By Barry Rubin
One of the most common themes in media stories in this bizarre era of ours could be called Don’t Worry be Happy! It’s the concept of mass media as valium.
Enemies, threats, Iran nuclear bomb, terrorism, Islamist revolution? Forget it, just illusions.
Here’s an example, a UPI article entitled—the title gives it away, right?—“Hizballah concerns misplaced.” Sure, what’s it matter if Hizballah takes over Lebanon’s government? I mean what could go wrong?
Here’s the lead: “Fears that a victory for the opposition March 8 coalition will give Hezbollah control over the country and its military forces are misplaced, analysts say.”
Cute, isn’t it? I mean it only works if you just interview analysts who say that. And who are these analysts? It’s sort of embarrassing. There are two of them. One is an article in the Gulf newspaper, the National, the other is a well-known—how can I put this delicately?—person friendly to Hizballah, namely Paul Salem, Carnegie Endowment representative in Beirut. Read more ...
One of the most common themes in media stories in this bizarre era of ours could be called Don’t Worry be Happy! It’s the concept of mass media as valium.
Enemies, threats, Iran nuclear bomb, terrorism, Islamist revolution? Forget it, just illusions.
Here’s an example, a UPI article entitled—the title gives it away, right?—“Hizballah concerns misplaced.” Sure, what’s it matter if Hizballah takes over Lebanon’s government? I mean what could go wrong?
Here’s the lead: “Fears that a victory for the opposition March 8 coalition will give Hezbollah control over the country and its military forces are misplaced, analysts say.”
Cute, isn’t it? I mean it only works if you just interview analysts who say that. And who are these analysts? It’s sort of embarrassing. There are two of them. One is an article in the Gulf newspaper, the National, the other is a well-known—how can I put this delicately?—person friendly to Hizballah, namely Paul Salem, Carnegie Endowment representative in Beirut. Read more ...
Source: The Rubin Report
Posts
