Tuesday, July 8, 2014

So much "news" BBC can hardly squeeze in latest war on Gaza

I turned on the BBC Word News at noon to get the latest on Operation Protective Edge.

But first I had to be updated on the latest crisis in Afghanistan. Seems Abdullah Abdullah isn't taking the "no" he got at the ballot box for an answer. Instead, he's doing exactly what John Kerry specifically ordered him not to do; declare victory and announce a rival government.

That shows the extent to which American prestige has plummeted among former vassals. In the case of failed-state Afghanistan, this is probably a moot point. Whoever emerges as the "winner" in the party politics we've forced on them will only be handing the country back to the Taliban after the last occupying forces leave.

Interesting news piece, but hardly the most important international story of the day.

Then we had a lengthy bit about the typhoon in Japan.

Then we had an even lengthier bit about the Brazil-Germany match, with reporters on location in both Brazil and Germany.

It was only after the commercial break that we got around to hearing news from Gaza, which wasn't so much "news" as it was separate interviews with Azzam Tamimi explaining why the escalation was Israel's fault, and Israeli ambassador to London Dan Taub explaining why the escalation was the fault of Hamas...

After which, I was no wiser than before.

But apparently there is a much-anticipated football match on this afternoon.


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