In the 2008 presidential elections the media threw away any pretense of objectivity and campaigned on behalf of Barack Obama. Most news articles were sprinkled with the conformist nuances of ‘truths’ that are widely accepted by our intellectual elite. The result is that they continue to behave like Pavlov’s dog at every mention of the Iraq War and obediently serve the role that Al Qaeda gave them.
Such bias can only thrive in an environment of ignorance. The media misinforms the American people in its partisan battle against Republicans.
Today, I had enough when reading a New York Times article about the piracy problem in Somalia. Ever since this subject has become headline news the media has pushed a meme stating that the piracy was created by the fall of the Islamic Courts.
Much like our elites mourn the downfall of mass murdering Saddam Hussein, they claim that American and Ethiopian interference led to this piracy problem. These robots don’t have an original thought in their puny collective mind.
I have never seen such utter ignorance as this article entitled, “Grand Theft Nautical”. The writer, John Burnett, relies exclusively on leftwing talking points. If you can read this quote without regurgitating your last meal you have a stronger stomach than I do, or you really don’t understand the issues here…
“There was some semblance of law and order in 2006, when the Islamic Courts Union, loosely linked with Al Qaeda, took over much of the country and imposed Shariah law. Though there were cruel tradeoffs, the Islamists virtually eradicated piracy. (The crime was a capital offense punishable by beheading.)
When Ethiopian forces, supported by the United States, replaced the Islamists with an ineffective transitional government in 2006, piracy returned with an intensity not seen since the 17th century.
It is evident that no nation can impose its will on Somalia; the colonial British and Italians learned the hard way. And certainly no nation can force Somalis to stop the best business in town. But if the West really hopes to eliminate the scourge of piracy in these strategic shipping lanes, then it should consider involving the courts union, the only entity that has proved it could govern the country, and its militant wing, Al Shabaab, in a new government.”
Where to begin? This guy is a complete idiot and makes a lot of money as a result. He writes what our intellectual elite wants to hear. Here is a short history lesson for Mr. Burnett...
Somalia is split into many different regions. Some of them consider themselves to be independent countries, but are not internationally recognized. Somaliland is one of the most prominent of them. At one time the Islamic Courts controlled much of the lawless south, but not these autonomous regions. To the north is Puntland, another autonomous region that unlike Somaliland does not consider itself to be independent. This is where the majority of pirates are headquartered. Local Puntland authorities have developed business links with the pirates who have safe havens there. The Islamic Courts has never had any significant control of any land in Puntland.
How can journalists go to the best universities and still come out so utterly ignorant in the blind pursuit of leftwing political activism?
Burnett wants to give the fascist Islamic Courts influence in a region that they have never had any control?... All so liberals can thumb their nose at Republicans and America’s lukewarm ally, Ethiopia?
Let me be fair. According to a report by the Chatham House, the Islamic Courts eradicated piracy during the second part of 2006 when they rose to a brief supremacy. However, the pirates simply moved to Puntland and continued their expansion of criminal activity. So does Burnett advocate handing over Puntland to the hurting Islamists? (Yes, I know the Islamists have recently made some gains, but they still are a shadow of their former power. It all depends if your glass is half full or half empty… Or rather, if you choose to propagandize on behalf of Islamists or not.)
Funny enough, the report goes on to say that funds from the ransoms paid to pirates have gone to Al-Shabaab. If you recall, Burnett advocated the inclusion of Al-Shabaab in the Somali government as a solution to the piracy problem. Even you overlook the problem that he doesn’t know the difference between the Somali Transitional Federal Government and the government of Puntland, you still have to admit that he doesn’t know what the hell he is talking about.
