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Saddam not a dictator at BBC
Snipped from a Daily Telegraph Opinion column with the interesting title "London Spy""An email has been circulated telling us not to refer to Saddam as a dictator," Iâm told. "Instead, we are supposed to describe him as the former leader of Iraq. Tsk, tsk. "Apparently, because his presidency was endorsed in a referendum, he was technically elected. Hence the word dictator is banned. Itâs all rather ridiculous." This wouldnât be a problem @ NYT. Heâd be "Mr. Hussein." The Beeb insists that the email merely restates existing guidelines. "We wanted to remind journalists whose work is seen and heard internationally of the need to use neutral language," says a spokesman. Andrew Sullivan: Under these guidelines, would Hitler have ever been called a "dictator"? He was originally elected in a freer election than Saddam, after all.Heh. Too easy. Posted by: Glenn (not Reynolds) 2003-12-20 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=23087 |