(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
[Lebanon] Scientists warn against a "balanced" media coverage of the flammable Middle East conflict. A "balanced" coverage can lead to an unbalanced picture of the conflict. "The parties to the conflict," we hear. Only the word "parties" helps distort reality.
Every time friends of Israel (I am a friend of all countries by the way) defend Israel, the great Arab threat is drawn up. They should rather listen to the defense experts who say that Israel is militarily superior to all its enemies – together.
It is important in these rocket times to identify the underlying causes of what is happening now. Yes, Israeli soldiers are kidnapped. Against how many Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons? We hear of Israeli wounded in rocket attacks against Haifa, but why do not print pictures of the many torn-up children in Lebanon who are killed in Israel's "defense" against Hezbollah?
The G8 countries came to a common weak reminder that Israel must think of the "humanitarian consequences" when defending itself against kidnappings. But why shouldn't Israel invade Lebanon? Their main military ally, the United States, invades countries they "must defend against." The major political logic in the wake of the "war on terror" is clear.
That war contains not only a whole new definition of war, but also a whole new definition of terror, and it is used as appropriate. Look at Iraq.
We need politicians who dare to shut their friends up when the word "terror" and "defense" is used and abused to legitimize unjustifiable attacks. And then I don't think of politicians like Jan Petersen, who in this issue comment on the carnage in Iraq like this: "This shows that the Iraqis are unable to rule their own country". Sometimes attacks are the least of two evils. The big question is who will decide this.
Give me politicians and leaders who have the strength to embark on the painstaking work of rebuilding the weight and credibility of the UN and the world community – which can hopefully prevent more countries with ill-considered plans to "defend themselves" from firing rockets at their neighbors. Or across the Atlantic.
