Freedom of Press? US Pentagon hacks/blocks AlJazeera

reports, reports, reports. proof sir?

Al Jazeera has been hacked, but I hope it's not done by the Pentagon (or any other national office).
As far as I know computer criminality is illegal even in the US.

Those bunch of damned internet criminals who prevented the access to the Al Jazeera website are really annoying me since a fews days now.

so this is why i couldn't see it when i clicked the link in that other thread

Managed to get onto the English site a few days ago, but not since. Have been reading about the denial of service problems it encounters wherever it tries to host the site.

Shame, would be good to get another perspective.

I don't think it was the Pentagon, but I do think it's funny as hell that hackers got the site.

Freedom of the press doesn't apply here. After all, this is a foreign network on foreign soil. It's essentially a propaganda machine for radical Islam.

If - and I say if because I doubt it's the Pentagon that has been hacking Al Jazeera - you think that this would be a 'freedom' issue, would you have criticized the Allies for taking out Nazi propaganda in WWII?

You know that Al-Jazeera isn't state sponsored?

Its not, actually. Unless you're talking about a different Al Jazeera?

Al Jazeera is despised by radical Islam for being far too libertarian. They are also disliked by many a middle eastern government for being too outspoken about things like corruption in high places.

To compare their broadcasts to WW2 propaganda is unfair and unfounded.

I understood that much of its private funding comes from members of the Qatari royal family, who, of course, are the state. I don't know how you draw a meaningful line in that situation.

Qatari=from Quatar?

If that is what you mean, you have a very strange situation. That means that you have your CentrCom in a country that supports "the radical islamist propaganda machine" like some call it. Not to mention that Al-Jazeera is based in Saudi-Arabia.

But why people are so against Al-Jazeera is beyond me. OK, showing POWs wasn't a very wise move. But the same has been going on in western media but there we show the Iraqi POWs. Al-Jazeera is showing the other side if this conflict, it counters what we want to believe. But is that such a bad thing. Show me one thing that is certain is a lie, that Al-Jazeera has broadcasted.

It's my understanding that the main funding comes from a Prince (the only prince? I don't know) in Qatar, but that he purposefully doesn't control the editorial content.

I suppose you could argue that it's implicitly state-controlled, since even though he doesn't assert editorial control, he always could. But that's a pretty weak argument in my book.

I wish I could get to their English site. The way I figure it, any station who is pissing off both sides in the conflict must be doing something right!

although I don't think Al-Jazeera is the propaganda machine others claim, I find you method of countering that bizarre.

1. Because US is using Qatar for headquarters goes nowhere towards proving Al-Jazeera is not a propaganda machine, unless of course it was state-run, which you're arguing against, so you're burning both ends of the same candle with your argument.
2. You seem to think that propaganda must be a lie. It doesn't have to be, technically. Here's an example: If the station continually runs smuggled Bin Laden tapes that allow him to spout his own manifesto....is that a lie? no, its an actual tape of OBL (presumably). But is it propaganda to provide an outlet for a terrorist and his political views? that's arguable.

also, propaganda can edit the truth in a manipulative way. For example, a photo could be shown that appears to be someone standing over a dead body after just having killed them. But they could have just come upon the body killed by someone else. by not providing the full truth, the partial truth can be used a propaganda.

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"Freedom of speech" ? lol....pure idealogy. ESPECIALLY during war. face it, both sides censor and block and minipulate the masses. The last time it was all communists dressing up in green/khaki clothes and worshiping satan and eating babies. And people(who were defending 'freedom') baught it. hilarious. lol

Al Jazeera shows what the US and UK dont want us to see. FOR ONCE there is a media company not under the jurisdiction of the U.S. government(big brother) and what does he do....censor it, and try to destroy it. lol.....freedom of speech my a$$. it seems 'wrong' to show U.S. POWs or dead American soldiers, but perfectly acceptable to show Iraqi POWs, dead civilians and even .... 6 month old babies burnt due to coalition forces(being cared for by coalation doctors).....'morale' boosters.

open your eyes people....it's the sad sub-conscious story of armed conflict....censorship.

i like how some US officials (i think it was rummsfeld) who said Saddam was a coward and will not lead his troops or people....yet.... Saddam seems to be the only leader in thiss conflict in the war zone, unlike Bush n Blaire in their cozy beds(maybe together )

Microsoft is to the Tech Industry, what the U.S. is to the world. lol....a monopoly. it's seems so similar on the business tactics, legalities, etc...very shrude.

But the problem is not solely with our leaders, it's with the rest of the people (everywhere, whether it be in the U.S., south america, iraq, india, etc,etc..)...theyre all ...just sheep(including me to some extent).

Hawk is the sky falling where you live?

Probably the best point so far in all of this discussion bout Al Jazeera.

Obviously, the rabid nationalists have trouble with it. I wonder how many of these Al Jazeera haters have some soiled, greasy, frayed and bleached American flag dragging off of their car.

I have seen more American flags desecrated by so-called patriots in the last 2 years than have probably been burned in all the protests.

Sorry, that's a bit off-topic.

Al Jazeera shouldn't be censured.

Vote Quimby.

Nope, you�re right, it shouldn't be censored.

Oh, and could I have some sort of proof that the Pentagon hacked the site? I read that in the first post, a far from substantiated claim, and many here are acting like it is a fact. Is there a link providing any kind of evidence? Not trying to flame here, it just seems something more likely to come from the script kiddies than the Pentagon. Or even the CIA or NSA than the Pentagon. Although I doubt that also. Linkage please.

P.S. Please make it a link with some sort of actual proof, not just rhetoric. Thank you

I've seen a lot of that too. I've actually mentioned to some people it's probably time to replace their flag.

Glad I'm not the only one. I can't even tell you how many upside down flags I've seen too. I saw one car with no less than 3 upside/backwards US flag stickers on it.

Or the number of malls and stores that have flags flying at night and in the rain.

Nationalism sucks.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...zeera_hacked_15

That would support my suspicion that it was "patriotic" hackers doing a bit of global vigilantism.

Of course, now more people than ever are curious about Al Jazeera and what they must be doing to make both sides of the war so very angry.

Heard on the radio last night that a "senior offical" (as if there are any "junior officials") confirming that the US is attempting to keep AlJazeera out of American homes via Web.

Don't see a link anywhere though. No article.

But it does make sense. Remember the Pentagon has adopted a strict philosophy:

Iraqi Front: Shock & Awe combined with propeganda

Home Front: Propeganda


It would be part of the known war plan.

(and yes, the war plan does mention strategies for combatting home resistance.... war plans have since Vietnam. One thing learned was that without support at home, war is futile... or so infers Clausewitz.)

People need a lesson on proper usage/respect of their flag.

As far as nationalism sucking - depends on what you mean. I'm damn proud of my nation. And I think other people should be proud of theirs, whether it be mine or any other.

Just as I am proud of my family, my work, etc.

The problem that I have is when people are so blinded by their "national pride" that they act like asses.

Exactly. Nationalism is good, but there are some who seem to confuse loving your country and being proud of it, with thinking that your country is better and stronger and so on than any other country in the world. I don't know if this has a term in english, but there are two sides of nationalism.

I love my two countries(a very strange feeling indeed), but I don't think that my countries are better than other.

Unfortunatly there is the feeling around the world, that Americans think that USA is better than all other countries. If this is right or wrong I'll let you decide.

Patriotism--Love of and devotion to one's country.

Nationalism--1) the conviction that the culture and interests of your nation are superior to those of any other nation; 2) The belief that nations will benefit from acting independently rather than collectively, emphasizing national rather than international goals.


Those may not be common defintions and i'm sure on the surface they are synonomous, but I think there is a deeper connotation that differentiates them.

For me, nationalism will aslo have a strong negative connotation that differentiates it from patriotism.

No biggie, though. I hear what you guys are saying

Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war
in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor,
for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword.
It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind...

And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood
boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no
need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry,
infused with fear and blinded with patriotism, will offer up all of
their rights unto the leader, and gladly so.

How do I know?

For this is what I have done.

And I am Caesar

Oops. This is NOT a shakespeare quote despite the people who have mistakenly quoted it as such. It's also been mistakenly attributed to Ceasar himself.

As of now, I'm not sure that the Authorship of little ditty is known. I know various urban legend slueths were tracking it down, but I haven't seen if they ever figured it out.

I didn't know that either; it was passed on to me as pasted. Thanks for the info, I'll correct it.