Al-Jazeera Intl.

What ever its flaws may be, on the whole Al-Jazeera is a positive force for America in the Arabic world. Al-Jazeera remains the most watched news network in the Arabic world, and will continue to occupy its status as top dog. The Bush Administration needs to work with the news organization, not against it. The United States' funded Al-Hurra not surprisingly receives little attention in the Arabic world. This makes the success of Al-Jazeera, one of the few generally free press organizations, vital to United States' interests. Rather than shunning the news organization as the Administration has done, the US must embrace it and engage the news organization. Having US officials appear on Al-Jazeera's numerous free wheeling debate shows will give additional perspective to current events and influence audiences much better than any government propaganda articles ever can.

There is a reason that Western reporters such as David Frost agreeded to assist Al-Jazeera's fledging international news channel. Hopefully American audiences viewing this new English-language channel will open their eyes to a different perspective on foreign affairs and appreciate the need to engage with Al-Jazeera rather than dismissing it out of hand as an Osama station. For better or worse the Arabic world turns into Al- Jazeera for its news. The US must deal with that fact and work with it.