In what has to be one of the most crazy moments of the last two week, Charlie Rose did an interview of Bashir al Assad in Damascus this morning. The interview will air on both CBS and PBS.
So what happened? Assad denied that his forces had carried out a chemical attack. Assad would not even confirm that he controls a vast cache of chemical weapons or any at all. He did say, however, that if his forces have chemical weapons they are under firm and centralized control. Assad said that if there is an American strike his allies may well retaliate against American interests. Then Assad made a pitch directly to the American people. He told us that our prior involvement in the Middle East had not gone well and that we should all tell our Congressmen to vote against any strike on Syria.
In other words, Assad said exactly what everyone knew Assad would say before the interview began. Charlie Rose, however, gave Bashir al Assad the chance to push his propaganda directly out to the American people without any filter. Remember, Assad spent years training to be an ophthalmologist in London, so he speaks English very well and comes across as a mild mannered and relatively harmless person. This is the man who sent snipers to shoot at peaceful demonstrators across Syria. This is the man who sent police with machine guns to fire upon unarmed demonstrators when the snipers did not stop the marches. This is the man who later sent troops to use mortars and small artillery to break up demonstrations. When the demonstrations changed into armed rebellion in response to the attacks from Assad's own forces, this is the man who sent tanks and other heavy weapons against the rebels in an attempt to crush them. When the rebels learned to counter the tanks, this is the man who used helicopters and fighter jets to bomb and strafe rebel positions to drive them from the field. And this is the man who undoubtedly ordered the use of those same chemical weapons on innocent civilians that he then denied. In other words, this guy is a monster who has the ability to come across as reasonable and mild mannered on TV. His actions, however, show who he truly is.
Why should American reporters give this monster the chance to push propaganda on our own TV networks? It is unforgiveable.
Even if Congress decides not to attack Syria, the media should not take steps to rehabilitate Assad after what he did. Charlie Rose should be ashamed of himself.
So what happened? Assad denied that his forces had carried out a chemical attack. Assad would not even confirm that he controls a vast cache of chemical weapons or any at all. He did say, however, that if his forces have chemical weapons they are under firm and centralized control. Assad said that if there is an American strike his allies may well retaliate against American interests. Then Assad made a pitch directly to the American people. He told us that our prior involvement in the Middle East had not gone well and that we should all tell our Congressmen to vote against any strike on Syria.
In other words, Assad said exactly what everyone knew Assad would say before the interview began. Charlie Rose, however, gave Bashir al Assad the chance to push his propaganda directly out to the American people without any filter. Remember, Assad spent years training to be an ophthalmologist in London, so he speaks English very well and comes across as a mild mannered and relatively harmless person. This is the man who sent snipers to shoot at peaceful demonstrators across Syria. This is the man who sent police with machine guns to fire upon unarmed demonstrators when the snipers did not stop the marches. This is the man who later sent troops to use mortars and small artillery to break up demonstrations. When the demonstrations changed into armed rebellion in response to the attacks from Assad's own forces, this is the man who sent tanks and other heavy weapons against the rebels in an attempt to crush them. When the rebels learned to counter the tanks, this is the man who used helicopters and fighter jets to bomb and strafe rebel positions to drive them from the field. And this is the man who undoubtedly ordered the use of those same chemical weapons on innocent civilians that he then denied. In other words, this guy is a monster who has the ability to come across as reasonable and mild mannered on TV. His actions, however, show who he truly is.
Why should American reporters give this monster the chance to push propaganda on our own TV networks? It is unforgiveable.
Even if Congress decides not to attack Syria, the media should not take steps to rehabilitate Assad after what he did. Charlie Rose should be ashamed of himself.
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