Smile Don't Frown

Compare and contrast:

‘Gaza: Children die in Israeli attack, say doctors’  [1]

 ‘Four Killed, 31 Injured by Israeli Attacks Targeting Gaza’ [2]

According to the BBC, ‘Israel apologised for the civilian casualties’ – so that’s OK then! – ‘but said it would defend itself against rocket fire from Gaza, which has increased in recent days’ – the BBC, as ever, keen to stress that Israel was merely retaliating.

‘More than 1,000 Gazans lost their lives during the 22-day offensive (Operation Cast Lead). Thirteen Israelis, including three civilians, were killed.’

Again, a glaring juxtaposition: ‘lost their lives’ and ‘killed’. Is this a not-very-subtle attempt to portray Palestinians as inherently more aggressive than Israelis, whose ‘legitimate’ actions lead to ‘mistakes’?

[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12822493

[2] http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9753

Polite or cutting question? As it’s from Matt Baker, I’m inclined to think it was merely bland small-talk, but I love the ambiguity and Cameron’s initial shock.

Matt Baker: How on earth do you sleep at night?

David Cameron: Horlicks mixed with the tears of disabled children. That usually does the trick.*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbcACpriZ9s

* Thank you to the person whose comment on Youtube I have paraphrased/nicked.

Dear New Statesman

James Purnell commented in the NS (21/2/11) that ‘the worst part of the anti-war argument was saying that we shouldn’t champion democracy’, but I don’t recall anyone involved in the anti-war movement expressing their opposition to the Iraq war because democracy isn’t desirable. I do, however, recall several people expressing their shock and awe of the Blair government’s continuous contempt of democracy, as each Stop the War demo was studiously ignored. The war was based on lies about WMD, and for Purnell to claim that the war was about exporting democracy is absolutely infuriating. Thankfully, in the next edition of the NS John Pilger once again cuts through the self-serving nonsense by speaking of US imperialism – a ‘war on social justice and democracy’ – which has been supported, in the main, by Britain (28/2/11). Or rather, British governments – people like James Purnell don’t speak for me.

Yours Sincerely

Neil Laurenson