PBS was founded to provide high quality programming that is non—biased and objective. PBS was envisioned as providing a forum for a diverse variety of views. The Frontline program which aired Tuesday night, January 25th was called "Al Qaeda's New Front."

The entire show was basically a crusade against George Bush and American foreign and security policy. The line—up of "experts" found fault with everything America has done over the years to defend itself and Western values. These experts were mostly Frenchmen and extremist Muslims who were given free publicity to air their propaganda. Also appearing was Michael Scheuer, the CIA analyst  who has made a fortune through two best—selling books disparaging American foreign policy.  Scheuer is our generation's Philip Agee, who in years past also made money by becoming a turncoat CIA agent.

It is quite a nice group that Scheuer shares the stage with on the program. The documentary criticized America's entry into Iraq and permitted Muslim extremists to vent their anger over various aspects of American culture and policies. The program also stated that Europe was having problems bringing their terror suspects to trial because witnesses that they need are imprisoned in America and Guatanamo, and thus their testimony would be tainted by views that America routinely tortures Muslims.  This is a naturally corollary to the program's theory that America is responsible for the terror threat in Europe anyway because our policies have radicalized Muslims around the world.
 
Almost no attention was given to the fact that prejudice in Europe was causing young Muslims to become radicalized, that France has kept many Muslims in housing projects which have lead them to become estranged from the West, and that a sclerotic European economy has failed to provide job prospects for these dispossessed millions. No...Frontline merely blamed America for the rise of terrorism, not only in the Middle East but now also in Europe.

Note to PBS: how about blaming the perpetrators and the culture of violence which motivates them. Perhaps an interview with Bernard Lewis, the esteemed scholar of Islam or Fouad Ajami ( a renowned expert in Arab affairs) might have provided the diversity which PBS is supposedly mandated to provide.

Ed Lasky   1 26 05