Ok. What do *you* see wrong with this headline?? (re: attacks in Iraq today)

[Roland99]

Al-Qaeda blamed for attacks on Shias that kill 150 in Baghdad
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,7374-2467831,00.html


Al Qaeda, eh? Let's dig into the article:

First paragraph:

Mortar shells and car bombs devastated several streets in the Shia neighbourhood of Sadr City in Baghdad today, killing nearly 150 people in what Iraqi officials said was an al-Qaeda attack.

Now, a few paragraphs further down:

The attack, one of the deadliest since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, was quickly blamed on Sunni extremists intent on causing the maximum loss of life in the neighbourhood that is home to the Mahdi Army militia, the Shia militia loyal to Iraq's leading radical Shia cleric, Hojatoleslam Moqtada al-Sadr.

The bombs provoked instant retaliation. Shia militias fired 10 mortar rounds at the Abu Hanifa mosque in Azamiya, the holiest Sunni shrine in Baghdad, killing one person and wounding seven people.

A bit further down:

Major General Abdel Karim Khalaf, an Interior Ministry spokesman, blamed al-Qaeda for the massive attack, telling The Times: "It is clear al-Qaeda did this. It is their way to attack innocent people. There are no governmental buildings, no army bases, no security forces attacked.

And then towards the end:

Today's attack, blamed on Sunni militants, raised questions over whether the Iraqi army, one of the few large institutions where Sunnis still retain powerful influence, was complicit. Mr al-Zamily, the Deputy Health Minister, accused the army of not stepping in to quell the assault.

So, which is it? An Interior Ministry's Baghdad Bob-ish word or the word of uncredited somebodies that it was Sunnis?


And, who runs Times Online?

Oh, yes.


Rupert Murdoch!

How convenient to start bringing up a make believe organization when it's obviously sectarian violence that's part of a CIVIL WAR!

[Straight Shooter]

1. If a kid on the street were to blame al-Qaeda, then that would be the headline.

As long as somebody, anybody, blames al-Qaeda, Rupert will use that as the basis for his headline, even if he has to search for the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Good catch. :thumbsup:

[Roland99]

3. Fired off an email to their editor and newsdesk.

Doubt I'll get a reply but, hey, worth a shot.

[Straight Shooter]

4. Notify Media Matters, too. And FAIR.org

You'll probably get a patronizing reply (from timesonline), but you're right, it's worth a shot.

[Roland99]

7. Oh, great idea! Thanks!

[Straight Shooter]

12. You're welcome.

Thank you. :)

[eleny]

2. Braiding Sunnis and AlQ is a bad idea

The majority of Muslims in the world are Sunni. Murdoch better get his act together. This game won't work. Like for instance, the Saudis prolly won't like it for starters.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. So, what's not to like about a lie that simultaneously

manages to pin the whole thing on the Bogeyman and to piss off the majority of Muslims?

[jannyk]

8. Maybe that's why

Dirty Dick is there to explain and appease.

[jannyk]

6. I saw another report that claimed

it was al Qaida and Sadaam loyalists (Baathists).

I can see where this may lead. Say the words 'Al Qaida + 'Sunni' and/or 'Baathist' together often enough and it becomes Al Qaida = Sunni/Baathist - the peeps will buy it as they did with Sadaam and 911.

Then we can make the Sunnis the enemy, help wipe them out or put them in detention camps and leave a peaceful and 'democratic' Iraq in the hands of the Shi'ia and claim we achieved a victory.

Is that where we're heading?

[Roland99]

9. Oh, wouldn't Iran love wiping out the Sunnis?

[jannyk]

10. Then we use Iraq to fight Iran

they did it before all by themselves. This time they'd have the US backing them up.

[Roland99]

11. Wasn't by themselves before. The US was backing them then, too.

Chemical weapon pre-cursors, satellite imagery of Iranian troop locations, etc.

[dubykc]

14. That is a distinct possibility

[upi402]

13. "All your Al Qaeda's are belong to us"

-media traitors

[Disturbed]

15. Framing is what the RWing do the best.

It is always best to blame Al Qaeda for any violence anywhere because the majority of people in the world view that group as the top evil doers. Even if they had nothing to do with an act blaming them works. Busholini has been framing the problems in Iraq on "killers who hate freedom" for years now and it seems to have worked just fine.

[Roland99]

16. And the M$M has allowed them to get away with it for years