They already have a presence in Washington, DC, and have invested heavily in their newsdesk there. The problem is that no cable network will carry them, even though plenty of people would want them carried.

From my time, I would say that America is a land of free thinking and tolerant people, but not the land, and sadly not the land I had wanted it to be. (Am an Arab who had long admired the USA.)

ok good to hear they already have presence. As for no cable network would carry them is different thing. Sounds more like a business process, decision or selling strategy that is probably not as stellar as we would like to see from Al Jazira. If they have a good market, good news (which I am not disagreeing) and good strategy and sales folks, I don't see any reason why they won't be able to go thru any network. Do they give any reason or claim or blame why they are not being carried by any cable/dish network? America is free market economy. It is foolish to blame anyone or anything for someone's failure. Maybe their strategy is wrong. Maybe their market research is wrong. Maybe they are assuming a lot or maybe their assumption is wrong.

I wouldn't get into the technicality of "a land" or "the land". We all get emotional and stuff and there is nothing wrong with that but behind all that if you think quietly you will know it is "the land" of free thinking and tolerant people. I am a Muslim and I can say it from my heart that I am a better Muslim (compared to where and how I was 20 or so years ago) because I live in this country. I can practice my religion the way I want. There is no freakN social pressure. Yes I am sure there are people who don't like me because of my religion or other things. That's not the mainstream America. Those type of people exist anywhere on earth. Can you or I control that? No. So I don't worry about it. My job is to "try" to do the best in life. Seriously, I have been to many different countries and lived and grew with so many different nationals. I still say there is no place on earth I would raise my kids and call it home beside this country, the US.

My friend, you have to read the history of the world and then when you learn the American history you would be wowed by the creation of this country and it's systems. You would appreciate it more. Even an average American, in my opinion, don't fully appreciate meaning of freedom and how this country was formed. Founding of this country was a huge huge turning point for human civilization. That's a fact. Don't try to portray America with what you see on Fox or what Fox or other news org try to tell you. America is lot bigger and richer than that.

I live in the UK (parents were exiled as pro-democracy activists) and appreciate the same freedom of religion that you describe and I experienced in the USA. No social pressure, some people don't like me, but none can stop me and nor can I stop anyone else. This is wonderful.

I spent 5 years in the USA and what I loved the most was to read US history. Living in DC, I joined a bunch of think-tanks and saw how vibrant the political life is. And I was an admirer of the USA because of its amazing history, just as you say.

I just think the USA can do better than it currently is, and closer to what it is capable of being. I think it lost its ideals and drifted from the honour of a republic to the tragedy of an empire. The UK of course has the legacy of a more cruel empire, and no country in the world is free of blemishes. (And the Arab world is a basket case making its own recovery.)

But I just felt so sad when comparing what I saw Americans do - amazing people, such a pleasure to be around - and what their government did in their name - locally and internationally.