‘Nightline’ hosts town hall meeting in Iraq (no anti-American talk heard)

[Algorem]

http://www.qctimes.net/articles/2005/12/02/news/nation_world/doc438fe78398858961912224.txt

...there was none of the strong anti-American comment often heard in Iraq: Those expected to express such sentiments never showed up for the taping in the heavily fortified Green Zone...

some of those invited declined to attend...

Some refused to enter the Green Zone

...— a symbol of foreign occupation.

Others could not reach the venue

because of a security alert.

...“Nightline” scheduled separate interviews with Iraqis opposed to the U.S. presence and planned to incorporate them into the broadcast. It airs on ABC tonight...

Despite

absence of anti-U.S. sentiment,


the discussion was candid...

...Baghdad physician Haidar Fadel Abed, said he needed psychiatric help amid the incessant violence...

said she had little hope of finding a job after graduation.

[Debau2005]

1. Well...

If I had expressed anti-american sentiment, I would not have shown up in the "Green Zone" either! Not because the are a symbol of foreign occupation, which it is, but more because I would have felt like my safety and security would have been in danger. After all we can't have people speaking out about the occupation or war, now can we!

[Ken Burch]

2. Would people who were planning to make "strong anti-American comment"

really be stupid enough to appear on a television show and let both the Iraqi puppet regime and the U.S. military get a good look at their faces?

Duhhhhhh.......

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Oh the pro war stories are all over the place this week

I saw one this morning on CNN. Two soldiers in Iraq talking about all the nice things they are doing for the children. I wanted to puke.

No, they did NOT mention how many Iraqi kids they had killed.:eyes:

[Hobarticus]

4. Bring on the dancing horses!

Dubya gives a lame-ass regurgitation of everything he's been saying, wrapped up as a 'plan for victory'....and "Nightline" is right behind him. 'Magine that! On with the show!

[UpInArms]

5. Martha Radditz lied on-air last night during ABC Nightly News

stating that Armstrong Williams received $24,000 (that's right twenty-four thousand dollars) instead of the nearly one quarter of a million dollars ($240,000) that he received for his propaganda.

ABC is definitely no longer to be considered a news outlet - they have become an strong-arm propaganda unit.

[Algorem]

7. I wonder if there's anything intresting in her financial situation?

I've noticed her a couple of times doing really obvious Bush-spin kind of comments.I've never really noticed her before for some reason. There needs to be some kind of Radditz-watch thing.

[UpInArms]

9. she was the ABC reporter for the Pentagon - Terry Moran was the

WH press reporter - he's moving to Nightline and she is now covering the Pentagon and the WH.

It appears that Nightline will be rendered completely ineffectual (see the OP) and Radditz will be able to cover up all of the Washington lies.

[plasticsundance]

6. Yeah ... show up in the Green Zone

Express anti-American sentiment and end up renditioned and tortured in the nation of Bush-the-Idiot-King's choosing ... or perhaps never making it back home ... because of nervous soldiers at a check point.

[GoldenOldie]

8. Oh if not for the safety of the Green Zone!

I want George, Dick, Condi, Karen and all those representatives who go to Iraq to see for themselves and then return home tellings us of all the great things taking place to form this new "Democracy," for Iraq and the ME to get their fat ass out of the well protected "Zone," and talk to the doctors, lawyers, students, family members, shop owners. Visit the schools, hospitals, police stations, Iraqi military compounds, etc., etc.

This is all another one of Georgie's plastic turkey's.

[Javaman]

10. Transcript of Nightline show...

The room was abuzz with activity getting ready for the "live" broadcast. It's a townhall meeting for the Iraqi citizens. ABC's Terry Moran gets last minute touches from make up. The music comes up, and the signal is given to Terry, they are "live".

Terry:
I'm Terry Moran and this is Nightline. Tonight we are giving, average Iraqi's a voice for all America to see and listen to. So let's get right in to it. Through an interpreter, I will field questions and statements from the Iraqi citizens. Okay first question...

The camera sweeps out into the audience. An Interpreter stands nervously in the audience, eyes shifting back and forth. Keeps his hand over his face as if scratching his nose.

Terry:
You there in the middle...

A middle aged man stands and speaks in Arabic to the interpreter:

Iraqi (to interpreter):
What the fuck is wrong with these Americans? Have they their heads up there asses? And what is the fuck with you, helping them? You are so dead.

The Interpreter shifts back and forth on his feet, visibly sweating.

Terry:
What are his concerns?

The interpreter:
Um ah, he says, that all is great! Yeah, that he has trouble getting gas from time to time, but other than that, he's just super!

Terry:
That's grand.

A big TV smile in Terry's face.

Terry:
Okay lets take another one...
(off camera)
boy this is really fun.

The interpreter passes through the audience, occasionally getting kicked and jabbed in the side. He has the look of a caged animal.

Terry:
That young lady there in the back...

The Young lady (in arabic to interpreter): You dog, you worthless piece of rat puke, how do you look at yourself in the morning? You aid these murderers, you are so dead.

The Interpreter:
Ah I see (as if he's trying to sympathize), she says that some of the rights of women have been constrained but she just started college and is majoring in politics!

The interpreter laughs nervously.

Terry:
This is going wonderfully, I understand we have an Iraqi Citizen that speaks English in the audience, yes?

The interpreter stands next to the English speaking Iraqi.

The Iraqi:
That is me.

Terry:
Wonderful, go ahead sir.

The Iraqi:
(quickly to the interpreter in arabic) You are so dead.
(in english) Yes, I want to know why, when I have to walk through 2 miles of filthy shit ridden streets in a neighborhood that hasn't had electricity for the past 2 1/2 years to a market that has no food or vegetables only to have my friends and family blown to smithereens while I was away, looked upon as progress?

Terry Moran is silence as a deer caught in the headlights.

Terry:
Well that's all we have for tonight, thank you and keep watching.