So what am I to think?

I read the BBC news web site. I also watch the news on TV (BBC, ITV, CH4, CH5). On my way to work I listen to the news on BBC radio. I read the online versions of the Times and the Guardian (the latter as a sanity check only you understand). These are my traditional media news sources and, I believe, not uncommon sources for the population of Britain.

So then, what am I to make of this:

Those occupying and desecrating the holy shrine are almost all completely alien to the city and with faces unseen before by the real locals. Some are not even Iraqi and do not even speak the Arabic language. I tell you this is the truth. Vicious aliens, whether foreigners or criminals and thugs from other provinces, have invaded the great Imams' resting place. Heinous crimes have been perpetrated against the Najaf people including murder, mutilation, kidnapping and arrest of ordinary people policemen and religious leaders; and please note that this was not done by the Americans, or by the IP or the IDC. That is the truth as God is my witness.

It seems so……what’s the word? Contrary.

And this holy shrine key business, you know, Sadr offering to hand them over yet still somehow managing to retain them?

Sistani seems to have given instructions to his office in Najaf not to accept the keys to the holy shrine unless a neutral committee inspects the contents of the shrine and an inventory is made to ensure nothing is missing from the treasury of the shrine.

This treasury which is located inside a safe locked basement beneath the shrine contains historical artifacts, priceless manuscripts and a significant amount of gold and gems. These have been gifted and donated to the shrine by Shia from all over the world for centuries. No one has ever dared touch that treasury except the family that holds the keys to the shrine. Radhwan Al-Rufai'i was forced to give over the keys to one of Sadr's aides last April.

I mean, who do I believe? How can I make a judgement? Should I just wait for the Hollywood movies to come out in the hope that, for the first time in history, they represent more credible testament to what actually happened than the media?

Posted by John at August 25, 2004 08:39 AM | TrackBack