Freedom of the what?

August 14, 2007 2:37 AM

Sami Al-Haj and Bilal HusseinThe detention of AP photographer Bilal Hussein was not without controversy. AP president and CEO Tom Curley stated : "We are the target. Freedom of the press is the target." Meanwhile Prisoner 345 otherwise known as Sami al Hajj continues by reporting on life behind the wire. related
posted by adamvasco (8 comments total)

He's fortunate that he hasn't been shot, killed or otherwise disappeared:

• Military prevents a full investigation into the death of journalist Mazen Dana
• Fury at US as attacks kill three journalists
• US urged to investigate reporter deaths from American helicopter rocket
• Armed attack by US and Iraqi troops on headquarters of journalists’ union

Reporting in Iraq is dangerous work.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 3:29 AM on August 14, 2007

How was freedom of the press in Saddam's Iraq?
posted by Gnostic Novelist at 5:17 AM on August 14, 2007

Gnostic Novelist, that barely deserves the name 'trolling' it's so obvious and weak. I declare it 'kobolding', and I say the hell with it.
posted by Hogshead at 5:41 AM on August 14, 2007 [2 favorites has favorites]

It's just odd that Saddam's Iraq didn't list such outrage. I'm sure freedom of a press is nonexistent in North Korea, but if America invaded, I'm such its nonexistence would be the fault of Western Civilization.
posted by Gnostic Novelist at 6:30 AM on August 14, 2007

So you think if the US invaded North Korea, and maintained the total lack of freedom of the press, it would be previous governments fault? Sadamn is dead. If there is still no freedom of the press in Iraq, it isn't his fault.

And really, is anyone ever surprised by anything the US government and army gets up to? It's hard to get angry about everything when there is so much to get angry about.
posted by chunking express at 6:51 AM on August 14, 2007

So you think if the US invaded North Korea, and maintained the total lack of freedom of the press, it would be previous governments fault? Sadamn is dead. If there is still no freedom of the press in Iraq, it isn't his fault.


America can't hold the hand of an adult population. Hell we could nuke any country into submission the way we did Japan. America is making an error, and the error is letting a country regulate itself. It's odd that the "America hates the press" crowd can't present evidence on the level of David Gregory being oppressed.
posted by Gnostic Novelist at 7:00 AM on August 14, 2007

America is making an error, and the error is letting a country regulate itself.

Yes, clearly that is the error taking place in Iraq.
posted by chunking express at 7:13 AM on August 14, 2007

We're stacking Bush-critical journalists into naked pyramids over there so that we don't have to stack Bush-critical journalists into naked pyramids here.
posted by swell at 11:48 PM on August 14, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]