Does anyone every really know what is going on in the inner workings of their government via the media? What's the difference between restricting what the Afghan media reports to its citizens (via constitutional limitations) vs. the way news is reported in the Western world? American media seemingly report whatever politicians "feed" them or spin news to fit their needs (rating, subscriptions). Whatever happened to journalists digging deeper or asking the tough questions and reporting factual stories to people without bias so that people can be truly informed? Rarely do "consumers" of the media ever question the information that they receive. This kills me.

My long winded point is this - we citizens, no matter where we live or call home, very rarely get the "real" story as to what is happening in our government or other governments these days. It's truly unfortunate that the corruption within the Afghan gov. is imposing restrictions on their media, however here I sit in a free nation wondering what the "real" story is every time I read a news article or see a report on TV.

So what's the difference?

Just to be clear, I am not saying that you, Arthur, are spinning the news. I think you are bringing a whole other perspective on what is happening in the war and Afghanistan. When I went to journalism school, far too many years ago to mention, there was an unspoken journalistic code of ethics where we put our own beliefs aside to deliver an unbiased and factual story. I don't believe we have that in the US any more and it bothers me. Guess this story really stirred me up!

Thanks.

We as Canadians are deeply involved in Afghanistan and cannot stand silent while laws are being considered there that would muzzle the press. The Taliban must be fought in the courts as well as on the battlefield. The Afghan legal system is perhaps the biggest fight of all and it is here that more resources should be allocated by the "free" world.

Good point about the media here KLM. Think of the influence that AIPAC has over the US media.
It is a travesty, there is no TRUE reporting when it comes to Middle East issues.

Your comments are indeed true, but I feel that our Canadian press too is being muzzled - certainly not to the degree as it appears in other countries, some of which are supposedly supporting a 'free press', but lately there has been too much brought to light about the obsessive secrecy that is now rampant in Ottawa. I have never felt such a threat to our 'laid-back' and benignly conversant way of life here in Canada as I am increasingly feeling under the stern and stifling hand of this new government of ours. It worries me that what we see happening in other countries in the world is beginning to happen at home and in our neighbour's country. Freedom of the Press, indeed a Free Press, is morphing into a meaningless phrase, mouthed by manipulating politicians with hidden agendas. An uninformed or undereducated populace enables this, so it is our duty to educate ourselves and hold these 'representatives of the people' to account by constantly rattling their gilded cages.

Excellent points. Just spin the globe in your living room, and see how these themes are spreading around the world. From the murder of journalists in Mr. Putin's Russia, to the much more subtle curbs on media freedoms in the West, journalism, especially probing, civic-minded journalism, is being threatened by big government.

The struggle for freedom of speech here in Afghanistan offers a useful place to begin clawing back our own rights. Because we can only support democratic discourse in this country by pressuring the political leaders of our own nations - Mr. Karzai's sponsors. What a terrific opportunity to remind them that they're in office to serve basic freedoms, not to suffocate them.

Yes, big government is dictating what we learn about world events, national events, etc. So, how do the millions of poor schleps like me bring about change (seriously)? As one lone person I feel pretty helpless. I'd be interested in getting some feedback on this from people from around the world.

The press has to be part of the scam . i.e. Question asked " are you satisfied that Afghan detainees are not being tortured in Afghan custody ? " Harper's retort " I support our troops and they would not torture "
We need an exchange program - Tolo t.v. reporters switch places with Newman and Duffy . Maybe they could play hardball in Ottawa and Kabul could use some Duffy / Newman marshmallow entertainment instead of answers

To affect change is not as difficult as it sometimes seems. But to be effective, you quite often have to be prepared to make a spectacle of yourself, therefore you have to be prepared to be ridiculed - think of the early days of Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherd Society. Without the 'crackpots' of organizations such as these, attention would never have been drawn to some pretty serious and neglected problems in the world. It is the unusual which gets the attention from the press, etc. A simple home-made sandwich-board is very effective and can be very embarassing to the public official who has ignored your more normal efforts of getting a respnse from him. I used it on a sloppy contractor with the words that "So and So Construction doesn't pay their tradesmen". The problem was fixed within one day! Fortunately, I was prepared to 'look the fool' but the result was well worth it. And if you are lucky, some reporter and photographer will be forewarned of your action and will be there to make a public record of it. I think the route to success does have to start with the little things - don't attempt the big picture, start with a small portion of that big picture and it will eventually affect the big picture. People all over the world now are getting frightened and impatient what with the rapidly increasing climate change, violent extremists, and the seemingly 'frozen into inaction' elected public servants who appear to be hopelessly out of touch with their electorates' concerns. The mood is shifting quite rapidly and it may be much easier to connect with other concerned people who want to make a positive difference. I truly believe that the 'poor schleps' of the world (you and me) have become the strongest political party in the world and we just haven't recognized it yet.

So, KLM, I've started rattling a few of the politicos' gilded cages and encouraged friends to do the same. A simple letter with many, many copies sent to the press, other politicians of other parties, etc. should get action from the primary recipient once he sees who else his letter was sent to. They hate public embarassment (they might not get re-elected if they are too often embarassed!!). Let's trade ideas and maybe help each other by writing to each other's politicians, etc. And a hint - a typed or printed-out letter in a 'hand-addressed' envelope is far more effective than an email or typed envelope as it stands out.

So true - those letters and phone calls add up, and politicians, even when they're trying to ignore you, do slowly become aware of their own electoral mortality. Here in Kabul, two of Mr. Karzai's ministers have just succumbed to parliament's wrath for their ineptitude, and more changes are on the way.

Last night's TV news was resplendent with sequences of MP's pelting one another with their mineral water bottles - another spectacle the public here could very well be deprived of if the media law is rewritten in favour of the information-control fat cats.

Dear All,

Good News. The Taliban's top operational commander, Mullah Dadullah, has been killed in a clash in southern Helmand province on Satuarday night. He was the one beheaded Ajmal Naqshbandi and the driver Said Aga, when his men kidnapped the Italian jurnalist and swap him with five Taliban presioners. This is a great victory on the war to remove the terrorsists from the South and susequently all Afghanistan. This man was the biggest operational commnader and leading the Taliban Insurgency in the country. We hope all the terrorsists are going to finish and Afghans can live in peace, security and stability.In onother bold move by Afghan parliemants, two ministers of president Karzia government lost thier position, when they were questioned by the people house the other day.

All the best

Ahmad, what should President Karzai and his international allies do to build on the removal of Mullah Dadullah from the scene?

Well maybe I should reply to your question Arthur. No One Mullah Dadullah is fighting the world, there are thousands of them hidden, just waiting for a chance to appear. The government + the international community are not thinking for long term solutions to actually finish the war. They are just playing "Tom and Jerry" with the Taliban. Take a district and leave it back to the hands of the Taliban. Of course, Mullah Dadullah's death will affect the Taliban's moral, but this will be temporarily, not permanent. As long as corruption exsits, as long as unemployment and poverty exists, it is not very difficult to encourage farmers grow poppy and recruit fighter from among the people. Why we are not prepared to return all the refugees from the neighbouring Pakistan - where the "simple" Afghan kids are equiped with fundmentalism and suicide jackets - in the so called relgious Madrassas? They are not living a Canadian high standard life in Pakistani camps. Bring them back, give them lands and some assistance to start living in their own country. UNHCR and IOM (International Organisation for Immigration) are spending millions of dollars every year claiming to work for the Afghan refugees. The five years funding of these two International agencies can bring all Afghans back home from Iran, where they are thrown from four story buildings and from Pakistan, where Pakistani police shoots them.

You won't believe that Karzai's government want to maintain security in a district, where more than 50 thousand people live and is the center of focus for the Taliban, with 40 to 50 policemen? Why not instead of spending millions of dollars in sending troops to Afghanistan, train and equip the Afghan police and Army? Some might say they already do that, but why not five training centers instead of two, why not ten instead of five? They want to maintain security with 70,000 policemen, 20,000 yet to train, in a country where 30 million people live, where the world's most savage network of men (Al Qaeda) is planing future attacks, and where the world's most dark mineded fundmentalists are fighting the whole world of 21st century.

Everyone is doing a job, and the poeple of Afghanistan are to suffer.

Thanks