Does the New York Times work for Jeffrey Gettleman or vise versa?
By Omer Redi
I bet that most readers of the New York Times avoid reading any piece, news or articles that starts with or contains the name Jeffrey Gettleman because it seems that guy is in the media only to manifest his substandard capacity. Or should I say his name has become synonymous to devious acts in the name of journalism? Here comes the shoddy “journalist” covering his conjured “writings” under the big name “the New York Times”.
It’s a well established fact that the New York Times is one of the very reputable newspapers throughout the world and I assume that bosses at the NYT are well aware of the equally well established fact that people tend to decide on ideals of things and/or people by association- like they saying goes “Birds of a feather flock together”. The shoddy “journalist” is using the NYT’s reputation to cover his incapacity by publishing sensational but conjured stories. It is only a matter of time before people start to dodge the very reputed newspaper because of the presence of this shoddy “journalist” at the NYT.
I somewhere read something like Jeffrey Gettleman suffered frequent criticism which put him in grave subsequent professional quandaries and psychological bewilderment due to his previous substandard “writings”. Trying to fix these blows by writing some sensational conjured stories from Ogaden area of Ethiopia nearly four months back he received an immediate kick out from the country for operating without notifying the respective authorities. Like any psycho he then embarked on attacking Ethiopia with his usual way, publishing sensational conjured stories; but he never found a listener.
Here he is again with another such story published on the NYT on December 14, 2007: Ethiopians Said to Push Civilians Into Rebel War
Short and precise facts about Ethiopia’s military capability: The Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) numbers about 200,000 personnel, which makes it one of the largest militaries in Africa. During the 1998-2000 border war with Eritrea, the ENDF mobilized strength reached approximately 350,000. Since the end of the war, some 150,000 soldiers have been demobilized. The ENDF continues a transition from its roots as a guerrilla army to an all-volunteer professional military organization with the aid of the U.S. and other countries. Training in peacekeeping operations, professional military education, military training management, counter-terrorism operations, and military medicine are among the major programs sponsored by the United States. Ethiopia now has one peacekeeping contingent in Liberia (courtesy: U.S. Department of State).
The above information needs updates. Ethiopia has 29th largest army in the world and participated in UN peacekeeping missions in Burundi and Rwanda while it recently volunteered to contribute another contingent for the Darfur peace keeping mission.
Now, can anyone believe that Ethiopia-one of a few African countries with largest and strongest militaries- pushes civilians in to military services? Come-on Jeff, try something else. The world knows Ethiopia, among other things, for its well trained, equipped, disciplined and sufficient military might in the Horn Africa and the continent as well ready to be deployed to any part of the world as manifested in its successful peacekeeping operations, leave alone to chase small and scattered terrorists like ONLF which has zero public bases.
Oh… another thing. He wrote this from Kenya, Nairobi. Guess why? May be because he has got a satellite station in Nairobi to closely monitor what is going on in Ethiopia. Or else he has learnt that he can’t mess with Ethiopians and preferred to stay away. Or, most probably, he is one of those multimillion dollars fragile guys I discussed about in my previous article.
Hey Jeff…. there you go…you are the man. You’ve got what you wanted. Isn’t attention what you always aspire for? But I’m afraid it always comes not the way you want it. Poor boy! You expected people to believe your fiction and appreciate you like a real journalist? No, no, no… not with something like this that even a 4 years child can grasp the logical fallacies. Next time you prepare your fictitious story be very careful to make it fit with the existing realities. Haven’t you heard authors saying fiction is the reflection of the real world? I’m done for now from my part. Find below the Press Release by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on Jeff’s crazy piece of work.
Press Release 20 December, 2007 The New York Times reporter, Jeffrey Gettleman, had another piece on Ethiopia on December 14, 2007 under the Caption "In Rebel Region, Ethiopia Turns to Civilian Patrols". The article does not do justice to the credibility of the New York Times. The various strands of the narrative that the article conveys share one quality ---, they are all based on fictitious stories.
The major theme of the piece is suggested by the title of the article --- that the Ethiopian government is forcing civilians in the Somali regional State, including doctors, teachers, office clerks and employees of development programs financed by the World Bank and United Nations" to join the militia to fight "rebels".
Much could be said about motives and with respect to the probable malice behind the article. That would serve no purpose. This Press Release would rather focus on the easily verifiable facts. There is absolutely no truth to the claim made by the New York Times. There are no civil servants that have been coerced into joining the militia in the Somali region of Ethiopia. There is no such practice in any part of Ethiopia, not even at the height of the crisis and during preparation for a major military conflict with Eritrea.
This particular New York Times article is in fact rather odd. The fact that it is too careless with the facts is not all that new. What makes this latest article strange --- even coming from this specific reporter who is not known for having a high level of journalistic ethical standard --- is the total abandonment of efforts to make plausible claims even when they may be fabricated. What is one to make of the following claim.
" Other civilians who served in the militias said they were not given camouflage, and even had to buy their own rifles" The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to make it clear, without any reservation, that the claim made by the New York Times articles of December 14, 2007 about civilians and civil servants being forced into the militia in the Somali regional State of Ethiopia is a false claim and in all likelihood, a deliberate misrepresentation of the facts.
It should not be too difficult for those with the interest to do so to verify the allegation. They should count on the full cooperation of the regional State in this regard.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 20 December, 2007
