Bush On Iran
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=newsOne&storyID=2007-01-22T210149Z_01_N22191773_RTRUKOC_0_US-SECURITY-ROCKEFELLER.xml
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/20/washington/20intel.html?em&ex=1169528400&en=e7c60062771e4751&ei=5087%0A
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070205/ritter
In a Jan. 22 Reuters article about Democratic Senator John D. Rockefeller, he admits his frustration over President Bush's deafness to cautions from advisers about military actions against Iran. The article relys mostly on Rockefeller's own words for its copy, so it doesn't give much history or context on the issue, but it does give the reader a comprehensive look the senator's interview, more so than does the New York Times article about the same interview. The AP reporter doesn't shy from letting the reader know that Rockefeller is not a Bush supporter: "I can't imagine, given the condition and the amplitude or lack of amplitude of our troops, that we would undertake such a mission. But I can't completely cast that out of my mind because I don't know how the president makes decisions," he added. "Go back to how it was he got us into Iraq."
A Jan 19 New York Times article focues on the same interview with the Senator, who is the new chariman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The Times reporter offers more context, such as explaining that senators and representatives are now voicing concerns over Iran, possibly in response to President Bush's recent speech, when he said he "was determined to confront what he called worrying activities by Iranian operatives in Iraq." The Times gives the reader an idea the Senator Rockefeller is not alone in his concerns: "The comments of Mr. Rockefeller reflect the mounting concerns being voiced by other influential Democrats, including the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, and Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, about the Bush administration’s approach to Iran. The Democrats have warned that the administration is moving toward a confrontation with Iran when the United States has neither the military resources nor the support among American allies and members of Congress to carry out such a move."
The lead in the Reuters article is more straightforward than the Times article, stating who said what about whom. The Times article, on the other hand, is much wordier, and uses more emotional phrases like "sharply criticized" and "combative" when describing Rockefeller's comments about the administration's attempts build a case against Iran.
Even as Iran is in the news almost daily, there is little mention in the mainstream media about the alleged plans of the Bush administration to go after Iran. About 2 years ago, Seymour Hersh wrote in The New Yorker that many top administration officials were saying that we were building bases in Iraq not just to occupy that country, but as a staging ground for an offensive into Iran. This issue has bubbled to the surface in the alternative and foreign press, but there hasn't been much about it in the American MSM until now, except to say that the Bush administration denies such a plan. Even Newsweek had something this week, with a teaser lead like those leading up to the evening news, designed to get you to tune in ("Has George W. Bush ordered up a "secret war" against Iran and Syria?"), but ended up repeating the administration's denials (sorry, I can't find the link now, but it's in LexisNexis databank)
But now Senator Rockefeller has said it out loud, and he is in a position to know. According the Times reporter, "because Mr. Rockefeller is one of a handful of lawmakers with access to the most classified intelligence about the threat from Iran, his views carry particular weight." Scott Ritter, former UN weapons inspector, posted an article in The Nation online today, warning about what sees as the real possibility we will be lead into a war against Iran. The fears that the administration has designs against Iran are founded. Hopefully this increased attention will thwart whatever plans are in the works.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/20/washington/20intel.html?em&ex=1169528400&en=e7c60062771e4751&ei=5087%0A
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070205/ritter
In a Jan. 22 Reuters article about Democratic Senator John D. Rockefeller, he admits his frustration over President Bush's deafness to cautions from advisers about military actions against Iran. The article relys mostly on Rockefeller's own words for its copy, so it doesn't give much history or context on the issue, but it does give the reader a comprehensive look the senator's interview, more so than does the New York Times article about the same interview. The AP reporter doesn't shy from letting the reader know that Rockefeller is not a Bush supporter: "I can't imagine, given the condition and the amplitude or lack of amplitude of our troops, that we would undertake such a mission. But I can't completely cast that out of my mind because I don't know how the president makes decisions," he added. "Go back to how it was he got us into Iraq."
A Jan 19 New York Times article focues on the same interview with the Senator, who is the new chariman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. The Times reporter offers more context, such as explaining that senators and representatives are now voicing concerns over Iran, possibly in response to President Bush's recent speech, when he said he "was determined to confront what he called worrying activities by Iranian operatives in Iraq." The Times gives the reader an idea the Senator Rockefeller is not alone in his concerns: "The comments of Mr. Rockefeller reflect the mounting concerns being voiced by other influential Democrats, including the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, and Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, about the Bush administration’s approach to Iran. The Democrats have warned that the administration is moving toward a confrontation with Iran when the United States has neither the military resources nor the support among American allies and members of Congress to carry out such a move."
The lead in the Reuters article is more straightforward than the Times article, stating who said what about whom. The Times article, on the other hand, is much wordier, and uses more emotional phrases like "sharply criticized" and "combative" when describing Rockefeller's comments about the administration's attempts build a case against Iran.
Even as Iran is in the news almost daily, there is little mention in the mainstream media about the alleged plans of the Bush administration to go after Iran. About 2 years ago, Seymour Hersh wrote in The New Yorker that many top administration officials were saying that we were building bases in Iraq not just to occupy that country, but as a staging ground for an offensive into Iran. This issue has bubbled to the surface in the alternative and foreign press, but there hasn't been much about it in the American MSM until now, except to say that the Bush administration denies such a plan. Even Newsweek had something this week, with a teaser lead like those leading up to the evening news, designed to get you to tune in ("Has George W. Bush ordered up a "secret war" against Iran and Syria?"), but ended up repeating the administration's denials (sorry, I can't find the link now, but it's in LexisNexis databank)
But now Senator Rockefeller has said it out loud, and he is in a position to know. According the Times reporter, "because Mr. Rockefeller is one of a handful of lawmakers with access to the most classified intelligence about the threat from Iran, his views carry particular weight." Scott Ritter, former UN weapons inspector, posted an article in The Nation online today, warning about what sees as the real possibility we will be lead into a war against Iran. The fears that the administration has designs against Iran are founded. Hopefully this increased attention will thwart whatever plans are in the works.
Comments
Nice overview of multiple sources on these latest developments. Although you are free to insert your personal political opinions, what we really want is your analysis of how different reporters handled the apparent challenges of reporting and writing about a given news event. A theme that you cover in this posting is how reporters quote a particular senator from the opposition party when he criticizes the president -- that is a challenge that could have been elaborated.
Thanks for your thoughtful postings. Beware of typos.
Posted by: Dan Bernard | January 28, 2007 11:25 PM
If you're still on the fence: grab your favorite earphones, head down to a Best Buy and ask to plug them into a Zune then an iPod and see which one sounds better to you, and which interface makes you smile more. Then you'll know which is right for you.
Posted by: strony internetowe RzeszĂłw | October 20, 2011 9:11 AM