Propaganda is Universal

It's little consolation but the US media is not alone when it comes to be a propaganda organ for those in power. In The Brainwashing Media Uri Avnery gives us examples of the cheer leading and selective reporting by the Israeli press during the Lebanon war.

Napoleon won the battle of Waterloo. The German Wehrmacht won World War II. The United States won in Vietnam, and the Soviets in Afghanistan. The Zealots won against the Romans, and Ehud Olmert won the Second Lebanon War.

You didn't know that? Well, during the last few days the Israeli media has paraded a long series of experts, who did not leave any room for doubt: the war has brought us huge achievements, Hizbullah was routed, Olmert is the great victor.

Does that sound familiar? Sounds very much like the MSM reporting during the Iraqi conflict. And of course there are the talking heads - experts, both here and there.

The TV talk-show hosts and anchormen put their microphones at the service of professors, publicity experts, "security personnel" and "strategists" (a title not denoting generals, but advisers of politicians). All of them agreed on the outcome: an honest-to-goodness victory

But is Israel and the United States it's all about this:

Joking aside, the parade of Olmert's stooges on TV, on the radio and in the newspapers tells us something. Not about the achievements of Olmert as a statesman and strategist, but about the integrity of the media.

Without the enabling media there would be far fewer wars. The ultimate responsibility for the Iraq war does fall on the Bush administration but the American press practicing propaganda rather than journalism. It's the same in the US, the same in Israel and was the same in Nazi Germany.


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