2002 saw the United States involved in an accidental bombing of an Afghan wedding celebration, apparently killing and wounding a large number of civilians. The errant bomb story was later changed.
In 2003, America destroyed the Baghdad offices of al-Jazeera with missiles; officials said it was an accident. A few journalist were killed as well leading some countries to accuse America of war crimes.
Now, two British civil servants are on trial for leaking a memo revealing that Bush intended to bomb al-Jazeera... at their headquarters in allied Qatar.
"There's no doubt what Bush wanted, and no doubt Blair didn't want him to do it." Al-Jazeera is accused by the US of fuelling the Iraqi insurgency.The attack would have led to a massacre of innocents on the territory of a key ally, enraged the Middle East and almost certainly have sparked bloody retaliation.
"He made clear he wanted to bomb al-Jazeera in Qatar and elsewhere. Blair replied that would cause a big problem.
"There's no doubt what Bush wanted to do - and no doubt Blair didn't want him to do it."
A Government official suggested that the Bush threat had been "humorous, not serious".
But another source declared: "Bush was deadly serious, as was Blair. That much is absolutely clear from the language used by both men."
Al-Jazeera said it was still investigating the validity of the memo and whether the US president was "serious" about his alleged comments or not, but warned that if it was credible it was a "bad day" for news organisations worldwide.
Yesterday, former Labour Defence Minister Peter Kilfoyle challenged Downing Street to publish the five-page transcript of the two leaders' conversation. Said Kilfoyle, "It's frightening to think that such a powerful man as Bush can propose such cavalier actions."
2 comments:
I'd say what he's doing to that poor dog justifies impeachment any day.
And with Clinton, I thought it wasn't the act that shocked people so much as that it was a Cuban cigar.
it needs some dialogue...
"it's my dog now!"
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