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Preferred Conclusions -- The BBC, Syria And Venezuela
http://www.medialens.org/index.php/alerts/alert-archive/2017/854-preferred-conclusions-the-bbc-syria-and-venezuela.htmlDate Written: 2017-09-13 Publisher: Media Lens Year Published: 2017 Resource Type: Article Cx Number: CX21415 In 2013, it was remarkable to see the BBC reporting claims from Syria on a daily basis in a way that almost always blamed the Syrian government, and President Assad personally, for horrendous war crimes. But as the New York Times reported last month, the picture was rather less black and white. Abstract: - Except: The BBC campaign was clearly inspired -- whether consciously or otherwise -- by a high-level decision to engineer regime change in Syria. The key moment arrived in August 2013 when the US came very close to launching a major attack against Syrian government forces, supposedly in response to Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons in Ghouta, Damascus. Only the UK parliament's rejection of the case for war and warnings from US generals on doubts about the claims, and likely fallout from regime change, prevented Obama from attacking. Particularly disturbing was the fact that, as the possibility of a direct US regime change effort faded, so too did the steady flow of BBC atrocity claims. It was as if, with the goal temporarily unattainable, the propaganda tap was simply closed. It was later re-opened ahead of an anticipated, pro-war Clinton presidency, and then as part of an attempt to push president-elect Trump to intensify the Syrian war. |