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Attack Puppy Brock Lies about Conservative Media
Now, Brock has written a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld asking that the Pentagon remove Limbaugh’s program from the American Forces Radio and Television Service, formerly known as Armed Forces Radio. Arguing that Limbaugh has condoned the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib, Brock wrote, "It is abhorrent that the American taxpayer is paying to broadcast what is in effect pro-torture propaganda to American troops." Brock asked Rumsfeld to consider removing the Limbaugh program to "protect" American troops from Limbaugh’s "reckless and dangerous messages." Brock also expressed concern that Limbaugh "continually uses prejudiced rhetoric that divides rather than unites Americans."
Unlike messages of ’quagmire’, ’exit strategy’ and other defeatist concepts the left is so good at.
Brock based his letter in large part on a story that appeared Wednesday in the anti-Bush online magazine Salon. That article, "Rush’s Forced Conscripts," in turn relied on Brock and other critics, like Limbaugh competitor Al Franken of the new liberal talk-radio network Air America, to accuse American Forces Radio of a "rightward tilt" and of airing a generous portion of Limbaugh while not allowing liberal voices to be heard. Limbaugh, according to Franken, provides "a bad message for troops to be hearing."
Brock’s got it in for Limbaugh, no question. To my mind, that affects his group’s whole basis. Conservative media watchdog my ass. They are an anti-Rush outfit. Just admit it, will ya?
Salon editor David Talbot followed up, in "Turn Off Rush, Turn On Salon," by denouncing military broadcasters who, he said, give soldiers "a daily dose of poison from Rush Limbaugh." Talbot wrote that American Forces Radio "bombard[s]" military men and women with "Limbaugh’s incendiary tirades, to the exclusion of all other voices."
Incredible. Does Talbot think that anyone will buy into this concept that the mere appearance of Limbaugh on the radio constitutes ’exclusion of all other voices.’ To me, that remark alone is basic intellectual dishonesty on Talbot’s part.
"Rush’s Forced Conscripts" discounted the argument of American Forces Radio chief Melvin Russell, who told Salon that his service included Limbaugh on the basis of Limbaugh’s popularity, and that American Forces also provides programming from National Public Radio. That’s not the same thing, Franken explained: "Rush’s message is that liberals hate America, while NPR is straight-ahead reporting and journalism."
Liberals do hate America. They have allowed their hatred of Bush to manuever themselves into political positions that any bad news for America is good news for them. NPR leans so heavily to the left, it is surprising they don’t capsize from it.
But American Forces Radio provides not only NPR programs like Morning Edition and All Things Considered but NPR commentary, as well. American military men and women abroad have access, for example, to the talk show of liberal host Diane Rehm. Indeed, Rehm’s biographical sketch on the NPR website says her program is "heard on U.S. military instillations around the world via Armed Forces Radio." (For a schedule of NPR programs provided to American Forces Radio, click here.)

Military listeners can also hear NPR’s Tavis Smiley Show, Talk of the Nation, and Fresh Air programs. Beyond NPR, listeners can also hear brief commentaries by former talk-show host Jim Hightower and CBS News anchorman Dan Rather. Viewed as a whole, the list of names suggests that military listeners, if they want to hear a variety of views, can do so on American Forces Radio.
Posted by: badanov 2004-05-30
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=34279