A weblog with random thoughts and reflections on society and ecology.
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Friday, March 07, 2003
Fragments - Bush, Iraq & Hitler
Some fragments on hot topics:
It is interesting to follow the news these days - and especially comparing international vs. US media...
European media tend to emphasize the optimism and request for more time from the UN weapons inspectors, Iraqi cooperation, lack of evidence for illegal weapons in Iraq, and the lack of substance in the "evidence" presented by the US and UK. In contrast, US media reflects the Bush government's positions with not much analysis or fair presentation of differing views.
And on that topic, here is an interesting story from Norwegian media:
Arild Linneberg is a professor of communication and was recently interviewed by NRK2, a public broadcast TV station in Norway. Mr. Linneberg has analyzed and compared speeches by Adolf Hitler (prior to WW2) and recent speeches by Mr. Bush. He found strong similarities, especially in terms of rhetorical strategy and content, including the representations of their own position vs. that of the "enemy" (moral superiority and divine support), and justification for going to war (own country's security). To test his findings, he asked his students to identify the author of a speech. His students guessed Bush. In reality, the speech was by Hitler prior to the invasion of Poland in 1939...
A majority of Europeans see Bush as a far greater threat to the world than Saddam Hussein. I suspect that many are struck by the same as I am - when US government officials describe Iraq and other "enemies", the descriptions often seem strikingly appropriate for the US government itself... A classic example of shadow projection.
It is difficult to see how Saddam Hussein currently is a threat, especially considering the UN inspectors currently at work in Iraq... A war will most likely have numerous unfortunate effects, some quite dangerous for the region and the world. It will increase international resentment towards the US, fuel terrorism, bring further suffering to the Iraqi people, and may initiate an escalating and spreading cycle of violence in the region. It will also bring about a serious budget deficit in the US (through transferring tax money to the war industry), and cut into vital services (schools, health care etc). In the US, there seems to be unlimited amount of money for war, but very limited amounts for services essential to a healthy and equitable society...
A list of the questionable acts and policies following the systematic strategy of intimidation by the US government is longer than one person can compile. One example of the current mindframe of the US government is the torture ending in death of prisoners in Afghanistan. This is in addition to the secret arrests, denial of access to lawyers, and indefinite detention we have seen for the last year and a half.
23:36
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