A Year of Terror Plots, Through a 2nd Prism – New York Times editorial

In an editorial from the New York Times entitled A Year of Terror Plots, Through a 2nd Prism we get the absolute perfect apologist for our abuses in western and central Asia telling us that (1) the terrorists that the U.S. faced this year are amateurs and (2) providing commentary on our actions overseas on blogs and in the media helps the enemies of our country!!!  Where did this guy Scott Shane go to journalism school?  Find the place and shut it down, okay NYT? Ernie Pyle is turning over in his grave right now.

This is responsible American journalism from a world class newspaper in time of the disinitegration of the very foundations of American freedoms and our place as a moral leader in the world?     

Here is an excerpt from the piece:

“We give comfort to our enemies,” said Charles E. Allen, a 40-year C.I.A. veteran who served as the top intelligence official at the Department of Homeland Security from 2007 to early last year. Exaggerated news coverage and commentary, he said, “creates an atmosphere of tension and fear, and to me that’s exactly the wrong way to go”….”If we overreact and upset 1.5 billion Muslims,” Dr. Sageman said, referring to the global total, “then we’ll have a lot bigger problem on our hands.”

So much for the leadership role of the New York Times in informing Americans about our role overseas in needless wars. 

The entire higher purpose of the Fourth Estate is to keep government from turning tyrannical and to properly inform the people of pertinent facts concerning their lives.  It is not supposed to be a vassal for government.

New York Times has utterly failed in that regard.  I am ashamed of the Times today and what this line of thought says about our republic and our national media.  The hard right turn in media coverage that we are witnessing is a moral crime of high proportions.

If we don’t have the guts to look at what we are actually doing overseas and here at home, if all we do is parrot the government line on the need for the increasing militarization of our government and its aims, then we are no more than committed fascists.

May God help this Republic now.  The Times has apparently sold us all out.

CWO3 Tom Barnes, USCG (Ret.)