MEDIA ROOTS- If anyone had any doubt that the morals of our governors in Washington are as flexible and flimsy as a half-chewed rubber band, then they need look no further than Obama & Co.’s disparate, polar-opposite approaches to the twin tyrants of Egypt and Libya.
When democracy ‘threatened’ (as Washington political elites saw it) to break out in Egypt recently, President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton, and most Republicans looked on with great consternation and apprehension. One of our closest allies in the Middle East, torturer and tyrant Hosni Mubarak, was in danger of being toppled from his throne by the Egyptian rabble. Our government had no idea whatsoever how to handle this unusual state of affairs.
Mubarak, after all, has been a loyal supporter of US foreign policy in the Middle East, a strong ally in the region for decades, and someone our government felt it could control- unlike the Iranians, for example. Losing Mubarak in Egypt would introduce uncertainty into the region, something American power elites hate and fear much more than any tin-pot dictator; and it would allow the Egyptian people to choose a new leader, perhaps one not as subservient to Washington as our politicians and military would like.
“Shall we give Mubarak more money and bombs to stay in power?” “Shall we publicly claim to support the Egyptian public while maneuvering behind the scenes to prop up our loyal dictator-friend?” “Maybe we quickly replace Mubarak with a new and improved despot, with a bright and shiny smile, to appease these people.” One can imagine that these were the kinds of things going through the minds of our political leaders at the time.
The silence publicly emanating from Washington in the early days of the Egyptian Uprising was deafening. Then, after the insipid silence, came mealy-mouthed and meaningless mumbo jumbo designed to please everyone, while satisfying no one.
Obama tried to sound diplomatic, telling both sides of the growing conflict in Egypt to do the right thing, to let events play themselves out, and to behave responsibly. This mindless drivel and gutless pontificating angered Egyptian democracy activists, who were expecting the US government to pay more than just lip service to their professed democratic ideals.
Yet, many Americans pretend to support democracy while aggressively undermining it around the world. In fact, our government has turned such activity into an art form–no one does it better, or with greater style and aplomb.
Dictators, tyrants, despots and wannabe autocrats across the globe stand in awe at our accomplishments in this field of endeavor: we invade country after country, we continually wage multiple wars, we maintain hundreds of military garrisons spread through the vast majority of the world’s countries, we provide munitions and money to countless dictatorships, we steal the oil and natural gas of other countries shamelessly and continuously, and we lie, cheat and steal to our hearts’ content.
Then, our government proudly proclaims to the world, and to the rubes back in the US, that we worship the word of The People, that we are “The Greatest Democracy In The World,” pillars of the global community, Gods of Liberty and Fountains of Freedom.
We do this effortlessly, convincingly and apparently, sincerely. It is an awe-inspiring act worthy of Shakespeare. The level of hypocrisy, coupled with some self-deception, is truly staggering. Mind boggling. A monument to prevarication that would put the builders of the Great Pyramids to shame for artfulness, audacity and craftsmanship.
Let us now turn to the case of Libya’s Moammar Khadafy, a tyrant we don’t like because we can’t control him. He doesn’t do what we say. He won’t follow our orders. He refuses to give preferential treatment to our corporations. He snubs the CIA. He won’t allow us to pock his land with US military installations. He is simply incorrigible.
What is to be done with such a man?
Well, Ronald Reagan, who loved a good tyrant (the bloodier the better, of course– take Philippine blood-lover Ferdinand Marcos) knew that Khadafy wouldn’t take marching orders from Washington. So, he did what countless others in the Oval Office, before him did to recalcitrant adversaries– he bombed him.
He missed Khadafy, but killed his infant daughter. Blew her to smithereens. Blatant terrorism. Illegal act of war. Horrible violation of international law. But US presidents routinely commit acts of murder without prejudice, and this case was no different.
Now, Khadafy’s people are rising up against him, and Obama & Co. are licking their lips at their good fortune. The President (shortly after slipping on the angel’s halo which all U.S. presidents have fitted themselves with for a century) declared that he is simply “appalled” at this tin pot dictator’s actions (according to The San Francisco Chronicle and Associated Press); Secretary Clinton roars that this nonsense must stop RIGHT NOW!; the U.S. Corporate Press thunders their denunciation of this evil demagogue who MUST BE STOPPED from hurting his people and destroying the delicate leaves of a blooming democracy before they can take root.
(Military action, as of this writing, has been launched against Libya, with President Obama set to go before the nation to tell Americans why the United States is now involved in three separate wars across the Middle East. Four wars actually, if you count Pakistan.)
And on and on.
It is a sad state of affairs of course, for the nation that introduced the world to Tom Paine, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. And no doubt, these fine gentlemen are looking down from their place in the starry firmament with no small amount of disgust and anger, right now; for betraying one’s own stated principles is the worst kind of fraud imaginable.
I wish the people of Libya, Egypt and all the other nations of the Middle East much good fortune in their quest for freedom. But my message to those brave souls is this: You may or may not receive help (and could be actively undermined) from the government of the United States in your continued quest for democratic freedoms. Everything that our government does, especially in the Middle East, is strategic and control-based and dependent upon political, economic and social considerations, which can change quickly and without warning.
So be warned: conniving Washington politicians sailing the ship of state have had no problem in the past throwing Lady Democracy overboard to make room for more Middle East oil. They are perfectly capable of supporting another dictator just like the ones you’ve been overthrowing, and will, if it serves the interests of America’s political and economic elite.
Written by Tom J. Wright
Photo by flickr user Muhammad
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MEDIA ROOTS- If anyone had any doubt that the morals of our governors in Washington are as flexible and flimsy as a half-chewed rubber band, then they need look no further than Obama & Co.’s disparate, polar-opposite approaches to the twin tyrants of Egypt and Libya.
GUARDIAN