AL-JAZEERA'S YANKEE CONNECTION

2^nd in a series

 

Since the early days of Al-Jazeera, allegations of ties to the CIA had been haunting this network. Some of these allegations were based on facts while others were based on circumstantial evidences, and some were just pure fictional conclusions.

The hardcore evidence came in August of this year when WikiLeaks released some 30 incriminating documents into the interaction between the Channel and the American Embassy. They revealed how Wadah Khanfar - the top man at the helm of the channel was more than cooperative with the Americans to alter contents of news that were deemed disturbing to the Americans. Wadah, as was shown in the documents, has been in constant contact with CIA and US Defense Intelligence Agency operatives.

The New York Times  reported that Wadah wanted the "agreement" between the US Embassy and the Channel to be a non-paper agreement i.e. a secret one. The Ambassador at the time  (2005) Untermeyer presented Wadah with reports compiled by the DIA showing Al-Jazeera's critical reporting of the Iraq war. Wadah was quick to promise to remove pictures of American atrocities in Iraq from the Channel's web site, but asked for 2 or 3 days to do it. The embarrassing documents may have been what did Wadah in. His rocket speed ascend to Director General of Al-Jazeera was only equaled by the speed of which he descended back to earth.

Wadah Khanfar

There are two interesting points in all of this; The Qatari Government was present with Wadah in all of his meetings with the Americans and the other point was the person chosen to be his replacement. In one cable from an Oct. 2005 meeting, Wadah stated that he received a report from the Foreign Minister of Qatar covering 2 months worth of Al-Jazeera reporting that were critical of the ongoing war in Iraq. The FM wanted Al-Jazeera to tune down its rhetoric against his friends – the Americans - as Wadah said.

This assertion from Wadah negates the claim that the Channel is autonomous from its owners, and since there was one documented intervention from the FM to "amend" one editorial, then there must have been another and another and another. It's very doubtful that Wadah's ties with the Americans took place without the blessings of the FM. On the contrary, Wadah's may have been under direct orders from the FM to have such a relationship. People who speculate that his departure was due to his American ties became known to the owners are deeply mistaken.

Wadah was the weakest link in the chain; therefore he was the scapegoat of the controversy. The man who was credited for taking Al-Jazeera globally and making it a household name is now replaced by man whose main credential is his last name – Al Thani. A man from the ruling family with no media knowledge or experience is now heading this media giant. It seems that the owners want to keep tighter control on the network and possibly making a shift in its policies altogether.

The ménage à trois among the American intelligence services, the Government of Doha and Al-Jazeera go beyond and farther then the 30 released documents. As a matter of fact, they are only the tip of the iceberg. Qatar was instrumental in the removal of Gaddafi, they went way out of their way to ensure his demise. They – the Qataris – financed the insurgency, offered logistical support, sent some F-16's, opened their country for the new leaders and the list goes on and on. The purpose was simple; taking part in assisting the Americans and the CIA to bring down Gaddafi. The puppet regime of Doha is under the full influence of the Americans and appeared to have had their role specifically written for them. Even if it was not the case, Qatar is very eager to play a role far bigger than its tiny stature.

As Al-Jazeera was, and still is a tool of the Qatari Foreign Ministry, it was employed to the fullest. The Libya story was for several months their lead-in story allocating a large portion of the newscast to coverage of the revolution. That would have surely appeased America, which had clear agenda to topple Gaddafi, and made no bones about it.

As if there were not enough news coming out of Tripoli as is, Al-Jazeera made one of the biggest hoaxes and fabrications in the history of journalism. On August 22^nd, 2011 Al-Jazeera went [Hollywooding]. They staged a live report from the

Green Square

in Tripoli and reported the capture of the City and several of Gaddafi's sons. It turned out the entire thing was false meant to aid in the American war efforts in Libya. The amusing part when all news networks around the world used Al-Jazeera's fake footage, it was quiet entertaining for a day or so.

The Network was instrumental in adding fuel to the burning revolution in Egypt; they did all they could and then some to keep it going. As with Libya, they also snuck in some fabricated reports but if it is for a worthy cause then why not. Of course, the Mubarak's regime was not on good terms with the Qataris, and it was a chance for them to make him pay dearly. America shared the Qataris view on Mubarak but for different reasons. Nonetheless, they agreed that he had outlasted his usefulness and it was time for him to take a hike – and boy, now he wishes he has done that!

Similarly, in Yemen where the Qataris and Americans interests merged so well, and Al-Jazeera was there to report on the bloodshed, drop by drop. What they could not report, they manufactured. Same story with Syria – yes it is becoming to sound like a broken record, I will spare you the details.

We will cover more of the fabricated reports later in the series, but another case of fabricated stories hit very close, it hit Bahrain. A sorry excuse for a documentary was aired on AJE back in August of this year, and now available on YOUTUBE near you. A case of amateurish reporting coupled with truth manipulation and blatant lies produced a horrifically degenerate film with pre-conceived conclusions. Many rumors are flying around about who assisted in this film and their ulterior motives, but this maybe confirmed when the next wave of WikiLeaks documents is released. 

Qatar plays host to the largest American Airbase and arms depot outside the US, which is quiet convenient for the DIA officers who can amuse themselves by throwing baseballs at the Al-Jazeera's windows from within the base. The CIA and the likes of it would not go passed them to plant a mole or two inside the largest news network in the Arab World. It is alleged that some AJE reporters who came out of the BBC had very cozy ties with MI6, CIA's first cousin.  

No one is suggesting that Al-Jazeera is an American front by any means, but the close relations between them cast shadows of doubts on the credibility and professionalism of the Network. Arab viewers feel distressed and mislead by a Channel they thought championed their causes, only to discover that the freedom it preaches is laced with the "enemy's" dangerous hidden agendas.    

                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                Dr. KNOW

NEXT – BAR MITZVAH IN DOHA- The Israeli Connection