The mounting propaganda that we are forced to wade through is ever-increasing and in a world dominated by a small number of extreme right-wing media moghuls the control of the media is one akin to the iniquitous control of the land.

The Iraq war is but one example though it is all wrapped up with a total saturation policy which whilst it has often been used has rarely been as successful as in the present day. Many may be under the impression that their opinion of events from the facts they receive is one based on substance because they see so many sources all of which give a similar version of events with a slightly different flavour. They rarely hear any genuine dissent and mistakenly believe that this may mean there is none. The truth is so very different.

John Pilger here touches on the complete whitewashing of the facts to suit the occupying forces in Iraq’s needs and the continued use of the devil-like figure. The invasion of Fallujah, much of the early fighting in Sadr City were all put down to supposed Saddam-loyal insurgents and names like Moqtadr Al Sadr and Al-Zarqawi have been bandied about with little or no analysis or questioning as to where the facts come from. There have been many reports outside the mainstream media that Al-Zarqawi either does not exist or has already been killed. One might initially think this may preclude his use by the US as a universal scapegoat for insurgency but actually it fits their purposes very well because as Pilger describes he can be an elusive Scarlet Pimpernel-like figure, even more effectively than Osama in the caves of Tora Bora.

It is all very easy to deny this is going on, where is the proof etc. and whilst it would be equally easy for me to turn around and level the same criticism back I prefer to try to at least establish a genuine element of doubt in people’s minds. It is more effective if you find these things out for yourself rather than just take my word for it. What I can do is show that at almost every stage of this process the US administration and their UK counterparts have sought to cover up their real agendas with populist claptrap in a vain attempt to get the public not to scrutinise too carefully. At each point their rhetoric has been deconstructed it has been shown to be at best a poor interpretation of sketchy facts and at worst outright lies. The governments have used all their tricks to avoid being held to account on this including sewn-up judicial enquiries to exonerate them from blame whilst placing the onus on the public broadcaster for “mistakes” in reporting. Mistakes which have been shown over time to be in fact truths.

The recent spate of attacks against internal civil liberties clearly show that this government is not going to piss about. You will not deviate from the prescribed view and if you think of doing so we reserve the right to lock you up for 3 months after which time you will not deviate from the prescribed view. If you think of HMP Belmarsh as Room 101, Guantanamo Bay as the Ministry of Fear, then perhaps the parallels are more obvious. Yes, 10-15 years ago things could be bad and I know all too well of the old days of the British justice system “Where a man is innocent until proven Irish” but we never faced such a concerted co-ordinated onslaught on what little freedoms still remain.

If you choose to resist you must face up to what your limits are and how far you wish to push it. Personally I go on marches where I am filmed and photographed by the police, I write this blog which can be viewed by many that may or may not agree with my views. I receive and send emails that I know can be read at any time by either the UK or US authorities, likewise my mobile phone conversations will all go through that same rigorous screening process at listening stations like RAF Menwith Hill. I have perhaps the fortune not to have to adhere to some of the proposed ID legislation in this country because I do not hold a British passport, but it is quite likely that “foreigners” like me who have lived here most of our lives may well be required to sign up to some of it if we wish to remain resident here. Furthermore since I am intrinsically opposed to the whole process I hope I will be able to fight with the same vitriol as if I was in the same parlous state as the British ‘Subjects’, after all, back to Pastor Niemöller, if we don’t all fight now there will be simply less of us for next time.

Song Of The Day ~ Hard-Fi – Hard To Beat

Original Comments:


guile made this comment,
nice, cozy place you got here :)..
-Redbaron responds – Ta, works for me!-

comment added :: 12th October 2005, 09:00 GMT+01