The makers of the airstrike story on al Jazeera reflect the psychology of Salafists and Baathists

Washington DC, Mideast Newswire
Dr. Walid Phares on al Jazeera

Invited by al Jazeera to comment on the British Daily Mirror story alledging that President Bush has discussed "an attack against al Jazeera's headquarters in Qatar" with Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2004, Mideast expert Walid Phares said "it is true that Washington and al Jazeera have an intellectual conflict, but if the US wanted to shut down the TV channel, it has all the technological means to do so."

Phares, a senior fellow wiht the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies told al Jazeera, in Arabic, that "had America opted for a strategic decision to eliminate al Jazeera, it won't use aircraft carriers and bombers. It has a system of laws and institutions. See for example US policy regarding al Manar, Hezbollah's TV. Washington used its legal systems to block al Manar from airing in North America, and with the assistance of European and Arab moderate countries, it took it off satellite airing in Europe and North Africa."

Asked by the anchor about the consequences of such threat on the Bush Administration, if evidence is provided, Phares responded that "the IF is very big. It is hard to believe that the President of the most powerful democracy will be discussing airstrikes against a TV channel, situated inside an ally country, Qatar, at a time the US is spending billions of dollars to win the hearpts and minds of millions of Arabs and Muslims."

He said "the story is so illogical and needs to be investigated as to those who built it for the media. First, it starts with the Daily Mirror, an anti-American British tabloid, which other stories discredits its reporting on strategic and defense affairs." Phares added that "there is no secret that the US and al Jazeera do not see eye to eye and are opposed on many grounds. But US officials appear on its shows regularily and here we are in its Washington office (Dr Phares appearing from Washington's al Jazeera office) while it is functioning normally."

The anchor insisted to know what would happen if the story has facts behind it. Phares said: "if indeed two Western leaders discussed an air strike on a TV hub in Qatar, as strange as it may be, it is worth looking into it obviously. But it seems to me that those excited about this story wants it to fly without wings."

In an interview with Radio Machrek in the Middle East, Phares said: "My advice to the makers and the promoters of the story is this: do not confuse discussing shutting down a station because of its perceived efforts to support terror (such as al Manar) and a hollywoodian allegation about alledged plans for a military attack against TV studios in Qatar. The Iraqi Government shut off al Jazeera broadcasting for months because of an Iraqi perception of its "support to the Jihadists and their violence." That's an Arab country that has dozens of media, including anti-American ones. But to state that there was a plan to send
F-16s to bomb a building in an ally country, because the editorial line was anti-US, if anything shows that the makers of the story, mirrors more so the psychology of radical regimes and organizations in the region rather than the international norms."

But Phares said: "we can't disregard any piece of so-called evidence. Yes any document should be verified. But it would be strange that US leaders in 2004, at a time when they are waging a war of ideas to win hearts and minds would be entertaining plans to send the bombers against TV studios. It looks more a Baathist or Salafist logic rather than anything else."

Phares is the author of the newly released book, Future Jihad. www.futurejihad.com