Wednesday 8 February 2012

Milne on Syria - and a test of his radicalism

Amid the clamour for western 'assistance' to Syria, a rare and sane piece from Guardian columnist Seamus Milne:

Intervention in Syria will escalate not stop the killing

However, most worthy as this article is, never was there a more appropriate and urgent test of a Guardian journalist's radical bona fides.

Having issued this welcome, cautionary warning, exposing the west's subterfuge, why doesn't Milne openly castigate the latest Guardian editorial Syria: Russia on thre wrong side?

If Milne's supposed purpose is to challenge the Western line for 'intervention' and all the propaganda supporting that agenda, surely the Guardian's highly influential voice can't be excluded from that criticism.

As one spot-on comment at the Media Lens message board puts it:
"I would maintain that Milne would be performing a greater public service by calling out the lies of those in the liberal media who are making the case for war, including many of those writing for his own paper (I'm thinking in particular of Ian Black and Julian Borger)."
Precisely.

What, then, does Milne have to say about this gigantic elephant in his very own workplace, the Guardian editorial line making the effective case for western 'intervention' - with all the calamity that his own otherwise excellent article foretells?

John

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Milne, like you, is a friend of tyrants everywhere. It is nothing short of a fucking disgrace that this lying stalinist piece of shite is given an outlet in a"serious", "liberal" newspaper.

John Hilley said...

I've received a comment to this post beginning with the words, "Milne, like you, is..."

Whoever sent this abusive message, please note that only courteous, civil discussion is permitted here - which is why all comments have to be moderated.