Comments on: Book Review: Kill the Messenger (2006) http://prairieprogressive.com/2006/11/14/book-review-kill-the-messenger-2006/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=book-review-kill-the-messenger-2006 a blog about books, reading and other things that bring nuance to life Mon, 21 May 2012 15:54:40 +0000 hourly 1 By: Abhinav Aimahttp://prairieprogressive.com/2006/11/14/book-review-kill-the-messenger-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-335 Abhinav Aima Tue, 14 Nov 2006 21:52:00 +0000 http://prairieprogressive.com/?p=883#comment-335 I was teaching in Minnesota when I heard of Webb's suicide, and the news saddened me because Webb's reporting had caught my attention when I arrived in the U.S. to pursue my Masters degree...After Webb's suicide I wrote an Op-ed for <a HREF="http://www.commondreams.org/views04/1215-28.htm" rel="nofollow"> commondreams.org</A>, wherein I explored the cowardice that affects American news reporting when it comes to stories that contest national institutions, such as the CIA or the presidency...And to those who refuse to believe the words of convicted felons when it comes to addressing the question of whether or not the CIA could have, or should have, known about the Contra's cocaine smuggling operations - well, to these skeptics I offer Afghanistan, a wide open country currently run by ganglords, some of whom are supported by the US and are well know to the CIA...For some reason, since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2002, the Opium production in Afghanistan has skyrocketed. For some reason, the American germalists there don't seem to be reporting on who is behind the new Afghan drug trade, how is it flourishing, what does the CIA know about it, and why is the US government not taking any measures to stop it.Gary Webb may not have been killed by the CIA or the criticism of his peers, but his sad life does present a mirror to reflect upon the sorry state of American journalism, especially when it comes to reporting on the nexus between drug smuggling and the financing of covert US foreign ops. I was teaching in Minnesota when I heard of Webb’s suicide, and the news saddened me because Webb’s reporting had caught my attention when I arrived in the U.S. to pursue my Masters degree…

After Webb’s suicide I wrote an Op-ed for commondreams.org, wherein I explored the cowardice that affects American news reporting when it comes to stories that contest national institutions, such as the CIA or the presidency…

And to those who refuse to believe the words of convicted felons when it comes to addressing the question of whether or not the CIA could have, or should have, known about the Contra’s cocaine smuggling operations – well, to these skeptics I offer Afghanistan, a wide open country currently run by ganglords, some of whom are supported by the US and are well know to the CIA…

For some reason, since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2002, the Opium production in Afghanistan has skyrocketed. For some reason, the American germalists there don’t seem to be reporting on who is behind the new Afghan drug trade, how is it flourishing, what does the CIA know about it, and why is the US government not taking any measures to stop it.

Gary Webb may not have been killed by the CIA or the criticism of his peers, but his sad life does present a mirror to reflect upon the sorry state of American journalism, especially when it comes to reporting on the nexus between drug smuggling and the financing of covert US foreign ops.

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