Greenwald writes: "The most significant problem in political discourse is not that people embrace destructive beliefs after issues are rationally debated. It's that the potency of propaganda, by design, often precludes such debates from taking place."
Saudi King Abdullah with US President Barack Obama. (photo: Mido Ahmed/AFP/Getty Images)
Tyranny and Propaganda in the Middle East
14 January 13
he most significant problem in political discourse is not that people embrace destructive beliefs after issues are rationally debated. It's that the potency of propaganda, by design, often precludes such debates from taking place. Consider how often one hears the claim that the US is committed to spreading democracy and opposing tyranny in the Middle East in light of this fact from a New York Review of Books article by Hugh Eakin reviewing three new books on Saudi Arabia (via As'ad AbuKhalil):
"The US does more trade - overwhelmingly in oil and weapons - with Saudi Arabia than any other country in the Middle East, including Israel, and depends on close Saudi cooperation in its counterterrorism efforts in Yemen."
Indeed, President Obama has repeatedly touted what he calls "the strong partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia" and "the importance of our bilateral relationship" and often vows "to continue cooperating closely on a range of issues".
In other words, the single most repressive regime in that region is also America's closest ally. Eakin also notes that while Saudi leaders have exploited the rhetoric of the Arab Spring to undermine leaders its dislikes (primarily in Syria and Iran), its only direct action was to send its troops into Bahrain "to stave off a popular revolt and prop up the Bahraini monarchy" and use "its influence in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the alliance of autocratic Persian Gulf states, to pull together support for the beleaguered royal houses of Morocco and Jordan." About all of this Saudi bolstering of tyranny, Eakin says: "The White House has remained silent."
Actually, that's not quite accurate. The US has been there every step of the way with its close Saudi allies in strengthening these same tyrannies. As the Bahraini regime has systematically killed, tortured, and imprisoned its own citizens for the crime of demanding democracy, the Obama administration has repeatedly armed it and trumpeted the regime as "a vital US partner in defense initiatives" and "a Major Non-NATO Ally". The US continues to be a close partner of the Yemeni dictator ("elected" as the only candidate allowed on the ballot). And it stands as steadfastly as ever behind the Gulf State monarchies of Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar as, to varying degrees, they repress democratic movements and imprison dissidents.
There is, of course, a long-standing debate about whether there's anything wrong with the US supporting and allying itself with repressive regimes. A popular strain of foreign policy thought has long held that the US should be guided primarily by self-interest rather than human rights concerns: hence, since the US wants its Fifth Fleet to remain in Bahrain and believes (with good reason) that these dictators will serve US interests far better than if popular will in these countries prevails, it is right to prop up these autocrats.
That's all well and good, but then there should be nobody willing to believe US political leaders when they claim that they are engaging in military action or otherwise interfering in other parts of the world in order to subvert despotism and spread democracy. When President Obama stands up and says - as he did when he addressed the nation in February 2011 about Libya - that "the United States will continue to stand up for freedom, stand up for justice, and stand up for the dignity of all people", it should trigger nothing but a scornful fit of laughter, not credulous support (by the way, not that anyone much cares any more, but here's what is happening after the Grand Success of the Libya Intervention: "Tribal and historical loyalties still run deep in Libya, which is struggling to maintain central government control in a country where armed militia wield real power and meaningful systems of law and justice are lacking after the crumbling of Gaddafi's eccentric personal rule").
The US is not committed to spreading democracy and freedom in the world. "Freedom" and "democracy" are concepts it exploits to undermine regimes that refuse to serve its interests. Indeed, there is virtually an inverse relationship between how democratic a country is in the Muslim world and how closely allied the US is to it.
Yes, all of this is obvious and not novel to point out. Still, it needs to be pointed out because of how often the US government succeeds in leading people to believe that these are its goals. It's just extraordinary that so many people are willing to believe and advocate that the US ever acts in the world with the goal of undermining tyranny when "the US does more trade - overwhelmingly in oil and weapons - with Saudi Arabia than any other country in the Middle East". That this blatant sham is so widely accepted is a testament to the potency of propaganda, bolstered by the willingness of people to embrace self-flattering claims.
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The American public is largely uninterested in the details of American foreign policy, preferring to line up with Democrats or Republicans based on nothing more substantial than propaganda.
Because the GOP is so horrendous, Obama and the Democrats get a free pass on virtually everything they do by their supporters, who simply ignore the war crimes and the lies.
And, underlying all the dread in the dreadful: unending karlroving style MSDing (manipulating, spinning, distracting) a.k.a. propoganda. Keep we the sheeple dumbed down they do and will. Say it often enough, and aim it at an eleven year old mind, and the naive dummies, including but certainly not limited to all knee jerk G.O.P. and Dem. voters, will believe it.
Promoting democracy in the mid-East. Duh! Especially with our so-called 'democracy' now in the toilet, along with rule of law. But, we the sheeple are now fully crippled with MSD, and naive moreso than ever before, with folks in every corner of the globe scorning and disgusted plus with us, for our greed and power over all addicted constant, unending warmode for $$$$$ into the coffers of the 1% villainaire rulers.
Now the theory. More than once I gHave heard an oil executive say that they believe that the Saudi's for some reason are closly associated with Obama. They point out that only big money could have gotten a "C" student at Occidental College into Harvard and paid the cost. A large donation could easily get someone the platform at the Democratic convention. Obama has avoided attacking Global Warming, which the oil industry, especially the Saudi's appreciate.
In short, OBama and the Saudi's go way back, and their money may control his actions.
Sure, Tom, because the immensely powerful Obama family, which consisted of one single parent and no one else, used its vast, global influence to pressure the Saudi Kingdom into backing an anonymous twenty-somethin g college student and they agreed because it was undeniable that a quarter century later that particular student would definitely be the first black president of the United States. Maybe the Saudis also planted the birth notices in two Honolulu papers to fake a birth certificate forty plus years before any controversy arose?
It's all about oil and military hardware sales to Arabic nations and Israel alike, and anybody else who will buy them in the area and in the rest of the world, innit.
Remember these revolting photos of Dimwits holding hands in a sudden spate of "Cultural correctness and awareness", with prince Saud? ASnd the emergency flights laid on for the Saudi elites from Bluegrass Filed in Lexington KY, when American airspace was closed post 9-11?
Perhaps we'll see US diplomats (or the NRA brass) invited to a lavish public ceremony in Riyadh's "Chop-chop square". It's a wonder that they haven't brought out a video of a public beheading and dismemberments.
It seems like Obama is at also walking gingerly in this shadow of deceit and perpetrating the myth of benign tolerance of theocratic totalitarians many times worse than the hated Iran, whilst still supporting Israel unconditionally.
this is what is called "Diplomacy".
There's nothing simple when it comes to the role of the US Government. We wish it were black and white, but in reality it is a palette of grays. That's the problem with travel. Simple beliefs often based on propaganda, confront the world of reality.
IMHO, the US and Democracy will have little effect on making deep change in the Middle East, regardless of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Middle East has its own history, traditions, will and way.
Most of the US "foreign aid" is MILITARY AID
Israel, Afghanistan, Iraq --- like ANOTHER 10+ billions of dollars that should be part of DOD budget. Ans for 2013 this military aid is going up Israel 3075 million to 3100 million. With 6 million people - over $1200 per family - US pay for Israeli military more than Israeli taxpayer.
Agreed to a point -I've been in the area too, but I refused a position in Saudi Arabia that would have made me rich; I was interviewed in a huge hotel suite in London by the saudi minister of finance, entourage and visible harem. I just couldn't bring myself to be a prisoner in Riyadh for two or three years. And you can hardly compare Jordan and Saudi-A.
And the US military has admitted both ignorance and contempt for the area's mores -after invasion!
This piece should be required reading for high school students.
Worldwide. Including the Americas, Europe, Africa and the ME.
Then, with the world in shock, they made up a bogus story scapegoating Muslims, justifying the subsequent military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Is there not a new word to define countries like America and Israel which define themselves boastfully as democracies because they have so-called 'free elections', yet defy many of the criteria associated with a true democracy and are even serial abusers of human rights and international law?
As the gun lobby does all the time, some groups have a standing interest in preventing discussion of fundamental issues because it undermines their basic assertions and therefore their credibility.
And we're not even trying!
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