-Caveat Lector-
~~~~~~~~~~~~
A<>E<>R
The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking
new landscapes but in having new eyes. -Marcel Proust
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Forwarded as information only; no endorsement to be presumed
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material
is distributed without charge or profit to those who have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information
for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
----------
From: MER 1998 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: MER 1998
Date: Thursday, December 31, 1998 10:54 PM
-
M I D - E A S T R E A L I T I E S and 1 9 9 8
THE REAL WORLD OF THE MIDDLE EAST is not the one you read about in
newspapers owned or controlled by the "Royal" families and cronies of
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Emirates, and Hashemite Jordan; nor those
manipulated by repressive governments in the region, especially in the
largest country, Egypt; nor those owned by the numerous groups and
individuals associated with the Israeli/Jewish lobby; and certainly
not those supported in one way or another by the U.S. government. It
is not the world you usually hear about on Network TV or on Saudi-
owned "Arab Network of America" where the Uncles Jim, Fouad and Clovis
constantly strut their stuff. Nor is it the world of CNN where though
one gets wider coverage of events from on-site locales, one is always
forced to look through the prism of narrow American perspectives,
prejudices, and editors. And this includes CNN's main international
correspondent, Christian Amanpour, who gets many of her tips from non
other than Madeleine Albright's side-kick, and her own husband, James
Rubin at the U.S. State Department. Talk about conflicts of interest!
AND THE REAL WORLD OF WASHINGTON, D.C. that now so dominates the
affairs of the Middle East is certainly not the one you usually see on
PBS (a kind of unofficial State Department TV), or C-Span (with no
independent analysis and a growing panoply of front-organizations
competing for attention); or CNN (where Larry King and Wolf Blitzer
constantly interview their pals and cronies about the "Peace Process",
conveniently forgetting to inform all that Blitzer came to Washington
to edit the Jewish Lobby newsletter and has never left its protective
circles which constantly promote his fortunes, and King who for so
long has been intimately involved with leading Israeli and Zionist
organizations). Talk about conflicts of interest!
NOR CAN ONE TRUST THE major print news sources, however many column
inches they devote to Middle East subjects. The Washington Post has
been cheerleading the destruction of Iraq for years now, with the
publisher's daughter, Laly Weymouth, constantly bashing Arab interests
while promoting Israeli ones, and with the editorial pages dominated
by more of Israel's devotees, Meg Greenfield and Steve Rosenfeld in
charge. Nor is it a big secret that when it comes to the New York
Times and the Wall Street Journal, all too often their positions seem
to come straight from the briefing papers of the multi-tentacled
Israeli/Jewish lobby, and even when there are serious news stories
with historical depth and perspective there is the constant
interminable bias and political spin.
INDEED, what is easily available to read and watch these days from the
major media comes directly or indirectly from the very same "Power
Elite", the very same military-industrial complex, the very same big
lobbying operations -- whose ranks, incidentally, the Arab client-
regimes have been trying hard to join in recent years -- that bring us
the awful policies in the first place.
Militarism, jingoistic nationalism, still-escalating arms sales, ever
growing repression, rampant destruction, subjugation, distortion,
misrepresentation -- these are all widely pervasive forces these days
and in their totality immensely powerful. Combine this with the
resources of the superpowerful United States, the regional power of
Israel which now dwarfs that of all the Arab states combined, the Arab
client-regimes and the client-organizations and client-personalities
they sponsor -- and one has a world of wall-to-wall political and
historical deception coupled with ever-growing public opinion
manipulation.
Today's world is one dominated by huge multinational corporate
interests of big oil and big business intersecting with power
lobbyists, arms salesman, and government-for-sale politicians. An
occasional glimpse of reality seeps through, but overall everything is
severely distorted and powerfully twisted to serve those who dominate
through financial and political means, as well as technological and
military power.
The real world of the Middle East, and what really goes on in
Washington relating to the Middle East is rarely discussed honestly
and openly in this overall situation. That world is one of still-
growing repression and intimidation. That world is one in which basic
human rights are terribly and constantly abused, while political
rights remain more theoretical than actual, and while justice remains
but a distant dream. It is a world where despotic rulers squander the
wealth and birthrights of their peoples, their "subjects". A world in
which the very name of "peace" is used to mask a new variant of
Apartheid descending on the Holy Land with electrified fences,
military checkpoints, ethnic "by-pass" roads, "autonomous population
centers", and a whole new terminology and methodology of repression
and dispossession.
And the real world of Washington all too often suffers a similar fate
of massive distortion and misreporting. Washington is not the
polished world of polite speeches, carefully scripted press
conferences, and journalistic independence and integrity. Just under
the surface it is a world of messy back-room deals and crafty self-
serving arrangements, a world where lobbying groups and big money
interests cajole and manipulate political leaders at every turn on
every day. It is a world, however distasteful the imagery, of Oval
Office blowjobs much more of the political than the sexual kind. It
is a world in which an Israeli-lobby official of Australian
nationality at the time of the last President's election becomes the
Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East as a payoff for
Jewish campaign money and political favors; a world where the
President personally spends most of his social time raising huge sums
of money; a world in which the Prince Bandars toss about lavish sums
to buy up as many voices as our willing while paying more to quiet
those who are not; a world in which countries are bombed and cruise
missiles unleashed to suit the timing and needs of the American Empire
and the politicians who compete to control it.
This is the contemporary sociological and political brew which gave
rise to MID-EAST REALITIES in the first place; this incessant vortex
of deception and manipulation that is omnipresent and at times
seemingly all pervasive.
And it is in this world that the small but intense and expert voice of
MER has already been recognized by so many in so many places as
"unique", "excellent", "essential", "unparalleled," "unequaled".
"MER is excellent. I don't know of any other publication that so
consistently and fearlessly tells the truth about the oppressive order
in the Middle East that has long been based on an alliance between
Washington, the Israelis, and the Arab client regimes," writes
Professor Glenn Perry from the Political Science Department at Indiana
State University.
"A kudo: I'm one of many U.S. academicians impressed with the
oh-so-rare honesty and insightfulness of your analyses." writes
Theodore Keller, Professor Emeritus of International Relations at San
Franciso State University.
"MER is the reason I know the truth and I can never thank you enough
for this," writes a reader from the Arab world asking that we keep his
name in confidence.
"[MER is] an amazing and rare site. Rich in content, information, and
facts that so many other organizations would prefer to hide or color
for their own personal reasons. You have taken over most of the
media's responsibility in this country by becoming the providers of
important information, overlooked or purposefully ignored by others,
and relaying it an accurate, objective, and fair manner." So writes a
Lebanese graduate student in journalism at Columbia University, and a
former CNN World Report correspondent.
"I am very glad for the information you provide, and accordingly
am sending MER a check", writes Professor John Alden Williams at the
College of William and Mary today in fact, just as this letter to
readers and supporters is being prepared.
And many hundreds of similar readers letters and comments can now be
read at http://www.MiddleEast.Org/commentsx.htm.
But it is also this overall situation which we've just described in
macro terms, rather than our usual micro manner, which makes it very
difficult for such an independent, irreverent, and politically
incorrect organization like MER to keep going against the tide and
with growing opposition from those who fear having their deceptiive
policies and institutions occasionally unmasked and exposed.
In such a situation just launching MER and making it known in many
quarters around the world should be considered a noteable success,
however inadequate. During the year ending tonight, 1998, we made
substantial improvements to the unique MER Web site; we got our cable
TV program showing during evening prime-time hours on all the major
cable systems throughout the Washington, DC area; and we helped make
the serious and historically deep principles of the Committee on the
Middle East (COME) known to many. During 1998 Free Speech TV and
nearly 100 cable TV channels around the country showed our special
program "Peace Process - Real Or Phony". And we were invited to
appear on a few of the major media networks including MSNBC, FOX, BBC,
Pacifica, and CTV among them.
But now it is to the tasks ahead that we need turn, rather than to
continue with the real, but admittedly all too small, accomplishments
of the past.
Tomorrow, MER and 1999.
Tonight, a sincere thank you to all of you who have helped, supported,
and promoted MER throughout 1998. And best wishes for the New Year
ahead, a year we all know is going to be filled with considerable
difficulties and many struggles.
**********************************************************************
For latest information and to receive MER regularly email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
M I D - E A S T R E A L I T I E S
POBOX 18367 - Washington, DC 20036
202 362-5266 Fax: 202 362-6965
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web: http://WWW.MIDDLEEAST.ORG
----------
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic
screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters
and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright
frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects
spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.
Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Om
