Dr. Elias Akleh



“I believe it is the Americans who are doing this, pretending it is Sunnis, so there will be a civil war and they can control our wealth.”


Now we know. By the way he didn't say it - he just quoted it as the authentic Arab voice - the genuine indisputable asserto-grievance - as if it were a fundamental truth which no one could deny. When things get to this pass, we have to wonder whether people just appear to live in one universe, but in fact slip in and out of parallel ones.


Al Zarqawi and his “Al-Qaeda in Iraq” are inventions of the occupying forces
Dr. Elias Akleh

The Iranian Threat: The Bomb or the Euro?
Dr. Elias Akleh

I did not intentionally look for the first article. The second followed from looking to see who the good doctor was. There is a third link futher down. Of the three the one on the petro dollar is of most interest: is this correct one asks? And if so, it is very interesting.

::

The other two are typical of what swashes around the Middle East media. Lethal in half-formed, susteptible minds: fuel for greater fantasy and tragedy. It brings to mind the Radio Wars between the various parties during the height of Arab nationalist fervour in the 50s, when, say, Nasser, would on air call fellow Arabs not of his persuasion everything under the sun, especially to do with camels and dogs, in the high flown rhetoric for which Arabs are well know. In return, they would on air, call him even worse things combinations of things mistly to do with camles and dogs (which I remember, is keleb). Rhetoric: great from a poet; deadly from politician.

Dr. Akleh is an Arab writer from a Palestinian descent, born in the town of Beit-Jala, living in the US.

The third article by By Dr. Akleh:

Mosques, Churches and Synagogues

has a single, very robust comment at the bottom:

You've told youself so many lies that now you believe them yourself. By any objective measure, Islamic countries are the most intolerant societies in allowing religious centers for other religions. Palestinians have been agitating about the Jews destroying the al Aqsa mosque for 60 years and miraculously it is never damaged. The "alleged" temple under the mosque is the foundation of Christianity and Judaism. It is the reason Mohammed visited the place and is attested to by dozens of ancient sources. Your smarmy all humans are brothers stuff at the end of your article is merely self-serving, self-deluding, claptrap you recite to cover up your lack of respect for other religions and your incessant whining, victimization as a Moslem, It is scary that people like you are so blind to your own dishonesty.

I Llukens

Providence, Rhode Island, USA

which I hope he will not object to me repeating.

Experts or non-experts writing about their areas of expertise or related concerns cannot always be right on everything. This is partly because they tackle so much. In the end their output becomes the creature of technique. Both Pilger and Dr. Dr. Akleh have similar methods: an admixture of correct facts, wrong facts, ridiculous (and even unnecessary) assertions and incorrect conclusions, inside a general claim which is known to be widely accepted, such as ' There is injustice in the world'. But the inaccuracy, unfounded assertions mixed with reasonable ones, plus sets of untruths together, side by side, with the undisputed facts are meant to link the two in the mind of the reader. That's the point: this is a technique not an argument.

What is the definition of propaganda? Who was really good at it?

According to my online dictionary:

1. The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause.

2. Material disseminated by the advocates or opponents of a doctrine or cause: wartime propaganda.

3. Propaganda Roman Catholic Church. A division of the Roman Curia that has authority in the matter of preaching the gospel, of establishing the Church in non-Christian countries, and of administering Church missions in territories where there is no properly organized hierarchy.

(Didn't know the last one)

Or are we dealing with agitprop (a word not used much nowadays) :

Political propaganda, especially favoring communism and disseminated through literature, drama, art, or music: “It also is a conspiracy movie, agitprop against today's targets, big government and big business” (George F. Will).

[Russian, short for otdel agitatsii i propagandy, incitement and propaganda section (of the central and local committees of the Russian Communist party); name changed in 1934.]



  ¶ Sunday, October 02, 2005