Iraqi Council Bans Al-Jazeera From Offices

[DoYouEverWonder]

AP Wire

January 31, 2004

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's U.S.-appointed Governing Council has barred the Arab news channel Al-Jazeera from government offices and news conferences for one month, the council said in a statement Saturday.

The ban on one of the most popular television news stations in the Middle East went into effect Wednesday and is punishment for the disrespect the station allegedly showed toward prominent Iraqis, according to the statement. It is the second such ban against Al-Jazeera since September.

<snip>

"Al-Jazeera is trying to ascertain exactly what happened with a view to rectify the matter," Ballout said from Qatar, where Al-Jazeera is based. "All that Al-Jazeera wants is to do its job professionally."

According to the council's statement, Al-Jazeera has shown "disrespect to Iraq and its people and harmed prominent religious and national figures."



Remember when free speech was an integral part of democracy? And when Bu$h promised to bring democracy and freedom to the Iraqi people? So much for that idea?

[plurality]

1. Gotta love democracy Bush style

"You're free...to do exactly what we tell you."

[non sociopath skin]

2. It ain't been a good week ...

.. for independent news bradcasters, has it?

A sure sign that the Chickenhawks are beginning to get REALLY scared.

The Skin