Spinning the story

All day I've been reading British newspapers and listening to various press conferences televised live on the BBC. British officials were calm and measured, speaking of 21 arrests sparking terror alerts and revised security measures at UK airports. But the officials declined to provide many specifics, as the investigation is ongoing. In all those conferences and reports, not once was a reference to Al Qaida ever made.

That is until the hapless Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff - who so badly bungled Hurricane Katrina planning and aftermath - gave a press conference in Washington, D.C. Chertoff told reporters the alleged plan to detonate explosives on board planes was "suggestive of an Al Qaida plot." He hastened to add that evidence must be gathered before reaching any conclusions.

In other words, Chertoff was just spreading rumours - a bad habit he and his cronies in the Bush administration have adopted. After all, the American public must be kept in a state of perpetual fear and high anxiety, so the government can continue to suppress civil liberties - all under the guise of public safety and protection from terrorists. Disgraceful.

Walmart bows to Chinese demands

Meanwhile, the global retail giant Walmart again has demonstrated its concern for profits above all else. After years of refusing to allow American Walmart employees to join unions, the company has agreed that 60 Chinese stores can form unions. Of course, this is the price of doing business in China. Walmart wants the profits in China, so it conceded to the workers' demands. In America, Walmart already makes enough money, so doesn't care what its employees want or need.

As for China, look at the economic power it is wielding these days. To insure a share of China's economic growth, Walmart allows unions and Google agrees to government censorship for its search engine. What next?

Blogs of war

The Independent in London has an excellent piece about blogs of war in Lebanon and Israel. Read the article here.

Comments

[Marilyn]

If indeed there was a terror plot, then I'm grateful to the Brits for preventing any horrific action, truly. But there are some of us over here who believe that Bush & Co. will use this latest plot to ratchet up the fear level among our citizens. Instead of taking actions to ease our fears, they use things like this to manipulate the fear level...so that we'll let them strip us of even more of our rights illegally...all in the name of "war on terror." I try not to HATE anyone...but man, oh man, is it ever hard not to hate these bastards. (And I mean the administration, not the potential terrorists.)

[Alexandra]

I never cease to be amazed (and horrified) at the spin and how Bush and his staff are willing to pounce upon such news as an opportunity. I can even imagine Cheney is bristling with glee at events of the past week. *sigh* I'm catching up on your recent posts and as I often do, feel a tinge of not being where I wish I was. I miss so much the life of an expat, the challenges and beauty of it all.

[JinxTheGypsy]

Well, I would'nt be surprised if Chertoff said that even Hurricane Katrina was "suggestive of an Al Qaida plot."

[Tammy]

Thank you Tara for keeping me informed and the links you provide. It's sad but I don't trust the reports I'm getting here.

[bb]

wow - back in the thick of it, now I'm looking forward to read what you've been up to the rest of the week of my absence.
will check out the 'blogs of war' - thanks for the link. good to be back!

[January]

Yes, there is probably a threat out there. But don't be surprised if there are more and more terror alerts the closer we get to U.S. elections. I think it's the only hope Republicans have of keeping the White House and Congress.

[Cheap Tarts]

Always great to touch base here at your site!

It will be interesting to see what is uncovered/reported regarding the airplanes.

Walmart a place that likely needs unions. Everywhere.

Smooch,
The Tart

[berrie]

This latest warning has not caused me any anxiety- or fear* I would hop on a jet tomorrow, to anywhere in the world UN-AFRAID, I think most people feel this way..these security alerts don't instill the fear that liberals say they do. So let me get this straight...before 9-11 and afterwards intelligence revealed that they had possible probable evidence prior to 911 yet no warning was made to the public no precautions were taken...people were up in arms over this and angry...,...so now they give out warnings of possible trouble and you're up in arms over it? I don't get it...do you want to know of a possible threat or not? I think it's great to know* makes me more aware and cautious. I hate wal-mart and avoid going in at all costs and will avoid it now more then ever. Just my 2 cents.

[Pam ARIES]

I appreciate your blog ! I learn so much from your sharing. Unfortunately, I have to be around Bush supporting Republicans 3 days a week and it is depressing! Trust me, there is nothing worse than uneducated,rebel Republicans and thier opinions!!!!!! Of course, when I am with my likeminded friends all is sweet! I keep saying that I am going to stop buying from Walmart.I rarely go there now...so I am going to make the committment to STOP completely. Thank YOU

[madeleine]

i find it so frightening that we can be told so many different versions of the same story depending not only on which side of the atlantic you live but also which news channel you chose to listen to.
what's even more worrying is how many people are so willing to swallow the information given as the truth.

[ghassan]

very disgraceful indeed!

[Becca]

As an American, I admit to feeling very conflicted. I believe our country has fueled the flames of ire in the Middle East with our invasion of Iraq and with our complacency in the violence in Israel and Lebabon. However, I also believe we have a right, and a need to protect the freedoms that this nation was founded upon. These terrorist threats are inflicting grievous harm on those fundamental rights, those rights that we "chose to be self-evident" over 200 years ago. The task of our current leaders is to find a way to protect those rights without endangering the lives of the American people any further. This is a time when we need men of the caliber of Washington and Jefferson and Lincoln. Does America have men like that? Can they step up to the challenge? Only time, and history, will tell.

[artzyjudie]

You always speak such truth!

[ian russell]

FYI, Tony Blair is currently on holiday in Barbados.

[Kamsin]

Having been at work all day, where we'd had to advise students flying back to their countries about the hand luggage thing, the first actual news I saw was on Channel 4 here in the UK. I wasn't watching it really closely as it was dinner time but I did think it was interesting that the official line in Britain was that all the suspects had been arrested. However, as the show was on air a report was coming through from American news sources that the police were still looking for 5 men, which actually makes more sense given the level of security. And by the end of the broadcast the number arrested had gone up to, I think, 24. Anyway, it seemed the British press were trying to prevent too much fear and panic. It seemed Tony Blair wasn't much in evidence all day. Mr Bush on the other hand was reminding Americans they were at war with Islamist Fundamentalists, or some similiar wording, which is obviously the kind of language which'll calm the terrorists anger and make us all safer!

It seems to me this was a genuine threat, but it is disturbing that politicians might use it to further their political aims re. civil liberties, Iraq, etc. Have just turned on BBC News 24 btw., who seem to blaming it on Al Quaeda quite unquestioningly. I personally find the BBC to be sloppy and overly speculative in their reporting.

Anyway, I hope things have blown over before I'll be flying in a few weeks time!

[Daisy Lupin]

I live in England, I turned the television on for the weather and heard the 'breaking news', I don't believe it! You know what I think, its to make us all frightened and soften us up to accept some sort of build up of troops 'to save us from terrorism' going to the Middle East. Why is it all so vague?

[Ali la Loca]

I agree very much with what you've said here, as well as with the comments others have already left.

I want to admit something, though:

I do feel afraid.

The thought of 9/11 or something similar being repeated sends chills through my body. I get similar feelings when I think of what is going on in Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Lebanon and Israel, and all of the other countless places in the world where people are faced with senseless acts of violence.

[Sophie]

I don't shop at Walmart.
I appreciated your
blogs of war link through
the Independent - i read
Zena's post and found
it so deeply touching.
It's vital to put faces
to the "fear machine"

[megg]

I'm just home and watching the news now - URGH! I'm getting the British news and you're right - no mention of anything that the American media are talking about. What a crazy world we are living in... sigh...

[tinker]

We once stood for Truth, Liberty and Justice - now it seems we stand for Fear, Big Business and Big Brother.
Personally, I don't want to stand for that. I want my free country back.

[josephine]

Jeez are you ever right about the American govt trying to keep the American public in a state of fear.

It is absolutely Orwellian.

[Rebekah]

You continue to speak truth and pique my consciousness and my conscience, revealing things that we can ignore only to our own collective detriment. My very intelligent niece recently visited from Canada, bringing with her an international perspective that we do not ever receive from the media - cowed as many of their members are to immense political and social presures. Thank you for your forthright delivery of honesty!

[AscenderRisesAbove]

Thought this might interest you this blog (aug 10 entry) has a video of the unusual sounds coming into beruit on July 17. I wasnt able to hear it in explorer but did in safari

http://www.beirutlive.blogspot.com/

[ian russell]

i'm aghast at the fact that walmart can stop their employees joining unions! you mean they won't employ people who already belong to a union? okay, but what if they change their mind later - do they automatically lose their right to work?

[ian russell]

well, the one thing in your control is your own attitude to these things - despite the presence of terrorism.

terrorism is present in the west but you're much more likely to be a serious casualty of a road accident than any act of terrorism. it doesn't stop people driving around and enjoying their cars.

you should be aware, vigilant, cautious but not afraid.

[AscenderRisesAbove]

Exactly the first thing I thought of about the spin; shrub will be on tv here in a few minutes

[ainelivia]

"The American public must be kept in a state of perpetual fear and high anxiety"

Well PP, guess that's one thing they are certainly achieving. (reluctantly acknowledged)

Thanks for the link to Indie article and the blogs. Keep up the good work.

[Amber]

The Bold Soul is right. We are overly complacent.

Here it is: There are people in the world who will HATE you and want to KILL you, EVEN THOUGH you are a nice person and didn't vote for Bush. Get it?? Is it a big deal what they call them? They are terrorist. They kill people and ruin the world for the rest of us, Mulim, Christian, or Jews alike.

(Jeez! I didn't need to wake up to this story when I am oozing PMS...)

:)

[Colette]

I have missed you so much! I've just caught up with your posts. I believe you're the only journalist I trust these days!

Ah, and BB King. Love to you, my Blues sister.

[Paris Parfait]

Of course Al Qaida is a possibility. But until details of the investigation are revealed by those conducting the investigation, it's wrong to jump to conclusions. The British government isn't doing that; the American government is. Obviously there's a serious threat - those arrested are reportedly British-born - and the identity of those plotting, whether linked to Al-Qaida or another terrorist group does not lessen the magnitude of the threat.

[The Bold Soul]

Well, the 24-hr news services here in the States are saying "Al-Quaeda" is a strong possibility but that it's not been confirmed yet.

But in my mind, does it really matter right now? The immediate issue is safety for airline passengers. My entire family, except for my nephew and I, are getting on a plane Saturday from NJ to California and I'd rather have them be safe than sorry. We're not feeling terrorized in the least by the media hype. Chertoff IS a bumbling fool but I'd rather the media be alerting people than not. We tend to be overly complacent in our daily lives here in the States and sometimes maybe people do need to be reminded that they need to pay attention to what's going on around them.

[Bonnie Rae]

After enjoying your " Sunday Scribblings " posts, I now check your blog every day ! Thanks for saying it like it is. This " terror alert level " is such a manipulation. A news event like this was inevitable and we shouldn't be too surprised. After all, we have an economy here ( US ) to hide from, and failed policy all around the globe. Oh, and let's not forget about the upcoming elections . Another " foiled plot " is just the thing to move us all back to where we are more easily manipulated.

Thanks for the UK perspective.