The New York Times and the Gemayel assassination

Indeed, there are many reasons to suspect all sorts of people for being responsible for Gemayel’s death—and quite a few of them enjoy the editorial support of the New York Times. He was killed amidst an intense internal and international conflict to decide who controls the Lebanon. The assassination took place in the aftermath of a multi-million dollar military offensive by Israel that was fully backed by the United States, and which cost more than 1,500 lives. When such high stakes are involved, there will be many parties for whom the life of a relatively insignificant government minister is small change.

Moreover, as yet no investigation has been mounted and no evidence offered that would enable anyone to be identified with Gemayel’s murder.

The New York Times ignores such rudimentary considerations and instead falls in behind the campaign being waged by the Bush administration to blame Syria for the killing, attributing to Damascus the motive of an attempt to bring down the pro-Western government of Fuad Siniora. According to the Times’s preferred scenario, “If the cabinet now loses even one more minister, through intimidation or worse, Lebanon’s pro-Western government will collapse—a collapse that Hezbollah, Syria’s ally and henchman, has been publicly seeking.”

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http://wsws.org/articles/2006/nov2006/nyt-n24.shtml