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Al-Zawraa logo. Click image to view. |
Mashaan Jabouri, the owner of al-Zawraa, responds to my post, Muj TV
While in Fallujah, I wrote about al-Zawraa, or what the Iraqis refer to as “Muj TV.” This is a satellite television station that broadcasts attacks on U.S., Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces, as well as calls for incitement against Shiites and Iranians. Al-Zawraa was founded by Mishan al-Jabouri (or Mashaan Aljabouri), a former member of parliament who has been charged by the Iraqi government with embezzling money from the government and supporting al Qaeda.
In al-Zawraa: Muj TV, I noted there is little reason to make distinctions between the Islamic Army in Iraq, the insurgent group that sponsors al-Zawraa, and al Qaeda, at this point in time. Since Muj TV was published, it has been reported the Islamic Army in Iraq has joined the Islamic State of Iraq, al Qaeda’s political front organization designed to legitimize its role in the insurgency. I also noted the Iraqis that I viewed this program with felt al-Zawraa was strictly a Baathist/secular program. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Nick Grace were ore forceful and declared al-Zawraa an arm of al Qaeda.
Mishan al-Jabouri has responded to the claims of links between al-Zawaraa and al Qaeda, and categorically denied any association. He states al-Zawraa is “an Iraqi patriot station,” “has no sponsor and it is independently financed by its owner,” and “has no relations whatsoever with al Qaeda… but it respects those Mujahideen who devoted and sacrifice themselves to defend Sunnis…” Al-Jabouri also called Prime Minister Maliki “an agent of Iran.”
It should be noted that Mishan al-Jabouri has a vested interest in dissociating himself from al Qaeda. He has been implicated with colluding with al Qaeda by the Iraqi government, and the Iraqi government and Coalition forces have been quite clear that senior al Qaeda operatives will not be granted amnesty in any future reconcilliation program.
Mishan al-Jabouri’s letter to me is published in full below, unedited:
Fakes and lies against Alzawraa TV
In relation your article published at The Forth Rail at December, 23; we want to inform you that Alzawraa TV is an Iraqi patriot station that expresses the attitude of the majority of Iraqi people toward the current situation after the U.S occupation, distraction and the sectarian crimes against Sunnis people of Iraq which occur every day as daily massacres.
Alzawraa TV has no sponsor and it is independently financed by its owner, Mr.Mashaan Aljabouri to express its resistance against occupation and sectarian crimes. Alzawraa transmits some news or documentary films that it receives from foreign agencies which shows what we call Mujahideen and you call insurgents activities against US army or other forces Alzawraa transmits also some materials from its archive that express its own independent thoughts against sectarians and political parties supported by Iran.
We can assure you that Alzawraa TV has no relations whatsoever with al Qaeda as you claimed but it respects those Mujahideen who devoted and sacrifice themselves to defend Sunnis who are targeted by both American army and Sectarian militias encouraged by the sectarian Government of Al- Maliky and other slaughterers…
We believe that as US had claimed the presence of Mass Destruction weapons in Iraq the US media also continues to fabricate fakes and lies against Alzawaa TV.
We here by assure that our station represents our Bloc for reconciliation and Liberation as a political movement supporting Liberation…not the Occupation of our country and we are pure Iraqis whether political movement or TV station.
Our attitude to resist crimes against our people and destruction of our mother land that’s why we find that all information about Alzawaa TV is not true but on the contrary serving the interest of the sectarian government of Almaliky who is a humble servant of Iran with The Shiites coalition against Iraqi people who suffer from poverty, diseases and sectarian killing.
Hoping to find our response published in your next edition.
Regards
Mashaan Aljabouri
18 Comments
Al-Zawraa Responds to Muj TV
Courtesy of The Fourth Rail:
Mashaan Jabouri, the owner of al-Zawraa, responds to my post, Muj TV
While in Fallujah, I wrote about al-Zawraa, or what the Iraqis refer to as “Muj TV.” This is a satellite television station that broadcasts…
Bill,
If it walks like a Duck and Quacks like a
Duck then odds are it is a Duck!! Good
work Bll and keep it up…
If that isn’t the most blatant example of “the lady protesting too much” I’ve ever seen in my life…
BULL’S EYE, BILL!! WELL DONE!!
And then there’s Al Jazeera…who will support any group, sectarian or terrorist, that foments chaos in Iraq, and the killing of Americans.
I heard many reports from Iraqis of abuses by Al Jazeera. Just what is a news organization doing playing “Farenheit 9-11” more times than HBO? Whatever it is, object fair play it is not.
Now if we could just get Al-Jazeera to play
“The Power of Nightmares”…
http://www.archive.org/details/ThePowerOfNightmaresDVD
Bill, Mishan al-Jabouri is a little upset with Muqtada Al-Sadr. He just gets a little carried away in his anti-Muqtada racquet 😉
Thank you so much for everything you do. I love to read your analysis over at CounterTerrorismBlog. You really do go after these stories! I pray for your family and you a very wonderful Merry Christmas.
Good Work Bill, keep it up and keep your head down.
Here is something I think you should read (actually everybody should read it.)
It appears that the Iraqis don’t think like us.
Merry Christmas.
Papa Ray
West Texas
USA
Pardon me. The link to the CounterTerrorismBlog is .org, not .com. Thanks.
Well he did get one thing right, Maliki is most definitely an Iranian puppet.
Web Reconnaissance for 12/26/2006
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.
Thanks for the article Papa Ray:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061211/soldiers_story
Bill, any GIs, DJ, anyone else, to what degree does this article reflect the culture clash between GIs and Iraqis?
Papa ray, you actually expect Iraqis to think like us? Alas,we are finally acknowledging that truth!
Stated above: In al-Zawraa: Muj TV, I noted there is little reason to make distinctions between the Islamic Army in Iraq, the insurgent group that sponsors al-Zawraa, and al-Qaeda, at this point in time.
However, you also state the Islamic Army in Iraq does not target civilians, but al-Qaeda does.
This seems to be a big “reason” for making a distinction. Rather than sorting the groups and their motives out for us, you seem intent on blurring them together. Why?
I didn’t claim the IAI doesn’t target civilians, Vinny. The Islamic Army in Iraq did. When the IAI throws its lot in with AQi’s Islamic State, at that oint I see little distinction between the two. Your mileage may vary.
I first read this article after one of my teammates sent it to me. I would say it is quiet accurate. I remember in Ramadi when I was being the liason between a squad of Iraqis and a squad of Americans. The Americans got to the target house and brought out a sledge hammer to knock open a gate. Not the stealthiest of maneuvers, and not a great way to approach the problem. I told the Americans we were doing it wrong, and to let the Iraqis handle it. One of them knocked on the gate, and when the owner answered he asked to let us in. Simple, but something we overlook sometimes.
The problems didn’t stop there. Once inside, we did separate the women and children into a different room, but a Marine was guarding them with one jundi. This was unacceptable in Iraqi culture, and the Iraqis brought it to my attention. They couldn’t order the Marines out of the room, and it was definitely causing distress to the women. It wasn’t just the presence of a man, but the fact that he was looking at them. I pulled the Marine out, and replaced him with one of the jundi medics, who went about doing what docs do. This solved one of the many conflicts in that short time.
I learned a lot about the Iraqi culture in my short time there, but I still have a lot to learn. The culture classes we receive focus on the wrong things many times because they are given by people that haven’t been outside the wire and interacted with any Iraqis, or read about Arab culture from someone else’s brief without knowing the content. We are always improving, but missteps in previous years has hurt us.
Thanks for the comments S. Wise.
I presume that most GIs get what you are saying. Do some still “not get it” as this article implies:
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061211/soldiers_story
How good are the ISF at this type of thing? Are they also getting better?
Al Qaeda TV
Little Green Footballs
Al Jazeera was just the forward wave of jihad media. No doubt emboldened by America’s loss of resolve, we now have