On page 23 of the June 4 edition of Newsweek, there's a subtle bias on the "Perspectives" quotes-of-the-week page this week. Note the editorializing by using quotation marks suggesting progress will never happen in Iraq:
"It could be a bloody -- it could be a very difficult August." --President George W. Bush, on what is in store for U.S. troops in Iraq in the months before a "progress report" due in September (emphasis mine).
On page 33, there's a story by Melinda Liu on actual progress in Iraq, headlined: "Gathering the Tribes: U.S. field commanders are finally beginning to tap the traditional networks that helped Saddam stay in power." Liu reported from Ramadi that "Marines and Iraqi tribesmen and police are sitting together, swapping jokes and stories. Some of these Iraqis were probably shooting at Americans less than a year ago. Now they and the Marines are fighting side by side against Al Qaeda."
The story also carried a large, bolded quote:
'Last year the Americans were our biggest enemies,' says one cop. 'Now they're how we get what we need.'
The captions on the pictures read:
PEACE SIGNS: Tribal recruits man a check-point in Ramadi (above); children and others now freely interact with Americans (right).
Liu's story has plenty of skepticism about whether the progress will last, and whether the reduced violence is good enough. But it would be hard not to define it as a "progress report."
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I wouldnt trust Newsweak if t
May 30, 2007 - 11:16 ET by BEGRUNTI wouldnt trust Newsweak if they told me the sun would rise tomorrow
Pres Bush stands in select category - Boston Globe
May 30, 2007 - 12:08 ET by acumenMocking President Bush's progress report flies in the face of facts. This from the Boston Globe (of all places - owned by the NY Times) - bold mine:
In assessing Mr. Bush's progress to date, the Boston Globe quotes Mr. Gaddis ( Mr. Gaddis is a Robert A. Lovett professor of military and naval history at Yale University. The Boston Globe describes Mr. Gaddis as "the dean of Cold War studies and one of the nation's most eminent diplomatic historians."):
"So far the military action in Iraq has produced a modest improvement in American and global economic conditions; an intensified dialogue within the Arab world about political reform; a withdrawal of American forces from Saudi Arabia; and an increasing nervousness on the part of the Syrian and Iranian governments as they contemplated the consequences of being surrounded by American clients or surrogates. The United States has emerged as a more powerful and purposeful actor within the international system than it had been on September 11, 2001."
More on progress in Iraq and President Bushs' insightful "Grand Strategy" in the Middle East can be found here in this opinion piece by Tony Blankely. The following is an additional excerpt from the article (bold mine):
If you hate George W. Bush, you will hate this Boston Globe story because it makes a strong case that Mr. Bush stands in a select category with presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt and James Monroe (as guided by his secretary of state, John Q. Adams) in implementing one of only three grand strategies of American foreign policy in our two-century history.
Had Newsweek been around at the time of FDR or Monroe, I wonder if they would have been mocked with equal vigor by Newsweek?
"If you hate George W. B
May 30, 2007 - 12:25 ET by ThisnThat"If you hate George W. Bush, you will hate this Boston Globe story....".
Although my recent experience with the Boston Globe has nothing to do with this topic, I'll relate it anyway. I cancelled my last subscription late last week, and I've already received two phone calls from them trying to get me to re-subscribe. They're offering a deep discount. I told them they don't get it. They think it's all about money; I told them it's all about bias, and if they ever want my subscription back, they have to first change their behavior.
That was the end of the conversation. I wonder if they will ever call back? Haven't had so much fun with the Boston Gloge in a while -- I should re-subscribe just so I can cancel again!
What ever happened to that
May 31, 2007 - 12:37 ET by MilesDWhat ever happened to that publication anyhow?
I can remember a long time ago it was OK.
Then it got so pink and so tilted I CAN'T EVEN LOOK AT IT ANY MORE