Russian military freezes out ABC (T.V.) (BBC News)

[Up2Late]

Sunday, 31 July 2005, 17:19 GMT 18:19 UK

Russian military freezes out ABC

Russia's defence chief has barred the ministry from contact with ABC TV after the US network's interview with Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev.

Sergei Ivanov said the ministry considered ABC "persona non grata" following Thursday's broadcast. However, the foreign ministry has said it will not deny ABC accreditation.

The rebel has claimed the 2004 raid on a school in Beslan. In the interview he said he was a "terrorist" but that Russians were "terrorists" too. Russia's most wanted man also said he was plotting more attacks.

Condemnation

"Today I have given the order to the head of the press service that not one serviceman of the defence ministry should have contact with the American television channel ABC," Mr Ivanov said in televised comments. "We will continue to act openly with the press, but this channel will not be invited to the defence ministry and no interviews will ever be given to it.

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4732783.stm>
(more at link above)

[ChiciB1]

1. Somewhere In The Recesses Of My Mind....

I hear the voice of Ronald Reagan hollering something about tearing down some wall!!!

Is there trouble brewing again??

I wonder.

[shadowknows69]

3. its called

"How to start the cold war again and then make it hot" by GW Bush.

[Megahurtz]

18. You Got It. n/t

[tocqueville]

2. I wonder how the US had reacted if some Russian TV-Channel

had interviewed Al Zarquawi and asked him his opinion about current events...

[mknmehappy]

14. Same result.

[Patty Diana]

4. Here could be why!!!!!

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jul2005/base-j30.shtml

Russia and China call for closure of US bases in Central Asia
And this little tidbit http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4226874#4227226 CIA Analyst on Cheney Nuke Plan for IRAN

This is some really scarey reading, but true nonetheless

[agincourt]

5. It didn't help that when they had the Beslan school massacure,

Cheney tried to tie it in with their non-support of the Iraq operation. As if that would have be tied in in any way. Weasel words.

[Moderator]

6. kick

[NNN0LHI]

7. Russia bars U.S. ABC after Basayev interview

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L02101481.htm

MOSCOW, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Russia on Tuesday barred ABC television from contacts with officials after it broadcast an interview with Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev, and will not allow the U.S. channel's journalists to work in the country.

[TahitiNut]

8. I wonder how the other networks will react.

:eyes: I won't hold my breath expecting an ethical stance.

[still_one]

9. What would we do if our networks interviewed bin laden?

This is how the Russian view it. Civillians, NOT military, have been targeted by him, and I would NOT tolerate any form of terrorism against civillians, including ours

[TahitiNut]

10. I guess that depends on the meaning of "we"

It also depends on the degree to which any journalism is required to adhere to some nationalistic dogma. Are they objective observers and reporters first? Or are they supposed to adhere to the political policies of the current administration? What would make a CBS interview of bin Laden a 'Bad Thing' and an al Jazeera interview an 'OK thing'?? Is not bin Laden or any other dissident, no matter how violent or extreme, to be afforded an opportunity to have their grievances heard? It often seems to me that the extremism is exacerbated by the suppression more than it's amplified by having a forum.

[Karmakaze]

11. I agree with you, but...

in this case the hypocrisy is astounding - supporting Mulsim extremists in Chechnya, while rounding up "suspected" Muslim extremists everywhere else is typical US two-faced foreign policy that leads to the hatred of the US in the first place.

[PunkPop]

12. The government and ABC News are two different things.

I'm not sure ABC News can be seen as an arm of US foreign policy.

[Karmakaze]

17. Im sorry to say, but the US media IS an arm of US foreign policy

the lead up to the invasion of Iraq proves that.

[still_one]

13. you have a point, I was speaking from emotion

[HuckleB]

19. Please don't.

That would be bad.

[Gloria]

15. ABC's Accreditation in Russ Will Not Be Renewed--Russian Foreign Ministry

ABC's accreditation in Russia will not be renewed - Russian Foreign Ministry

22:04 | 02/ 08/ 2005
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20050802/41078223.html

MOSCOW, August 2 (RIA Novosti) -ABC TV's accreditation in Russia will not be renewed after it expires, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

The move followed the American company's broadcasting of an interview with Chechen terrorist Shamil Basayev on July 28.

"Considering all the circumstances of the interview with Shamil Basayev, who has been generally acknowledged as a terrorist, such as the obvious fact of contributing to terrorist propaganda and calling for violence against Russian nationals, Russia has decided to deny the company further accreditation," the ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry's information and press department also said any contact between ABC and Russian state departments and organizations was undesirable.

MORE

[Horse with no Name]

16. Well slap me in the face in call me Ted Koppel

I guess a country that is aware of what propaganda really is can spot it a mile away,lol.