American TV to Chinese Spies: Do as US Says, Not as US Does
US TV networks played up the FBI’s economic espionage charges against China–without mentioning that the NSA does something very similar.
A Cabinet of Peaceniks?
It goes to show you how limited the debate over warmaking is when politicians whose records are mostly pro-war can be portrayed as war skeptics. That’s what is happening with Barack Obama’s new cabinet picks: Sen. John Kerry for secretary of State and former Sen. Chuck Hagel as Defense secretary.
Chuck Hagel, Dove?
Barack Obama nominated Republican ex-Senator Chuck Hagel to be his next Defense secretary today. The story can seem a little bit confusing–often because of misleading recaps of Hagel’s career, which can make him sound like more like Dennis Kucinich than like the Republican who voted in favor of the Iraq War.
NYT and Professor Netanyahu
Even stranger is the New York Times going on to point out that Iran’s uranium stockpile that could even be used for a weapon is getting smaller.
Burying the Most Important News on Iran’s Nuclear Program?
The release of a new International Atomic Energy Agency report on Iran was greeted as an ominous development by some major outlets. But are they playing down what could be the most important news in the report? The IAEA’s latest made it to the New York Times (8/30/12) under the headline, “Inspectors Confirm New Work […]
Getting Iran Sanctions Wrong
Much of the media analysis of Iran at the moment dwells on the punitive economic sanctions targeting Iran’s economy. An additional round of more restrictive sanctions took effect at the beginning of this month, drawing renewed attention from the press. The clear message from that media coverage is this: If Iran were to come clean […]
Cyberwar Is War, White House Said; but NYT Didn’t Notice
For the second time this week, the New York Times has published a revealing report on a secret, legally questionable Obama administration program, but failed to include independent legal analysis of the controversial program. Tuesday’s Times report on the White House’s drone assassination program included no critical analysis of the thorny legal issues raised by […]
Hawks vs. Hawks: Debating U.S. Military Intervention in Libya
The New York Times has a piece today (3/7/11) about the debate over U.S. military intervention in Libya. The paper reports that there are persistent voices–in Congress and even inside the administration–arguing that Mr. Obama is moving too slowly. Reporters David Sanger and Thom Shanker contend that there is too much concern about perceptions, and […]
Some Problems With Germany’s Sermon for Obama
The lead story in today’s New York Times (1/12/10), written by Sewell Chan, Sheryl Gay Stolberg and David E. Sanger, focused on allies’ complaints about Barack Obama’s economic policies: There was no way to avoid discussion of the fundamental differences of economic strategy…. Major disputes broke out between Washington and China, Britain, Germany and Brazil. […]
