America's supporters need to highlight more the here-and-now achievements of the world's greatest democracy and secondly, as a corollary, what would happen if US power were truly constrained. Many of those who criticise the US so bitterly often fail to see that they share its charitable goals and could do with reminders of the generosity of America as well as the stinginess or impotence of other supposedly well-meaning nations.For an example of US generosity and charitable goals, click here. They were pretty generous to Saddam back in the day too, as I remember, and even Osama Bin Laden is a former recipient of US support.
So who the [John Howard] is Barry Hing? Well, back in September 26, 2005 Barry Hing had a pro-US, anti-SBS piece in Teh Oz:
[W]hy does the emphasis have to be overwhelmingly negative towards the US?At the time of that article, Barista suggested that Barry Hing "seems to be a formerly famous finance journalist". He returned from working in Asia in 2001 with an article championing John Howard's enlightened foreign policy (despite the boat people scandals). He now seems to make a regular income writing pro-US crap for Teh Oz and other rightwing publications like the WSJ. He has also been published in a magazine called The Diplomat (a pro-Thaksin piece), and in an Argus Media (formerly Petroleum Argus Ltd) report on global warming. See, now that's professional writing right there.
One of the key features of SBS's documentary programming this year is the general opposition to US arguments on Iraq and the absence of a more even-handed approach. If SBS Independent can commission documentaries condemning the US, surely it can also look into other, but still critical, viewpoints.
Possible themes could include the full extent of human rights abuses under Saddam Hussein's regime, details of which are now emerging; improvements that are taking place under the Coalition; and the fact that significant numbers of Iraqis support the moves towards democracy.
