Thursday, June 08, 2006

MSM Mourns Loss of Ally in War on Bush

While the average American is celebrating news that al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead, mainstream press reaction to the news of Zarqawi's death has been panic. The story, too big to simply ignore, endangers the carefully constructed memes of Iraq as a Vietnam-like quaqmire and President Bush and Donald Rumsfeld as ineffective leaders in the War on Terror.

In response, major news outlets are desperately trying to portray Zarqawi's death as a minor development that will have little or no effect on fighting in Iraq and the greater struggle of the War on Terror. If Zarqawi's death does have an impact, the MSM predict, it will be to increase the resolve of the terrorist insurgency.

MSNBC seeks to minimize news of Zarqawi's death with an online poll designed to steer readers to conclusion that Zarqawi's death doesn't matter, because sectarian violence is the real problem.

ABC News runs a remarkably similar poll, and reaction from Zarqawi's brother, calling Zarqawi a martyr (the same spin al Qaeda is trying to get out via the internet).

In an interview with pacifist Michael Berg, whose son Nicholas was beheaded by Zarqawi in 2004, CNN warns that Zarqawi's death may ignite a "wave of revenge". CNN also elicits responses from Berg comparing the President to Saddam Hussein, and excusing al Qaeda's terrorist attacks on 9/11.

Laura Ingraham reported on her show that CBS' original headline about the killing of Zarqawi said that he had been "slain", a word normally reserved for the assassinations of heads of state and civil rights leaders. CBS has since changed their wording.

While Zarqawi's death will not end fighting in Iraq and does not signal the downfall of worldwide jihad, it is a very signicant victory in the struggle. The mainstream media reaction is shameful...and revealing.

Cross-posted at The Jawa Report.