David Marash made headlines when he joined Al-Jazeera in March 2006. At the time, the American reporter promised nine months later that A-Jazeera in English would not be the same as the Arabic network that built its reputation by airing Osama bin Laden propaganda. He rejoiced in his liberation from “blonde of the month” stories.

Now Marash has quit Al-Jazeera after discovering — get ready to be shocked — an anti-American bias! And it didn’t come from the Arabs, either:

Former “Nightline” reporter Dave Marash has quit Al-Jazeera English, saying Thursday his exit was due in part to an anti-American bias at a network that is little seen in this country.

Marash said he felt that attitude more from British administrators than Arabs at the Qatar-based network.

Marash was the highest-profile American TV personality hired when the English language affiliate to Al-Jazeera was started two years ago in an attempt to compete with CNN and the BBC. He said there was a “reflexive adversarial editorial stance” against Americans at Al-Jazeera English.

“Given the global feelings about the Bush administration, it’s not surprising,” Marash said.

But he found it “became so stereotypical, so reflexive” that he got angry.

Who’d have guessed this? Al-Jazeera, angry and stereotypical? I wonder why Osama picked it for his propaganda.

When Marash took the job, his colleagues asked him repeatedly why he would go to work for Al-Jazeera. Perhaps he should have listened to them a little more closely.