May 13, 2004

Those Progressive, Inclusive Islamists

Here’s a U.S. military press officer, quoted in a Village Voice piece about the Arab Satellite network (emphasis mine):

People don’t understand what a complex organization al-Jazeera is. They say it’s all Islamists, Baathists, or Arab nationalists. You have all that, but you have really progressive voices too.

So nice of al-Jazeera to include the perspectives of the Saddam loyalists, al-Qaeda members, and Khomeinists- not as guests, but in their brain trust. Just one big happy, inclusive family. Because if Baathists and Islamists are known for anything, it’s their tolerance of “progressive voices.” Then again, it's awfully hard for a voice to be progressive if its head has been severed from its body with a knife.

Posted by Stephen Silver at May 13, 2004 06:39 PM
Comments
Post a comment









Remember personal info?