A good example of propaganda

The UN Security Council received a report on the horrific, man-made humanitarian disaster in Yemen the other day.
What did the report say? That depends entirely on which news source you read.

If you live in the U.S. the report was about Iran.
For example, look at the NY Times.

Iran Violated Yemen Arms Embargo, U.N. Experts Say

A United Nations panel has concluded that Iran violated an arms embargo imposed on Yemen by failing to prevent the Houthi rebels in that war-ravaged nation from obtaining Iranian missiles, including one fired hundreds of miles into Saudi Arabia two months ago.

The findings, in a report given to the United Nations Security Council this week, could add weight to American and Saudi efforts to ostracize Iran with accusations that the Iranians are engaged in destabilizing behavior in the Middle East.

100% of the NY Times article was about Iran.
The WashPost was slightly more nuanced.

U.N. probe details fallout of proxy war in Yemen between Saudi coalition and Iran

Bad, bad Iran! Giving weapons to people defending themselves against Saudi Arabia.

Now let's look at how Qatar's al-Jazeera covered the report.

A UN report on human rights abuses related to foreign intervention in Yemen details the extensive civilian casualties inflicted by the Saudi-led coalition's air attacks.

The United Nations panel examined 10 air attacks in 2017 that killed 157 people, and found that the targets included a migrant boat, a night market, five residential buildings, a motel, a vehicle and government forces, according to a copy of the report shown to Al Jazeera.
... The attacks were carried out by precision-guided munitions, so it is likely these were the intended targets, the report points out.

"Even if in some cases, the Saudi-led coalition had targeted legitimate military objectives, the panel finds it highly unlikely that the IHL [International Humanitarian Law] principles of proportionality, and precautions in attack were met," the report stated.

The report also cited a "widespread and systematic" pattern of "arbitrary arrests, deprivation of liberty and enforced disappearances". It was particularly scathing about UAE camps, where it says torture has been taking place.

You would never know that this was the same report the NY Times was talking about.
Finally there is London-based Middle East Monitor.

A 79-page undisclosed UN report accuses Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of undermining the Yemen government, the Washington Post reported yesterday.

The publication claims that both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have supported armed forces to fragment the authority of the Yemeni government led by the internationally recognised President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi which has bolstered the fragmentation of the country.

Hadi invited the Saudi-led coalition to neutralise territorial threats by the Houthi group and support the legitimate government in unifying Yemen. The United Arab Emirates has since supported the Southern Transitional Council (STC) based in Aden, south Yemen, which holds political goals to secede from northern Yemen. Late last year, the STC inaugurated its national assembly.

Once again, does this look anything like the NY Times article?
Absolutely not.

The report hasn't been made public yet. I'm curious what it says about U.S. involvement, and will the NY Times report that?

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dervish's picture

and is completely enthralled to Bibi, and whatever comes out of his orifices. There is literally no reason to read that thing.

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"Obama promised transparency, but Assange is the one who brought it."

thanatokephaloides's picture

@dervish

The NYT is absolute fiction and is completely enthralled to Bibi, and whatever comes out of his orifices. There is literally no reason to read that thing.

The Nation is superior -- even for puppy training!

(At least, if you want to end up with a dog you'll want!)

Smile

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Big Al's picture

mention the U.S. leading role in that war. Omitted facts serve as propaganda also. I doubt the U.N. report goes there either.

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divineorder's picture

@Big Al

Excellent overview imo.

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I...

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A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.

@divineorder

Thanks for the link - it must have been good, since I just got this:

Corrupted Content Error

The site at http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I... has experienced a network protocol violation that cannot be repaired.

The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because an error in the data transmission was detected.

Please contact the website owners to inform them of this problem.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

@Big Al
partisan bias

On the question of whether their news media cover political issues fairly, for example, partisan differences appear in 20 of the 38 countries surveyed. In five countries, the gap is at least 20 percentage points, with the largest by far in the U.S. at 34 percentage points. The next highest partisan gap is in Israel, with a 26-point difference.

The U.S. is also one of only a few countries where governing party supporters are less satisfied with their news media than are nonsupporters.

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Socialprogressive's picture

propagandademotivator_1024x1024.jpeg

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I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right, and exercise.
But that was four hours ago when I was younger and full of hope.

SnappleBC's picture

I do hope I get to read the actual report. It'll be fascinating to see who spun it the most.

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A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard

Song of the lark's picture

the new promised land. Bin Salman's vision 2030 deluxe progressive regime. Hey women can now drive! Heh! I must say they are on to something with locking up all the rich fucks and taking their shit. We could use some of that here in the USA. Hilary supporter Prince Alwaleed move to Saudi highest security prison 'cause he won't give up 6 billion , a third of his wealth.

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