Voice of America to World: Terrorists are freedom fighters

While the U.S. is engaged in a war of ideas against radical Islam and terrorist entities, Voice of America (VOA) refers to terrorists as "rebels." Don Benson, VOA Central News Division editor, defends this policy decision in the official VOA blog by saying,

We (VOA journalists) try to keep in mind that one person's "terrorist" is another person's "freedom fighter," and that there often are political implications in how governments distinguish one group from another.

The example used in the blog is the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK. Even though the PKK engages in acts of terrorism and is recognized by the U.S. government as a terrorist entity, Voice of America refers to the group as "rebels."

Key Facts:

The law states VOA "will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies.”
The U.S. taxpayer provides over $675 million annually for international broadcasting such as the Voice of America.

Major Findings:

Permalink

Senator Tom Coburn

Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, and International Security

340 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510

Phone: 202-224-2254 Fax: 202-228-3796