I'm not sure if you've been listening to the news...

[Blastoderm]

but Bush's trying to plot to bomb Al-Jazeera

And here's a front page of the story

[dda]

Originally Posted by Mirror

EXCLUSIVE: BUSH PLOT TO BOMB HIS ARAB ALLY
MADNESS OF WAR MEMO

by Kevin Maguire and Mo

[Yahwe]

I disaprove of dignifying such a nonsense news story with a thread.

[Dante Hicks]

Incidentally, from the Guardian.

Link : http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story...648590,00.html

The attorney general last night threatened newspapers with the Official Secrets Act if they revealed the contents of a document allegedly relating to a dispute between Tony Blair and George Bush over the conduct of military operations in Iraq.
It is believed to be the first time the Blair government has threatened newspapers in this way. Though it has obtained court injunctions against newspapers, the government has never prosecuted editors for publishing the contents of leaked documents, including highly sensitive ones about the run-up to the invasion of Iraq.

The attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, last night referred editors to newspaper reports yesterday that described the contents of a memo purporting to be at the centre of charges against two men under the secrets act.

Under the front-page headline "Bush plot to bomb his ally", the Daily Mirror reported that the US president last year planned to attack the Arabic television station al-Jazeera, which has its headquarters in Doha, the capital of Qatar, where US and British bombers were based.

Richard Wallace, editor of the Daily Mirror, said last night: "We made No 10 fully aware of the intention to publish and were given 'no comment' officially or unofficially. Suddenly 24 hours later we are threatened under section 5 [of the secrets act]".

Under section 5 it is an offence to have come into the possession of government information, or a document from a crown servant, if that person discloses it without lawful authority. The prosecution has to prove the disclosure was damaging.

The Mirror said the memo turned up in May last year at the constituency office of the former Labour MP for Northampton South, Tony Clarke. Last week, Leo O'Connor, a former researcher for Mr Clarke, was charged with receiving a document under section 5 of the act. David Keogh, a former Foreign Office official seconded to the Cabinet Office, was charged last week with making a "damaging disclosure of a document relating to international relations". Mr Keogh, 49, is accused of sending the document to Mr O'Connor, 42, between April 16 and May 28 2004.

Mr Clarke said yesterday that Mr O'Connor "did the right thing" by drawing the document to his attention. Mr Clarke, an anti-war MP who lost his seat at the last election, returned the document to the government. "As well as an MP, I am a special constable," he said.

Both men were released on police bail last Thursday to appear at Bow Street magistrates court on November 29. When they were charged, newspapers reported that the memo contained a transcript of a discussion between Mr Blair and Mr Bush.

The conversation was understood to have taken place during a meeting in the US. It is believed to reveal that Mr Blair disagreed with Mr Bush about aspects of the Iraq war. There was widespread comment at the time that the British government was angry about US military tactics there, particularly in the city of Falluja.

Charges under the secrets act have to have the consent of the attorney-general. His intervention yesterday suggests that the prosecution plans to ask the judge to hold part, if not all of the trial, in camera, with the public and press excluded.

[REacz]

Its true, hardly surprising given all the free reporting they did during the war, hell my family used to tune into Al Jazera just to get the real story on what was going on on both sides, not just how the coalition was pwning the scene with their l33t weaponary.

[s|k]

Originally Posted by Yahwe

I disaprove of dignifying such a nonsense news story with a thread.

...but it's from the "Best Newspaper on the Web!"

[s|k]

Incidentally, Al Jazeera plans to go international in 2006.


Yay!

[Marilyn Manson]

The best thing is that they actually got someone from the Reagan administration on Newsnight last night who was quite prepared to publically support the idea of bombing Al-Jazeera's HQ, regardless of whether the story was true or not.

[s|k]

Originally Posted by Marilyn Manson

The best thing is that they actually got someone from the Reagan administration on Newsnight last night to publically support the idea of bombing Al-Jazeera's HQ, regardless of whether the story was true or not.

I think it's funny how 'stray missles' and 'accidental bombings' have become plausible excuses for intented, but politicially impossible, targets, like a Chinese embassy or an Al-Jazeera reporter.

[Blastoderm]

Originally Posted by Marilyn Manson

The best thing is that they actually got someone from the Reagan administration on Newsnight last night who was quite prepared to publically support the idea of bombing Al-Jazeera's HQ, regardless of whether the story was true or not.

I watched it.

I laughed so hard.

[Blastoderm]

Originally Posted by s|k

Incidentally, Al Jazeera plans to go international in 2006.


Yay!

I heard about this like last year.

[Marilyn Manson]

Originally Posted by Blastoderm

I watched it.

I laughed so hard.

Originally Posted by Neo-Con Thought Process

The Arab world view us as violent, immoral imperialists and they want us to leave Iraq now! It's a disaster!

What in god's name should we do to show them that our intentions are pure and good, and that we only have their welfare in mind?

I know! Murder Arab civilians!

[Marilyn Manson]

What do you expect from someone who married Julie Burchill?

[Deepflow]

Originally Posted by Marilyn Manson

What do you expect from someone who married Julie Burchill?

mental illness

[Dante Hicks]

Tony Parsons once insulted my first name on TV so I'm all for him being gang raped to death.

[Marilyn Manson]

Originally Posted by Dante Hicks

Tony Parsons once insulted my first name on TV so I'm all for him being gang raped to death.

Your first name is really sweet!

[Deepflow]

Originally Posted by Dante Hicks

Tony Parsons once insulted my first name on TV so I'm all for him being gang raped to death.

If everyone who insulted my first name had the same punishment id er... need a bigger gang

[Marilyn Manson]

Henry is a perfectly good name.

[Deepflow]

Originally Posted by Marilyn Manson

Henry is a perfectly good name.

So is Darian, it doesnt stop hordes of people being ignorant fools!

[acropolis]

it's really helpful of you brits to leak this now.

[edit]i like how all the conservatives won't comment on whether bombing them is a good thing or not until they find out whether it's true. they really got burned when they said they opposed outing cia agents.

[Embroglio]

darian is a fit name

[Phil^]

Originally Posted by Marilyn Manson

The best thing is that they actually got someone from the Reagan administration on Newsnight last night who was quite prepared to publically support the idea of bombing Al-Jazeera's HQ, regardless of whether the story was true or not.

Im currently watching it online, its rather... amusing at how insane some people are.
anyone else wanting to watch it can see it here

[acropolis]

Gaffney: If it has some truth to it, I'm not sure it is outrageous.
Reporter: Seriously?

Gaffney: I believe that Al-Jazeera is an instrument of enemy propaganda in a war we are obliged to fight and win, not just for Americans and not just for Iraqis but for freedom-loving people everywhere, and I think that, to the extent that Al-Jazeera is actively aiding our foes, it is certainly appropriate to talk about what you do to neutralize it to prevent it from doing that sort of harm to the cause and even to the lives of servicemen fighting this war....

Gaffney: We're talking about a news organization, so called, that is promoting bin Laden, that is promoting Zawahiri, that is promoting Zarqawi, that is promoting beheadings, that is promoting suicide bombers, that is other ways enabling the propaganda aspects of this war to be fought by our enemies, and I think that puts it squarely in the target category.

Whether the best way to do it is with bombs or through other means is something we could discuss, but I think it's fair game, under these circumstances, given the way it conducts itself.

it scares me that the right uses almost that exact description for most americans and especially our media.

[Marilyn Manson]

Originally Posted by Toccata & Fugue

I thought she was banging George Pascoe Watson of the Sun.

Probably is, but she was married to Parsons in the dim and distant past.

[Ärketrollmannen]

Is it politically possible to bomb Qatar?

[Marilyn Manson]

Originally Posted by Ärketrollmannen

Is it politically possible to bomb Qatar?

This is George Bush we're talking about here.