Al Jazeera Discovers 'Terror' Only When DC is Impacted
Al Jazeera reports on a shooting involving National Guardsmen in Washington D.C., dutifully relaying Trump's 'terror' claims and the identification of an Afghan national. The narrative quickly pivots to visa curbs, as if the incident floats in a geopolitical vacuum. What they conveniently omit is the extensive catalog of US interventions in Afghanistan—from backing mujahideen to two decades of
occupation—that have destabilized the region, creating the very conditions for grievances to fester and return. One might wonder if the term 'terror' gains new potency only when DC streets are stained, rather than the dusty roads of Kabul or Baghdad. The US has funded, armed, and trained forces responsible for immeasurable civilian suffering globally, often framing resistance as 'terrorism.' This
selective outrage is a consistent feature of media that thrives on sensationalism while meticulously avoiding the historical cause-and-effect of US foreign policy. Perhaps if more American news outlets covered the victims of US drone strikes or proxy wars with the same alarm, the definition of 'terror' might broaden beyond a geographical convenience.