Western Politicians, Media to Blame for Rise of Al-Jazeera

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Mumin Salih writes in Islam Watch, a blog of ex-Muslims, that the Arab satellite news channel Al-Jazeera was given legitimacy by the West when American and British politicians "joined the race with their desire to appear on this channel to address the Arab people." The Western media has not helped, either, who "are engaged in a mission of self-flagellation and self-blaming for all the faults in the world including the terror crimes."

Since its launch in 1995, Aljazeera followed a consistent anti-American policy. Its clever editing and broadcasting made the un-informed and gullible audience think of Aljazeera as an impartial news channel. At the same time it was directing the minds of that simple audience to its mindset of thinking. This mindset is normally an anti American one. Even when America sided with the Muslims of former Yougoslavia and intervened for their protection, the channel could not hide its position vis-à-vis Milosevic, the Serbian leader who was seen as a friend and ally by the Iraqi dictator. The Iraqi leader awarded Milosevic with the highest Iraqi Medal!

Aljazeera came to be known to the west after the terrorists’ attacks on 9/11 and the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. By then, its alliances with Taliban, Alqaeda and Saddam were difficult to hide. Their reporters were given previliges by those terrorist organizations not given to any one else. Aljazeera’s news footages were broadcast everywhere by western channels providing Aljazeera with free worldwide publicity. After the fall of these terror groups, who all went underground, they communicated with the outside world through audio or videotapes sent to Aljazeera, which has become their unofficial mouthpiece. Western Television channels stupidly started a race to sign contracts with Aljazeera, even American and British politicians also joined the race with their desire to appear on this channel to address the Arab people. By doing so they gave Aljazeera a stamp of credibility that added even more to their claim of professionalism and authority. When such response comes from the west, nobody could blame the simple Arab audience to tune to this channel with confidence and believe whatever it says.

Al-Jazeera naturally does not like the word "terrorist," just like some Western media outlets that refuse to use the word. The AP captioned one photo of Osama bin Laden calling him a "dissident."

Aljazeera still refuses to describe the Islamic terrorists as what they are-terrorists. Aljazeera prefers to call them ‘whom some describe as terrorists’. On the other hand, suicide bombers are automatically called martyrs.

Al-Jazeera would be just another Arab cable news channel, if it weren't for the West.

Aljazeera built its career by making itself a platform of Islamic extremists and a mouthpiece for Islamist terrorist organizations. If it was left on its own, it would probably shrink to become just another Arabic television channel. But thanks to the west, this channel is now the most influential in shaping the Arab opinion and soon may influence other nation’s opinions with its recently introduced English language service.

No one cooperates more with Al-Jazeera's efforts to promote and justify terrorism than the Western media.

Aljazeera’s mission is to continuously charge the Arab masses against America and the west. This is their jihad, which is a well-recognized form of Islamic jihad using word as a weapon. Their best ally in this media jihad is the western media itself who are engaged in a mission of self-flagellation and self-blaming for all the faults in the world including the terror crimes. Muslims who are supportive to terrorist activities do so because they think it is working well and is bringing the west to its knees. Aljazeera proves this to them everyday by presenting to them the eccentric west’s response. Aljazeera appeals to its audience by claiming that it is at war to balance the biased and anti-Islamic western media. In a war like this, how can Aljazeera dream of a better enemy?