Honest reporting

Robert Fisk

It is too simple to claim that this is Syria's work. Syria may have an interest is watching this destabilisation, even - through its security networks - assisting these groups with logistics. But other organisations might have found common interest; the Iraqi insurgents, for example, even the Taliban, perhaps equally small groups in the Palestinian occupied territories. That's how these things work in the Middle East, where there is no such thing as responsibility - only a commonality of interests. Perhaps the Americans might have learnt something about this if they had not two years ago insulted the Syrians for allowing fighters into Iraq - at which point, the Syrians halted all military and intelligence co-operation with the US.

Some might claim it doesn't matter who is behind Fatah al-Islam. However, if we can't count on the media (there isn't much to expect from politicians) to report the facts rather than shortcuts, then what is the point of the media? To manufacture consent?