Friday, January 31, 2014

The journalism of Anne Barnard: the Syrian delegation in Geneva is said to have performed splendidly: source? the Syrian delegation itself

This whole article is a laughable account (for anyone who followed the performance of the Syrian opposition delegation in Geneva) about the great performance of the Syrian delegation there. Look how Ms. Barnard substantiates her argument:  "“We surprised ourselves,” Oubai Shahbandar, a Syrian-American consultant to the coalition, said Tuesday...“For the first time, the regime had to sit down and hear the demands of the people,” said Rafif Jouejati, a coalition spokeswoman."  I read the article and then learned about crudity of propaganda what I knew not before.  But according to here the Syrian delegation won the game because Syrian foreign minister went over the time limit in his speech (as if this is an unusual offense in Arab speech making).  She also cites the able correspondent of As-Safir, Muhammad Ballut, but if she knows Arabic she would have cited his front page article in which he declared that the Syrian regime delegation will return victoriously.  Facts, Ms. Barnard. Simple facts.