Consideration should be given as to whether there are other, more machievellian forces at work in this storm in a tea cup, particularly as to how ripe it is to being used to support and advance the neo-con agenda.
The recent cartoon protests should be viewed with sceptism, suspicion and doubt.
The wider political motivation behind these cartoons should be considered carefully.
As should consideration and reflection be given regarding how and why the massive worldwide media machine rolled into action was engaged so effectively, in an act of "full-spectrum dominance" in ensuring every God-fearing Muslim in the world was made aware of the cartoons in the first place.
The independent spontaneity of the protests, that fast turned into full-blown riots is also in question. As we all know, the use of undercover agents provacateur is rife in such mass gatherings of people.
When it comes to the battle for public opinion, when an embassy is attacked (and that attack becomes something of a worldwide phenomenon), it is liable to make that particular embassies citizens that little bit more malleable when it comes to garnering support to combat that aggression through assorted crackdowns, economic sanctions, trade blockades etc. Precipitate or encourage (or at least do little to prevent) attacks on the embassys of the respective countries and you multiply the anger, and thus the strength, of any fledgling coalition that is subsequently formed to quell the apparent uprisings.
Given that embassys and consulates are usually regarded as sovereign territory and any attacks against them are thus open to being regarded as tantamount to a personal attack on the countries concerned, the clear danger is that it wouldn't take that much more of a stretch of credulity and a leap of logic (plus a hefty seasoning of propaganda, hell they've done it countless times before!) for these attacks to start to be talked about as "acts of war", rather than 'mere' heated protests and rioting.
When the government of self-interest moves the debate on a notch, and starts linking that kind of talk with rhetoric tailor-made to try and connect the international protests with alleged financial and strategic support of one form or another from the next country (or countries) on Bush's list, then the west will have clearly won a yet larger chunk of public opinion 'on-side' and moved a hair-trigger closer to final justification to war.
The wider political motivation behind these cartoons should be considered carefully.
As should consideration and reflection be given regarding how and why the massive worldwide media machine rolled into action was engaged so effectively, in an act of "full-spectrum dominance" in ensuring every God-fearing Muslim in the world was made aware of the cartoons in the first place.
The independent spontaneity of the protests, that fast turned into full-blown riots is also in question. As we all know, the use of undercover agents provacateur is rife in such mass gatherings of people.
When it comes to the battle for public opinion, when an embassy is attacked (and that attack becomes something of a worldwide phenomenon), it is liable to make that particular embassies citizens that little bit more malleable when it comes to garnering support to combat that aggression through assorted crackdowns, economic sanctions, trade blockades etc. Precipitate or encourage (or at least do little to prevent) attacks on the embassys of the respective countries and you multiply the anger, and thus the strength, of any fledgling coalition that is subsequently formed to quell the apparent uprisings.
Given that embassys and consulates are usually regarded as sovereign territory and any attacks against them are thus open to being regarded as tantamount to a personal attack on the countries concerned, the clear danger is that it wouldn't take that much more of a stretch of credulity and a leap of logic (plus a hefty seasoning of propaganda, hell they've done it countless times before!) for these attacks to start to be talked about as "acts of war", rather than 'mere' heated protests and rioting.
When the government of self-interest moves the debate on a notch, and starts linking that kind of talk with rhetoric tailor-made to try and connect the international protests with alleged financial and strategic support of one form or another from the next country (or countries) on Bush's list, then the west will have clearly won a yet larger chunk of public opinion 'on-side' and moved a hair-trigger closer to final justification to war.
Comments
Hide the following 18 comments
Finger Pointing
07.02.2006 04:08
The propaganda factor
One aspect that these governments might also want to examine is how they can counter false information.
Twelve cartoons were originally published by Jyllands-Posten. None showed the Prophet with the face of a pig. Yet such a portrayal has circulated in the Middle East (The BBC was caught out and for a time showed film of this in Gaza without realizing it was not one of the 12).
The finger of suspicion has been pointed at a delegation of Danish Muslim leaders who went to the Middle East in November to publicise the cartoons. The visit was organised by Abu Laban, a leading Muslim figure in Denmark.
According to the Danish paper Ekstra Bladet, the delegation took along a pamphlet showing the 12 drawings. But the delegation also showed a number of other pictures which they claimed had insulted Muslims in Denmark. These also got into circulation.
Western diplomats appear to have missed this entirely and seem to have made no attempt to counter some of the arguments in the pamphlet or to distinguish between the various portrayals.
It might not have made much difference but it shows how rapidly propaganda can add to fuel to the fire.
Uh Oh
This is what the build up to War with Iran looks like
07.02.2006 05:18
A London demo. A handful of placards, ALL written by the same hand, and ALL carried by the same tiny number of people, dressed very differently from the rest of the crowd. Even better, this little group happily posed for photos taken for use by the Mass Media, with some of the same people helpfully even appearing with different placards at different times.
THESE PLACARDS WERE AS GENUINE AS THE PHOTOS OF IRAQI TORTURE THAT APPEARED IN THE MIRROR NEWSPAPER. Needless to say, the people responsible for the psy-op in The Mirror were not prosecuted, but then the government hardly takes its own agents to trial.
The printing of the cartoons across Europe was a well co-ordinated plan. The muslim response, however, was certainly not left to chance.
People can argue how useful it was to Hitler's agenda to demonise the jews with written and visual propaganda. Did that really make it easier for him to use force against them? Well, you have the same thing today with Blair, and the muslims. YOU may think that Blair gains little by demonising them this way, but for Blair, every little really does help. And if he needs ANOTHER 'Reichstag Fire', well few will feel suprised when a bunch of muslim patsies apparently engage in some terrible act of terrorism.
You have been promised a war with Iran. Are you really suprised at what the build up to this war entails?
twilight
here we go again
07.02.2006 10:34
There could and are plants but there are enough religous bigots and macho pricks around that it's not always necessary - particularly bishops, popes, priests, drug suppliers and generally people in and who crave power and material wealth ( with no sense of irony as was said ) .
These are modern religions with a mix of the supernatural and greek philosophy plus the usual bigotry and army raising.
Truth in them there cartoons. So bomb me violent fascist losers trying to stop free speech. Just cause the other right wingers have seized on it doesn't mean it here isn't some truth there as borne out by your actions.
'Bad' people on all sides.
Now try this one:-
Here's a link to some pornography. Discuss:-
jessica rabbit
TWILIGHT
07.02.2006 11:09
J&P
Wake up
07.02.2006 11:09
Newspapers love circulationa and controvosey, this is why they are reprinting the pictures and stories, not, as twilight suggests, to create more friction.
And yet more evidence that twilight knows nothing about what he/she is talking about - the "psy-ops" in The Mirror? well, sure, they were pictures of Iraqi abuse, but they showed abuse OF Iraqis BY British soldiers. The Establishment did have a reason to "[take] its own agents to trial", and attempted to discredit them. This they succeeded in doing, because the pictures in this instance were faked (though abuse is real and continuing).
Back to the protests, and the group described cant necessarily be traced to any organisation other than their own - there's no evidence, just idle speculation and rumours worthy of "this-guy-in-the-pub-told-me" stories. There are always more violent and vociferous groups at protests - ones who agitate for the sheer joy of getting into a fight - the 'mob-rule element' who anger and annoy even their fellow protestors and play into the hands of the agents provocateurs and reactionary press.
In a protest of religious anger, its inevitable that there would be many of such people, and even a small group will gain press attention in their drive for attention and the press's obsession with "the story".
Is it the wrok of government agitators when Christian fundamentalists protest about percieved violations of their religion? No? Then why do you think this is the case with Muslims? Because they are "the enemy" as portrayed by the press, and automatically your allies because you hate the Establishment so much? If so you've fallen for the propaganda yourself, just as badly as that redneck I saw in Arizona with "Boycott France!" written on his bumper.
There is no black and white, those who protest and get angry about a (quite crude and idiotic) cartoon are trying to stifle free speech just as much as those who introduced the religious hatred bill and the laws restricting free association and assembly.
The Last Bondsman
Another example of propaganda
07.02.2006 11:27
At the time, if I remember rightly, there was some vandalism of Jewish property by young Arabs in Paris in retaliation for Israeli action in Palestine. There were also one or two incidents elsewhere in Europe. These were actions that could be considered predictable given the situation at that time in the middle-east with the two communities in conflict.
Recently, a think-tank called Civitas said something which seemed to clear up this mystery. They said that after the spate of vandalism in Paris one of the EU institutions commissioned a report. The report stated that the vandalism was committed by Muslim youths. Civitas make the claim (I cannot authenticate this of course) that this EU body came to the conclusion, in their politically correct wisdom, that they did not want to inflame Muslim opinion so they changed the wording of the report so that the guilty party was, of course, the far-right.
It seems that this little EU report, full of truth and verity, found it's way into the hands of the pro-Israeli lobby in the US. Wanting to widen the gap between the US administration and the more Palestinian sympathetic Europeans they used the report to further their own agenda. Hence, in the minds of many Americans, the Nazis were marching once again.
It just shows how a little falseness can go a long way.
A
Mass-hysteria by mass-media
07.02.2006 12:18
Frodo
Another example of propaganda
07.02.2006 12:35
At the time, if I remember rightly, there was some vandalism of Jewish property by young Arabs in Paris in retaliation for Israeli action in Palestine. There were also one or two incidents elsewhere in Europe. These were actions that could be considered predictable given the situation at that time in the middle-east with the two communities in conflict.
Recently, a think-tank called Civitas said something which seemed to clear up this mystery. They said that after the spate of vandalism in Paris one of the EU institutions commissioned a report. The report stated that the vandalism was committed by Muslim youths. Civitas make the claim (I cannot authenticate this of course) that this EU body came to the conclusion, in their politically correct wisdom, that they did not want to inflame Muslim opinion so they changed the wording of the report so that the guilty party was, of course, the far-right.
It seems that this little EU report, full of truth and verity, found it's way into the hands of the pro-Israeli lobby in the US. Wanting to widen the gap between the US administration and the more Palestinian sympathetic Europeans they used the report to further their own agenda. Hence, in the minds of many Americans, the Nazis were marching once again.
It just shows how a little falseness can go a long way.
A
RELIGION=WAR
07.02.2006 13:04
destroy religion
Have....
07.02.2006 13:15
Anarchkit
Civitas = PRopaganda
07.02.2006 13:27
Danny
Precedence
07.02.2006 16:25
In light of the furor (possibly manufactured) over the Muslim cartoons published in the European papers, it would be valuable to remind people of an earlier incident involving cartoons that fanned a lot of racial unrest, only to be revealed as a government plot intended to do just that.
Europe's Defamation of the Prophet
by Mohamed Khodr
(Sunday February 05 2006)
"...the only freedom of speech left in the west is bashing Islam otherwise it does have its limits."
"O Mankind, We created you from a single pair of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you"
-- Quran 49:13
“In the developed countries there is a poverty of intimacy, a poverty of spirit, of loneliness, of lack of love. There is no greater sickness in the world today than that one."
-- Mother Teresa
The malicious, false depiction of Prophet, Muhammad (P), in defamatory cartoons published in Denmark’s Jylland-Posten then deliberately re-published in other European papers can only be understood as a renaissance of the Inquisition. Such defamation of the Prophet must be met with a civil lawsuit. A civil lawsuit squarely meets the legal requirement under Denmark’s and Europe’s “Defamatory Law.” The basic idea of defamation law is simple. It’s an attempt to balance the private right to protect one's reputation with the public right to freedom of speech.
According to the American and English Encyclopedia of Law, a libel is a malicious defamation expressed either by writing or printing or by signs, pictures, effigies or the like; tending to blacken the memory of one who is dead, or to impeach the honesty, integrity, virtue or reputation.
In Denmark, defamation provisions exist in the criminal code, dividing libel into two categories; “accusations” and “offensive words or conduct”. The latter category is not subject to proof of truth. Both types of criminal defamation require malicious intent. [1]
Under the Danish Constitution, Freedom of Expression is found under section 77. It states:
"Any person shall be at liberty to publish his ideas in print, in writing, and in speech, subject to being held responsible in a court of law”.
Under the Responsibility of Media Act (Act no. 348 of June 6, 1991), the author, publisher, and editors are responsible for their actions under the law. AND:
“While carrying out their tasks mass-media should recognize the need to take the individual citizens rights to personal integrity into account and recognize the need of non-infringement without due course”.
The updated Media Liability Act of1992 includes sections on Press Ethics entitled: “The National code of Conduct:” adopted by the Danish Parliament. The rules comprise all editorial materials (text and picture) published in the written periodical press...(that) comprise persons mentioned and depicted; including deceased persons…The Code requires that the press publish factual information, especially if susceptible to personal bias or tortuous intention which may be prejudicial or insulting to others.
Additionally, the Danish Penal Code: Section 266b States:
"Any person who publicly or with the intention of dissemination to a wide circle of people makes a statement or imparts other information threatening, insulting, or degrading a group of persons on account of their race, color, or national or ethnic origin, belief" or sexual orientation shall be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years."
According to the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC):
"The terms "statement or other information" should be interpreted broadly. They cover both oral and written expressions, pictures, "CARICATURES".
For thirteen centuries Europe has never fathomed Islam and has defamed the moral character of its Messenger Muhammad (pbuh)--9/11 was the cataclysmic excuse to re-launch the Inquisition against Muslims--“convert to our civilized aspiritual secularism where “sacredness” is dead or reap the political, economic, media, and military onslaught. If “God is Dead” in our society, so must your faith be killed.”
Indeed the only freedom of speech left in the west is bashing Islam otherwise it does have its limits. In Europe you can be prosecuted for questioning the extant of the Holocaust or criticizing Israel’s policy given western indoctrination that such “freedom” is Anti-Semitic.” Israel and its bloody history is now the “Holy Grail” for the civilized west, the champions of human rights.
Being civilized begins with education and manifests in rational behavior. The rampant ignorance of Islam in Europe leads to an irrational fear and thus prejudice. Descartes would turn in his grave if he knows that his motto has been transformed into “I don’t think, therefore I’m civilized.”
Prophetically the famed Danish Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) described the misuse of freedom of speech as:
“People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid.”
Freedom of Speech is selectively determined by governments, corporate medias who decide what’s seen and heard by the masses, the military-industrial complex, and corrupt politicians beholden to special interest money. Recently, freedom of lying speech allowed the powerful few Neocons, mostly Jewish, to influence the invasion of Iraq([search]) to secure Oil and Israel’s interests. America’s occupation of MidEast oil will prevent the rise of competitive powers and manipulate the economies of Europe, India, and China As William Hearst, the American media baron, declared to his reporters prior to the Spanish-American war: “you provide the pictures, I’ll provide the war.’ The “free” media has become the dumbed down “Delphi Oracle” of knowledge, opinions, and policies for the western masses.
In western history, God is the instrument for war, colonization, slavery, genocide and the Holocaust. Pope Urban II, Hitler, Theodore Herzl, and Bush([search]) Jr. publicly proclaimed doing God’s work while privately theft and death were on their minds.
Samuel Huntington, the historian and author of “Clash of Civilizations” described western avarice for land and wealth through military adventurism as: “The West won the world not by the superiority of its ideas or values or religion but rather by its superiority in applying organized violence. Westerners often forget this fact, non-Westerners never do."
Europe is shocked at Muslim anger when it’s the Muslims who are shocked by Europe’s depleted morality, sacredness, and respect of the “other.”
Freedom of speech is the western cloak and truest weapon of destruction; for missiles kill instantly while insults have a historical life, much like the Crusades.
Whitney Moore, Jr. in describing the western demonizing of the inferior “other” said: “We create an environment where it is alright to hate, to steal, to cheat, and to lie if we dress it up with symbols of respectability, dignity and love”.
Protests against European nations whose medias defamed the Prophet must be peaceful. The lives and properties of westerners must be respected and protected. However, Muslims must use all legal, political, and diplomatic means against such nations along with a stringent boycott of all their products. European governments must condemn these offensive cartoons but Muslims must understand that unlike our autocratic governments they don’t control the “free” press, some whose agenda is light the fire between Christianity and Islam.
The greatest harm to Islam in the eyes of the world is committed by Muslim terrorism against the innocent through murder or hijacking. Resist only the aggressors; that is true Islam.
The west has invaded and occupied our lands, killed our families, robbed our resources, decimated our language and culture, humiliated our humanity and marginalized our faith, and we’ve been silent far too long; but now we draw a line in the sand at the desecration of our Holy Qur’an and the insulting of our beloved Prophet.Enough is enough. It’s time you respected our faith and humanity, withdraw from our lands, stop supporting your dictators, and deal with us as equals. Let’s pray your humanity supersedes your worldly passions and greed before it’s too late. The majority in this world want peace, it’s time we demand it forcefully from our governments, and not Neo Cons, a biased media, and bought politicians determine our destiny. Muslims are willing to die for their faith, what is the west willing to die for? God is indeed Great.
Note:
[1].
Criminal Defamation Laws and the Right to Freedom of Expression
Joint Amicus Brief of Interights and Article 19 in Constitutional case N 16/98
EXPOSED: UPDATE - MPACUK Digs & Finds Israeli Zionist Axel Owns German Newspaper!
Rating:starstarstarstarstar / 60%
TELEGRAPH journalists could have to adhere to a string of publishing principles -- including registering support for the state of Israel -- if German publishing giant Pro Israeli Axel Springer takes over the newspaper.
As usual Zionists have been quick to stoke the flames and add to the insult. It was an alert member of the public, who posted on our comments section that first tipped us off to the Israeli connection to the attacks on the Prophet PBUH. The brothers name is Bilal Patel and his comment is tucked away in the hundreds of comments and emails we have had on our site. We thank him for being vigilant in this Jihad!
Here MPACUK exposes for the first time in Britain the Zionist owner of the German paper which reprinted the highly Islamaphobic pictures of the Prophet PBUH. Once again MPACUK are the first Muslim group to get to the truth. Imagine readers if only our mosques were as vigilant and active, 2000 groups would be protecting the Ummah instead of one.
Proving once again that Zionists are the biggest cause of Islamaphobia in the world today.
Please do not fall into "non Muslims hate us" trap that they want you too. Blame the perpertrators of the attack and wake up to their evil. The general European is as ignorant as you are of who and why the paper is attacking the Prophet PBUH.
Fund or join MPAC, we cannot forever fight such a great enemy on such meagre resources. Protect the Prophet PBUH now and in the future.
THE GAME IS TO PIT MUSLIMS & EUROPEANS AGAINST EACH OTHER. DONT FALL FOR IT!
Springer whose executives visited London yesterday to quiz Telegraph managers about the paper and its stablemates, the Sunday Telegraph and the Spectator -- includes the Israel pledge on its website under "publishing principles".
The group says it is determined "to promote reconciliation of Jews and Germans and support the vital rights of the State of Israel".
A biography of the company's eponymous founder notes that he made his first visit to Israel in July 1966, a year before Israel seized the Jordan-controlled West Bank territory.
Journalists on one of Springer's titles today confirmed there was a statement in staff contracts referring to Israel.
Springer is making its bid for the Telegraph's parent company, Hollinger International, in conjunction with the Israeli billionaire Haim Saban, who is believed to have his eye on another of the company's assets, the Jerusalem Post.
The Telegraph became notably pro-Israel under the chairmanship of outgoing proprietor Conrad Black, whose Jewish wife, Barbara Amiel, left, has written trenchantly in support of the Israeli cause.
But its present editorial stance on Europe may be affected if Springer is successful in taking over the group for a reputed £700m.
The Berlin-based company's website says the firm vows "to uphold liberty and law in Germany, a country belonging to the Western family of nations, and to further the unification of Europe".
In common with much of the rightwing press, the Telegraph has been persistently Eurosceptic, with the Sunday Telegraph including a weekly column by Christopher Booker devoted to vilifying EU policy.
Such explicit political goals are unheard of among newspaper proprietors in the UK, although many have strong political editorial agendas.
The company's website also states it is committed to the "transatlantic alliance", adding a pro-American clause to its list of principles the day after the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11 2001.
The following year the company even endowed a "George H W Bush Fellowship", enabling US political experts to engage in research at the American Academy in Berlin.
Under Lord Black -- who filled his board with American neo-conservative hawks such as former secretary of state Henry Kissinger and Richard Perle, the former chairman of the defence policy board -- the Telegraph has been pro-American in outlook.
When Lord Black stepped down as Hollinger's chief executive in November, the former Sunday Telegraph editor Sir Peregrine Worsthorne complained he had cut the Telegraph adrift from traditional English conservatism.
"He's turned the Telegraph into an American-propaganda and Israel-propaganda sheet, which I don't agree with," Sir Peregrine said.
"I think his doctrinaire, almost blind support for America in the Iraq war has given the Telegraph a narrowness of vision that makes it a less impressive newspaper than it should be."
Whatever its politics, the ambitions of the Springer group -- which owns Die Welt and the mass-market tabloid Bild -- are not in doubt.
"In the sixth decade of its existence, Axel Springer Verlag is transforming itself from a German print publisher to an international media company," the company's website says.
The group already publishes more than a hundred newspapers and magazines and various special issues outside Germany.
It has interests in France, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal and has expanded eastwards -- to Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and even Bulgaria.
Springer even has a subsidiary in Russia, while in Romania it has a stake in the country's second largest magazine publisher.
Behind this huge empire is the figure of Friede Springer, the 61-year-old widow of the founder, who controls 55.4% of the company's voting rights.
She met Axel Springer while serving as an au pair for the Springer household and went on to join the company's board in 1984, a year before her husband's death.
Her say will be crucial in deciding the strategy adopted by the chief executive, Mathias Döpfner, as he attempts his most spectacular move yet, one that would see Springer make its first leap outside continental Europe.
By Chris Tryhorn, the Guardian
COINTELPRO
The Sabotage Of Legitimate Dissent
The Black Panther Coloring Book
SAD
Danish Imans busted
07.02.2006 17:42
freddie
Danish Racist torturers busted
07.02.2006 18:34
Yeah, right. Fuck the Danish Nazi collaborators, fuck the British SS Scum.
Danish officers recalled over torture
Officer sparks Danish torture row
Danish agent faces torture claim
Danny
Re: Religion
07.02.2006 20:11
07.02.2006 13:04
Religions are the enemies of the working class they must be destroyed
destroy religion
<<
I thought it was the opiate of the people.
Karl
1905 perhaps
08.02.2006 05:06
Danny
Psy-Op
08.02.2006 10:06
‘Bomb bomb Denmark’ and ‘Nuke nuke Denmark' they roared yesterday. Their placards screamed: ‘Exterminate those who slander Islam’, ‘Behead those who insult Islam’, ‘Europe you’ll come crawling when Muhajideen come roaring’, ‘As Muslims unite we are prepared to fight’, ‘Europe you will pay, your 9-11 is on its way’ ‘Prepare for the real Holocaust.’
As Paul Joseph Watson observed, they were all written by the SAME hand. I saw a clip on the news of a veiled woman, with only her eyes visible, sitting by roadside, systematically churning them out and handing them to protestors. She could have been an agent provocateur, but the police and SOCA were not concerned, until the placards has been exposed to the full glare of media publicity and re-printed in the newspapers.
MI666
nod's as good as a wink
08.02.2006 15:15
I mean, get with the programme! We need to be ready to bomb Iran in a month or two.
Mr Spoon