When the worlds most powerful military alliance has been defeated in a battle, what better media strategy to use than scapegoating the victorious enemy, and to position him as tyrant, dictator and, which is very important for spin doctors, as propaganda expert. Syria has won a battle against NATO and the GCC by oting for a new constitution, implementing reforms, and defeating the insurgency in Homs – all while maintaining calm enough to enter into an agreement with the UN and Arab League. Western main Steam Media however, can not allow NATO to be defeated in the minds of Western populations, so media need a sufficient dose of SPIN.
A prime example of the tendentious Western Media coverage of the ongoing crisis in Syria is an article by the infamous Danish paper “Jyllands Posten” (1) which is known for publishing the controversial Muhammad Cartoons.(2) The article “Assad accepterer Annans fredsplan” (Assad accepts Annan`s Peace Plan)from 28 March 2012 is yet another Jyllands Posten propaganda masterpiece. (3)
Regardless the fact that the rest of the world is acutely aware of the fact that the so called Free Syrian Army is composed of Turkish and Qatari supported armed insurgents of the Muslim Brotherhood and a rag tag rebel blend of Al-Qaeda fighters from Libya, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere; regardless the fact that it has long been known that Turkish Intelligence has opened a recruitment office in Amman Jordan, that parts of the Free Syrian Army are under command of known terrorist, MI6 and NATO asset Abdelhakim Belhadj; Jyllands Posten rigidly maintains a narrative of a “defeated opposition“. Not one word about NATO´s involvement.
Should Jyllands Posten and colleagues in Europe and the US follow standard operations procedures, we will first be hearing about “heroic NATO Special Operations” and unconventional warfare operations, when the aggressors have become overwhelmingly confident that they can present their populations a victory.
A victory is per definition a Syria that is about as stable as Libya is after NATO´s humanitarian adventure there. A victory, which will be sold as victory for humanity, human rights and liberation. Publicly admitting NATO involvement after just having been defeated ? – in Homs ? Far too embarrassing and risky !! One might risk that the population wakes up and demands that NATO political and military leadership uphold the standards they preach. Deconstructing Jyllands Posten`s narrative is revealing.
After the Syrian Army successfully has reestablished control over Homs, President Bashar Al-Assad visited the Baba Amr area of the city where battles between insurgents and Syrian forces have raged for months on end. Assad is positioned as tyrannical leader who is inspecting his spoils of a war on his own people. A pro Assad demonstration is naturally, how else could it be, described as “well orchestrated” with people shouting “God, Syria, Bashar”.
A nsnbc telephone interview with a resident of Homs, yesterday revealed an entirely different picture. People in Homs have been terrorized by NATO´s, Saudi Arabia`s, Qatar`s, and Libya`s rag tag rebels for months. People dared not speak over their breath in support of the government, plunders, robberies, systematic rapes of Baath Party members families were endemic and prevalent.
Yes Assad has won, the Homs resident said, he has won a victory for the people of Syria, for the ideal of Arab independence from NATO and Zionism, and a victory for the self determination of the Syrian People.
Yes, Assad promised that Baba Amr and Homs will be repaired, rebuild, and he promised that the city will look better than before the fighting erupted, and the people will support him in the effort. The sentiment of the Homs citizen is representative of a majority of it`s war tired, battered population. What people want and need is rest after Syria and it`s people have won a battle. People are however also aware of the fact that the war is far from over.
The yes of the people of Syria to the new Syrian constitution has been too hard a slap into the face of “Charade Arabism” of the face of the sellout clowns of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, dressing for a public Arabian Nights Disney theater, reinforcing all stereotypes of what the Palestinian scholar Edward Said described as “Orientalism”, while being nothing but stooges, vice kings and enforcers of the Anglo-American Empire. Rich – Super Rich stooges – but stooges and sell outs non the less.
Jyllands Posten, of course, also has to position China as supporter of the tyrant. The tyrant, who by the way has a far better track record with respect to democracy, human rights, civil liberties, social and gender equality than any of the backward Saudi, Qatari, Kuwaiti heads of state who position him as tyrant. But back to China – you remember – China´s decision to veto sanctions and armed intervention was “disgusted” certain US-American war criminals ? Now it´s pay back time – wounded animals pounce – claws not retracted.
Beijing is pronouncing aspirations for peace and reconciliation!! How dare they – so inhumane. Al Qaeda assassination squads, terror bombings of civilians, NATO commanded, financed and equipped mass murder is so far more humane. Why Beijing now?
Because it is opportune, and because UN and Arab League double envoy Kofi Annan pronounced from Beijing, that “the victor of Homs had accepted the UN´s Six Point Plan” One has to give it to Jyllands Posten, they really are at the vanguard of Anglo-American propaganda.
The fact that they could care less about their spin causing fatalities has been sufficiently demonstrated in the Muhammed Cartoon case. Better position the Chinese as supporters of tyranny and Assad as Victor of Homs ( not over NATO ), than asking the question how Annan mastered the dichotomy between Arab league and UN interests.
Or, for those who really can think, a few words about the fact that the Arab League is Europe`s new colonial administration, while the UN has a separate contract with NATO, so the dichotomy was actually not that significant after all ?
But what is this Six Point Plan – actually ? And how likely is it that NATO and the GCC will give the people of Syria a chance to implement it ?
1) The “demand” that Bashar Al-Assad steps down is removed. Political dialog about the aspirations of the people of Syria shall be initiated.
Now what is new about that ? Syria has been in a state of low intensity conflict with Israel since 1973. The Golan Highs are occupied. Mossad and colleagues are extremely active in Syria and against Syrian interests in Lebanon. Reforms were long awaited and to everyones surprise – at least to the surprise of honest reporters – Syria began implementing the most wide reaching reforms any Arab country ever has implemented in the midst of being under attack by forces who are financed, supplied, led by the worlds most powerful military alliance.
Four new political parties have been established and recognized. Election laws more transparent than any of the one in neighboring Arab Nations and definitely more “democratic” than the non existing ones in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. An amnesty had been granted for those caught up in the violence, those with no blood on their hands went free. A referendum gave the people a new constitution, more democratic than any of the neighboring nations and most certainly more Arabic than that of the countries led by “orientalist dress up clowns”.
In fact Syria is a progressive Arab Nation and given peace it would be a strong Arab nation that provides regional stability – guaranties that the issue of Palestine is not taken off the table, and that the Arab league better begins working on behalf of Arab nations. It is these very factors about Syria which guaranty that the war on Syria will continue, regardless how many victories it`s people may achieve against Imperialism.
2) That the UN monitors the ceasing of military aggression both from the side of the so called “opposition” and that of the Syrian Military Forces. Now since NATO and the UN have signed a separate contract in 2008 – one that was kept off the medias radar for years – it is doubtful how the UN can be an impartial monitor.
The victory for Syria lies in the fact that the demand of military intervention is off the table. On the other hand, however, it is most likely that the monitors will be abused to document “incidences” that could be the necessary pretext for renewed demands for military aggression against Syria.
Another risk factor for Syria is, that it will be more easy for militant insurgents to dig in, entrench them selves in “safe zones” where the Syrian forces won´t be able to operate and maintain law and order without making themselves vulnerable for being blamed and positioned as aggressors. It is a security nightmare for Syrian security forces, who, however, have years of experience of dealing with infiltration and terrorism.
3) That both sides shall grant access for humanitarian aid to disputed areas by maintaining a daily 2 hours cease fire.
4) That the Syrian government shall release prisoners who have been arrested during demonstrations. At this point it is worth remembering that the Syrian government already months ago has granted a general amnesty for all who had been arrested in the cause of the unrests who did not have blood on their hands. The government of Syria is in no way interested in crowding it`s prisons so it should not be an issue at all.
5) The Syrian government should grant foreign journalists free access to Syria which it has done for months, provided that it were journalists, not agents, and that the Syrian government could guaranty their safety. After all, we have seen how the death of a journalist can be abused by Western Main Stream Media. Another thought coming to mind at this point is that private Bradley Manning, who released a video in which US troops knowingly murdered journalists still is in custody and under conditions described by many as torture.
6) That the government shall allow the population to gather and demonstrate peacefully. also that is no problem for Syria – it seems to be a far greater problem for Jyllands Posten however, that the people of Homs peacefully gathered at the visit of their President Bashar Al Assad, shouting paroles like ” God, Syria, Bashar “. This is the real Syria – the Syria which neither Jyllands Posten or other Main Stream Western Media will allow it`s readers to get to know about. No matter how many Western Journalists Syria grants a visa to.
Syria, it´s government, it´s people have won a significant victory against Zionism and NATO Imperialism. It has won a significant battle for Arab Independence and self-determination. It will however, most likely, have to brace for a protracted low intensity war – no matter how successful it is with it`s reforms.
A stable Syria is not a Syria that seems to be acceptable for NATO and it´s orientalist dress up clowns from Saudi Arabia and Qatar. A stable Syria could in deed bring so much stability to the region that the unthinkable happens – Syria, Iraq and Iran in a united front against Zionism and Anglo-American Hegemony. Did I just hear the sound of one clapping hand ?
Christof Lehmann
Notes
1) Jyllands Posten – URL. http://jp.dk/
2) Muhammed Cartoons Controversy – Wiki. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyllands-Posten_Muhammad_cartoons_controversy
3) Assad accepterer Annans fredsplan. Jyllands Posten, 28 March 2012, page 9.
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Breaking News: 89% vote in favor of new Syrian constitution. http://nsnbc.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/breaking-news-89-vote-in-favor-of-new-syrian-constitution/
Syria: A Zionist Shoe in the Face of the Arab Charade. http://nsnbc.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/syria-a-zionist-shoe-in-the-face-of-the-arab-charade/