PMWATCH - May 8, 2002 -- Anyone out there suffering from Deja Vu (or maybe whiplash)? If so: it's not you who is going of your mind, but the world. Was there anything more predictable than: (1) yet another suicide bombing following yet another terror campaign by Ariel Sharon; (2) yet another vow from Ariel Sharon to "respond forcefully" to the suicide bombing; and (3) yet once again the Bush Administration giving Ariel Sharon the green light to "respond"?

And is there anything more predictable than what is to follow: (1) the Israelis moving on Gaza; (2) the Arab peoples around the world reacting with mass demonstrations; (3) Bush calling on Sharon to withdraw from Gaza; (4) Sharon stalling; (5) Powell returning to the Mideast, etc., etc.?

All predictable, but, in all of this, most predictable of all is the media's reaction: portraying this most predictable turn of events as something extraordinary, something that came out of the blue, something that was totally unexpected, a watershed moment, etc., etc.

In other, the most minimum context just does not exist - even the most immediate past is just too much for the media to keep in mind when looking at events.

And so, once again -- also predictable -- we call on the US media to ask the most basic questions and to keep the basic context of events in mind when parsing the conflict.

See also previous calls at: No sense of perspective from US media and Why is the obvious question never asked?

Please send in your comments to the media on the need to inject a sense of perspective -- and some COMMON sense -- and to think a little before asking flagrantly loaded questions.

Your letter will be sent to:

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