Nightline 4/28: How Fighting in Iraq is Playing Here and Abroad

[Bozita]

 
Nightline Daily E-Mail
April 28, 2004


TONIGHT'S FOCUS: American media reports that U.S. military forces are gathered around the Iraqi city of Fallujah, preparing for a massive assault on rebels there, the same rebels who likely led the gruesome attack on four American contractors earlier this month. But is that the same way the story is being told on the Arab channels? We'll compare the reports from American and Arab media and consider what drives any differences.

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The stand-off between the Marines and insurgents in the Iraqi city of Fallujah is continuing today, seemingly poised for an even bigger confrontation. Today a series of explosions and gunfire rocked that city, home to many Saddam Hussein loyalists, after warplanes and major artillery pounded the city yesterday . U.S. officials maintain the military action in Fallujah is defensive, and negotiations with the insurgents continue.

Meanwhile an international war of perceptions and words is also heating up. President Bush today publicly supported the military action to control the resistance in in Fallujah, saying "There are pockets of resistance and our military, along with Iraqis, will make sure it's secure."

The military assault in Fallujah is also receiving criticism, focusing largely on the high cost being paid by civilians in that city. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said that if the U.S. led occupation in Iraq is seen as harming civilians, "the greater the ranks of the resistance grows." In other words, he emphasized that it matters not only what occurs in Fallujah, but how those events are perceived by Iraqis and others in the region.

Tonight ABC's David Wright will report on the military assault on Fallujah over the last couple of days. Then we'll take a look at some of the coverage of the same events on Arab language channels. What are the differences in that coverage? What are the similarities? What is driving any differences?

Ted Koppel will talk to guests about all of this - but at this hour, we're still determining who that will be.

We hope you'll join us.

Sara Just and the Nightline Staff
Senior Producer
Nightline Offices
ABCNEWS Washington D.C.

 

[rockymountaindem]

1. What time is that on?