Friday, November 29, 2013

How a political lie becomes a news story: this is a true story

A Kuwaiti tabloid newspaper, Al-Ra'y (which has a history of fabrications--and let me give readers a hint: whenever you read a story or an interview attributed to a Kuwaiti newspaper, safely assume it is a lie) carried a story that US officials conducted secret negotiations with Hizbullah officials (which is against US laws and even against the wishes of Hizbullah leader).  So the Jerusalem Post carried the story and attributed to a "Kuwaiti newspaper", not mentioning that it is leading voice in the yellow journalism of the region.  So the Daily Mail of London carried the story and attributed to Jerusalem Post.  Then Drudge Report AND Qatari and Saudi media reported the "story" and attributed to "British media" (Qatari-funded Al-Qauds Al-`Arabi went further and attributed to it "various sources").  You now learn how a lie becomes a news story, widely circulated.