What's happening in the middle east?

[glatt]

Originally Posted by classicman

This is interesting and seems potentially newsworthy.

Yes. It's certainly newsworthy.

A quick Google News search shows that it's been reported at over 320 news outlets.

[classicman]

Iraq: U.S. Agrees to Limited Iraqi Jurisdiction
Over American Troops

American troops could face trial before Iraqi courts for major crimes committed off base and when not on missions, under a draft security pact hammered out in months of tortuous negotiations, Iraqi officials familiar with the accord said Wednesday.

The draft also calls for U.S. troops to leave Iraqi cities by the end of June and withdraw from the country entirely by Dec. 31, 2011, unless the Baghdad government asks some of them to stay for training or security support, the officials said.

It would also give the Iraqis a greater role in U.S. military operations and full control of the Green Zone, the 3 1/2-square mile area of central Baghdad that includes the U.S. Embassy and major Iraqi government offices.

One senior Iraqi official said Baghdad may demand even more concessions before the draft is submitted to parliament for a final decision. The two sides are working against a deadline of year's end when the U.N. mandate authorizing the U.S.-led mission expires.

Wow an actual end date being discussed? After all the upheaval in the past, I think this is more than newsworthy. Isn't this what virtually everyone wants?

[classicman]

glatt, C'mon... srsly.

[glatt]

I don't know what you are trying to say. You are quoting news stories that have already been reported, and saying that they ought to be reported. If you are trying to say that they deserve more press, then that's probably true. I won't argue with you over that, but we have had a year's worth of news happen in the last two weeks. Something has to be cut.

In yesterday's presidential debate, the two presidential candidates didn't talk at all about Iraq, that I can remember anyway. It's not just the "liberal" press moving on to other issues.

Calling the press "liberal" is one of those things that has been repeated by the conservatives for so long, people are starting to believe it to be true without even thinking about it.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by SamIam

Well, I suppose you'd know about bias. You have a raging case of conservative bias, yourself. Did you ever stop to think that there might be a big huge world out there, full of complexities and issues far beyond whatever you dreamed of in your little parochial philosophies?

Now that shit right there is funny as hell... I don't care who you are.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by glatt

Calling the press "liberal" is one of those things that has been repeated by the conservatives for so long, people are starting to believe it to be true without even thinking about it.

And people who don't want to draw attention to it are getting people to repeat that it is not a fact, for so long now and so often, that people are beginning to believe it.

A rather unbiased study of the issue. The only one I have seen to date done in an academic setting.

http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/7726

http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla...UCLA-6664.aspx

[Pico and ME]

I would say that there is more corporate bias going on than political bias.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Pico and ME

I would say that there is more corporate bias going on than political bias.

No doubt about that. But that might be another thread or another subject and it does not diminish the fact that media bias exists. Certainly we could say that media bias exists on Fox News, but it is far from a hard core Right Wing news source that people make it out to be, well except when Sean Hannity is moving his mouth. And when compared to all the other sources of news, print and tv, they are in the minority.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by glatt

If you are trying to say that they deserve more press, then that's probably true. I won't argue with you over that,

That is what I was saying. It deserves more coverage.

[tw]

Originally Posted by glatt

Calling the press "liberal" is one of those things that has been repeated by the conservatives for so long, people are starting to believe it to be true without even thinking about it.

Which is completely contrary to what research has noted for decades. The press are repeatedly found to be some of America’s most conservative (but not wacko so). The press also reports on change, on things that are new, and therefore "must be liberal" to those who know without first learning. “We don’t know those things so liberals must be reporting it”.

Meanwhile, more Americans are dying in Iraq then when George Jr proclaimed "Mission Accomplished". That is not new and therefore worthy of front page reporting. Also no political solution exists - still. Only way to end a civil war is with a political solution. But Americans cannot even admit it is a civil war; not a war against Al Qaeda. Therefore nothing new to report; nothing has changed.

Also little reported is that Afghanistan is so firmly in Taliban hands that even the White House started a complete reassessment of Afghanistan. It is so bad as to even get the George Jr administration attention. Marines have been saying this for over a year. Marines wanted out of Iraq long ago before Afghanistan got worse. Inaction by the George Jr administration means Afghanistan got even worse. More than 4 years ago, more than 50% of Afghanistan was in Taliban hands. Since the mental midget got us in a quagmire in Iraq, better is to ignore Afghanistan.

But none of this is as significant as what Wall Street events predict. This crash is only equaled by 1929 – and similar. History suggests massive job losses four years later. The $trillion wasted on "Mission Accomplished" is trivial by comparison.

[Aliantha]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

...Fox News...is far from a hard core Right Wing news source...

lol...you're kidding right? That right there is some funny shit. I don't care who you are.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

lol...you're kidding right? That right there is some funny shit. I don't care who you are.

Ok, so what did you think of the coverage of the debate when you watched it last night? or the night before? Or any night say.... in the last month? Really, I am interested in your views on what you think about it.

[Aliantha]

Well the coverage of the debate(s) has been fairly standard. There'd be hell to pay if each candidate didn't get exactly the same amount of coverage for example.

My point is that fox news in general is a joke. It's so far right that it's almost off the table. I'm not quite sure what they're going to do with themselves for the next 10yrs now that a democrat is going to be elected and the situation in Iraq seems to be almost sorted (or at least past the point of daily blowing up of things)...not to mention the whole 'war on terror' rhetoric taking a nose dive.

Tell me, what are they going to do?

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Well the coverage of the debate(s) has been fairly standard. There'd be hell to pay if each candidate didn't get exactly the same amount of coverage for example.

My point is that fox news in general is a joke. It's so far right that it's almost off the table. I'm not quite sure what they're going to do with themselves for the next 10yrs now that a democrat is going to be elected and the situation in Iraq seems to be almost sorted (or at least past the point of daily blowing up of things)...not to mention the whole 'war on terror' rhetoric taking a nose dive.

Tell me, what are they going to do?

Oh good God woman. The Demoncrats will give them plenty of material. It will be like Comedy Central.

So, you think they are far right from your experience watching Fox News? Reallly? When is the last time you watched?

[Aliantha]

We flick it on every now and then if we can't find anything else and we need a laugh.

Probably once a week or so we might watch half an hour. That's usually about all I can stomach of the assortment of idiotic bimbos they have on.