the UK to take a long term view :response to Ajami's view [532 words]elaine bousfieldFeb 11, 2003 10:406548
Outstanding balanced article [107 words]John S. MorganFeb 11, 2003 10:396547
Can This Go On? [122 words]Steven HessFeb 11, 2003 10:216545
Liberals & Liberal democracy [108 words]Glenn KlotzFeb 11, 2003 09:476538
Famous Victory? [193 words]Graham Rael-BrookFeb 11, 2003 09:026537

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