Friday, March 30, 2012

Anne Barnard on Hariri TV

I was switching channels yesterday, and I stumbled on a program on Syria on Hariri TV.  There was Anne Barnard of the New York Times (they said Anne of the New York Times so I assumed it is her).  Everything I assumed about her from her writing was confirmed.  She is overwhelmed with the story that is covering; 2) she really is too ill-equipped in training and study and background to cover the story--she had to struggle a great deal to pronounce--sorry, to mispronounce--the name of Riyad Ash-Shaqfah; 3) she is--I assumed all along--under the influence of the Hariri press office in Lebanon which is directing all foreign journalists in Lebanon and guiding them to contact certain numbers in Syria and putting them in touch with the "refugees" in Al-Qa` and other areas in Lebanon; 4) she is a huge supporter of the Syrian National Council.  But she surprised me that she turns out to be a huge fan of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood.  In fact, I call her an apologist of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood.  Based on statement that was released last week in Istanbul, she now believes that the Syrian Muslim brotherhood wants equality and freedom, and nothing less.  Just like that.  This is like believing the statement by the Syrian regime that the ruler wants democracy in Syria.  It was unbelievable.  Ms. Barnard is so ignorant of the story that she is covering that she added: that it was significant that the former leader of the Syrian Ikhwan, `Ali Bayanuni (she also mispronounced his name like she mispronounces or mistranslates every single Arabic names that she encounters), was at the press conference because he comes from a "moderate" background.  I kid you not.  What does Ms. Barnard know about the background of Bayanuni?  I am certain the answer is this: nothing whatsoever.  Of course, Bayanuni has been in the employ of Hariri family for years and is a too if Saudi Arabia (but then again, I bet Ms. Barnard thinks that Saudi government is very moderate and  perhaps feminist as well).  Bayanuni--let me inform you--was the head of the Military Office of Ikhwan in Syria in 1979-1982, when the organization committed various massacres and sectarian atrocities.  Riyad Ash-Shaqfah (or Shaqfaafaqaahfaqahahfah as pronounced by Ms. Barnard) was his assistant.  Oh, lastly, it just occurred to me: would Ms. Barnard agree to appear on a rival TV station to Hariri TV, like Amal TV or Hizbullah TV, to talk about Syria?  I doubt it very much.  Oh, one last thing: one of the funny things she said was that the armed groups in Syria are not necessarily Islamist: and said that there are armed groups that identify as "liberal".  Ms. Barnard: when you stumble on the John Stuart Mill or Jean Jacque Rousseau Brigades please wake me up.