US reporter faces backlash over 'horrific' remarks on sarin attacks against Syrians, Muslims

US reporter faces backlash over 'horrific' remarks on sarin attacks against Syrians, Muslims
Julia Ioffe said: "It's one thing for sarin gas to be used on people in far away Syria who are Muslim and who are of a different culture but what is Europe going to do when it's used on European soil on Europeans?"
3 min read
18 March, 2022
CNN is the latest US media outlet to face accusations of xenophobic comments while covering the Ukraine conflict [Getty]

Comments made live on CNN by US journalist Julia Ioffe comparing the value of Syrian and European lives have caused uproar on social media.

In the latest controversial comparison made between conflicts in the MENA region and the current Russian invasion taking place on European soil, the Ioffe asked:

"So what is NATO going to do if - you know, it's one thing for sarin gas to be used on people in far away Syria who are Muslim and who are of a different culture but what is Europe going to do when it's used on European soil on Europeans?"

Her comments were  picked up by Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who responded saying "I can't believe this has to be stated, but suggesting it's ok to use sarin gas on people who are Muslim or Syrian is sick and evil." 

The Representative wrote in a since-deleted tweet, "Let's hope there is an explanation forthcoming from Julia Ioffe because this clip as it stands is horrific and can't be left without condemnation."

Ioffe responded on Twitter, refuting allegations of racism saying that her comments were meant to highlight inconsistencies in “racist and xenophobic logic” that has informed the approach of American and European governments. 

The veteran Russian-American reporter, who has worked for the Atlantic, the New Yorker and Politico, argued that the clip took her comments "out of context".

When Twitter users shared the full transcript, however, concerns remained that her comments took insufficient care in using Muslim and Syrian lives as a talking point - in the context of prior reporting on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Reporter for the Huffington Post covering Islamophobia and immigration, Roweida Abdulaziz, lamented the overall picture for US coverage - and the "carelessness" with which Muslim lives are discussed in order to frame the European war. 

"There is still plenty to be said about the Islamophobic & xenophobic double standards of this war - Muslims being used as political talking points and how Muslims and people of color need to be extremely careful with their words while others can speak without fear of repercussions," she tweeted.