TIME TO PULL THE PLUG ON AL-JAZEERA?

Time to Pull the Plug? - Amir Taheri
Most Arab satellite networks, especially Al-Jazeera, which is owned by the ruler of Qatar, are not really interested in news. They have a message to relay, based on the claim that Arabs are victims of a plot hatched by the Western powers, especially the U.S., that wish to re-colonize the Arab world, steal its natural resources, notably oil, and impose their corrupt culture on Muslim nations.

The most dramatic symbol of that conspiracy is Palestine where Israel, presumably acting on behalf of the U.S., is engaged in wanton killing of innocent civilians. In Iraq, "the resistance" - meaning terrorists who seize hostages, chop heads, and kill Iraqis as well as Americans - are seen as upholding "Arab honor." These themes are hammered in on a 24-hour basis and in countless so-called news bulletins, plus talk shows and long monologues, including some by Osama bin Laden, Abu-Musaab al-Zarqawi, and other terrorist leaders. (Jerusalem Post)