Iraq is a crucial story, but most of the media will get it wrong if they don't see this as the outcome of the US invasion in 2003, and the support of the Gulf Arab states, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and others against Bashar Assad in the Syrian civil war. ISIS, the Sunni jihadi group currently making their way towards Baghdad, was largely funded by American allies against Bashar Assad.
So my question here is What will the media ignore now as they cover Iraq?
Just to clarify, many of these topics---Media Freedom, several countries in Europe, and African and South American news stories get little or no coverage in American news media as it is, regardless of "breaking news" stories that get wall to wall coverage, like Iraq or Syria, or the missing Malaysian airline MH370.
Below is a brief selection of the hundreds of important stories happening around the world all the time that US media chooses to ignore.
40% of Oil and Gas wells are not being inspected for safety by Federal Government article
NEW CASTLE, Colo. (AP) -- Four in 10 new oil and gas wells near national forests and fragile watersheds or otherwise identified as higher pollution risks escape federal inspection, unchecked by an agency struggling to keep pace with America's drilling boom, according to an Associated Press review that shows wide state-by-state disparities in safety checks.
Israel Blames Hamas in Kidnapping of 3 Israeli Teens article
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israeli troops on Sunday arrested some 80 Palestinians, including dozens of members of Hamas, in an overnight raid in the West Bank as the prime minister accused the Islamic militant group of kidnapping three teenagers.
So interestingly this will probably be covered---but what won't be covered is the Israeli bombing of Gaza.
Palestinian boy, 7, dies of injuries from Israeli air strike: medics say article
GAZA (Reuters) - A seven-year-old boy has died of wounds suffered in an Israeli air strike that killed his uncle, a Palestinian militant, as they were riding on a motorcycle in the Gaza Strip, relatives and hospital officials said on Sunday.
Right-Winger Reuven Rivlin elected as Israel's President, replacing Shimon Peres in ceremonial post article
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Reuven Rivlin, a right-wing legislator opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state, was elected Israel's president on Tuesday to replace the dovish Shimon Peres in the largely ceremonial post. Rivlin, 74, is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party. He has a reputation for political independence and has had a frosty personal relationship with the Israeli premier.
Afghan Election Run-off article
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Afghans braved threats of violence and searing heat Saturday to vote in a presidential runoff that likely will mark the country's first peaceful transfer of authority, an important step toward democracy as foreign combat troops leave.
Africa never gets much attention from US media, and South America gets even less coverage.
15 prisoners escape in Mali article
BAMAKO (Reuters) - At least two people were killed and 15 prisoners escaped after a suspected Islamist militant detainee shot his way out of the main jail in Mali's capital Bamako on Monday, a government official said.
It is sad that media freedom stories do not get covered by American news outlets.
Al Jazeera Journalist Abdullah Al-Shay freed in Egypt article
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's public prosecutor ordered the release on Monday on medical grounds of Al Jazeera journalist Abdullah Al-Shamy, who had been on hunger strike for more than 130 days in protest over his detention, a statement from the prosecutor's office said.
The only news I ever see covered about Italy is Amanda Knox or the Pope
Italy's 5-Star Movement Willing to drop opposition to working with PM Renzi article
ROME (Reuters) - Italy's anti-establishment party, 5-Star Movement, said it was willing to drop its opposition to working with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi over electoral reforms if its own proposals are considered.
The only European politics we seem to cover besides England is Extramarital affairs (see France's Holland and Italy's Berlosconi)
Finland's Conservative PM candidate pledges to enter NATO if elected article
LAHTI Finland (Reuters) - Finland's EU minister Alexander Stubb, who wants to cut taxes and take his neutral country into NATO, won the leadership of his ruling conservative party on Saturday, putting him on track to become prime minister later this month.
It is important to remember that this represents only a small selection of some important stories happening around the world all the time. American news media does not inform the public of what is important, choosing instead to focus on what drives ratings.
American news media should focus on in depth reporting on the US government's policies, not the daily political ups and downs. Watch how much coverage the 2016 Presidential elections are getting, comapred with US policies affecting us daily right now.
American news media should be paying much more attention to South America and its governemnts, Africa and its governments, Asia and its governments. If daily news coverage is too much to ask during the 24 hour news cycle (let me know if you are laughing at that!!) then maybe a weekly recap could be done.
I will say that Fareed Zakaria on CNN does cover some issues that are ignored the rest of the week.
Americans are largely uninformed about what is going on in the rest of the world, and they are shocked when they hear that the rest of the world doesn't like America---they think it is Americans that are hated. It is not Americans or American ideals that are hated. It is the effects that US foreign policies have on other countries, as we fight claim to fight for "freedom and democracy" while focusing only on US national interests, disregarding how it affects 85% of the rest of the world.
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