Media Bias

Rationale:

The original article is from the Wall Street Journal, which supports the idea of ISIS being responsible for bringing down the Russian jet liner last weekend. The article further supports the ideology that ISIS will become a worldwide threat if not defeated. The rewriting of the article supports the opposite ideology, that ISIS did not "down" the aircraft, as they don't have the capabilities to do so and are not at all a worldwide threat. The original article and my rewritten version support two contradictory ideas, but both use evidence to support it.

Original article URL: 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-terror-warning-in-sinai-1446854602

New article:

ISIS NOT responsible for "downing" Russian passenger jet

Cockpit of the Russian passenger jet prior to take-off.

It may be some time before investigators in Egypt can likely deny claims by Islamic State (ISIS) that it is responsible for the “downing” last weekend of a Russian passenger jet over the Sinai peninsula. Russian commercial carriers have a notorious safety record, and it’s too soon to rule out that a structural or mechanical failure caused the plane to break apart in the sky, killing 224 passengers and crew.

The wife of the co-pilot of the Russian plane that crashed in Egypt says her husband had complained about the plane's condition, according to a Russian TV channel.

State-controlled NTV ran an interview Saturday with Natalya Trukhacheva, who was identified as the wife of co-pilot Sergei Trukachev. She said that a daughter "called him up before he flew out. He complained before the flight that the technical condition of the aircraft left much to be desired." Technical issues could still be a major factor.

As far as ISIS is concerned, The Islamic State group seems to claim responsibility for bringing down the Russian Metrojet plane in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula — but it has have offered no evidence and is not known to have the capability to do so.

Militants in northern Sinai have not to date shot down any commercial airliners or fighter jets but there have been media reports that they have acquired Russian shoulder-fired, anti-aircraft missiles. These missiles, however, are only effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.

Outrage at the tactics of ISIS is certainly justified, but fears that it presents a worldwide security threat are not. Its numbers are small. They work by threatening, but not by carrying out those threats. They seek attention. In February President Obama was asked by the Vox website whether “the media sometimes overstates the level of alarm people should have about terrorism.” “Absolutely,” he replied, adding that level of attention given to terrorism is “all about ratings.” The solution is not to give them attention.