4 ms·

So the Saudis can be responsible for the worst cholera epidemic in history and the direct killing of thousands of civilians in Yemen, but killing one journalist

So the Saudis can be responsible for the worst cholera epidemic in history and the direct killing of thousands of civilians in Yemen, but killing one journalist is suddenly a bridge too far?

walrus01 8y ago
The cynical answer is, basically, the Houthis are backed by Iran, who the US is happy to allow a US-equipment-supplied third party military to attack, because, well, "fuck iran", right? Axis of evil, nuclear program and all that. Iran's support for Hezbollah, which is in direct contradiction to the US' ongoing support of Israel, etc.
King-Aaron 8y ago
Don't forget financing a handful of domestic airline tickets in 2001 (etc).
rgbrenner 8y ago
That's the way the world is. People only seem to sit up and take notice of terrible things on occasion. The answer isn't to be critical of them taking notice now, but to use it to make them aware of the other terrible things the same group is also doing.
- jiveturkey 8y ago
  they were aware. these are smart people. they don’t live under a rock.
jahaja 8y ago
It's a sad testament of how important and well shielded upper middle class sensibilities are. What you describe won't rattle those much, however, a violation of the sanctity of journalists clearly will. It's, imo, a blatantly corrupt set of ethics.
mc32 8y ago
Yeah, that's a weird one. Also interesting is that they are being outed by a regime which itself does some of the same things SA does (with regard to dissidents). Maybe it's because the US has taken some of the aid from Turkey and they want the same to happen to SA. But, really, who knows why they want to make this a big deal now.
paxys 8y ago
Not downplaying the severity of whatever else you have mentioned, but assassinating a journalist in a NATO member state is a very different situation.
- craftyguy 8y ago
  From a human rights perspective, I'd rather the journalist die (or a dozen or so) than the hundreds/thousands of civilians in Yemen. From a bullshit political perspective, the journalist wins. Just because civilians do not live in a NATO nation does not mean their lives are worthless and expendable.
  - ivanhoe 8y ago
    > Just because civilians do not live in a NATO nation does not mean their lives are worthless and expendable. Unfortunately it means exactly that, and not just in this case and not just in the politics - the very empathy that ordinary people feel about other humans is all about us and them, friendlies and "the others"...
picsao 8y ago
Well, they are simply put - a better people, the chosen ones to guide the unwashed masses out of darkness. journalism is the colonialism of the intellectual sphere.
dagw 8y ago
It's often a single straw that breaks the camels back.
WalterSear 8y ago
He worked with people who could publish articles about it.

So the Saudis can be responsible for the worst cholera epidemic in history and the direct killing of thousands of civilians in Yemen, but killing one journalist is suddenly a bridge too far?

walrus01 8y ago

The cynical answer is, basically, the Houthis are backed by Iran, who the US is happy to allow a US-equipment-supplied third party military to attack, because, well, "fuck iran", right? Axis of evil, nuclear program and all that. Iran's support for Hezbollah, which is in direct contradiction to the US' ongoing support of Israel, etc.

King-Aaron 8y ago

Don't forget financing a handful of domestic airline tickets in 2001 (etc).

rgbrenner 8y ago

That's the way the world is. People only seem to sit up and take notice of terrible things on occasion. The answer isn't to be critical of them taking notice now, but to use it to make them aware of the other terrible things the same group is also doing.

jiveturkey 8y ago
they were aware. these are smart people. they don’t live under a rock.

jahaja 8y ago

It's a sad testament of how important and well shielded upper middle class sensibilities are. What you describe won't rattle those much, however, a violation of the sanctity of journalists clearly will. It's, imo, a blatantly corrupt set of ethics.

mc32 8y ago

Yeah, that's a weird one. Also interesting is that they are being outed by a regime which itself does some of the same things SA does (with regard to dissidents). Maybe it's because the US has taken some of the aid from Turkey and they want the same to happen to SA. But, really, who knows why they want to make this a big deal now.

paxys 8y ago

Not downplaying the severity of whatever else you have mentioned, but assassinating a journalist in a NATO member state is a very different situation.

craftyguy 8y ago
From a human rights perspective, I'd rather the journalist die (or a dozen or so) than the hundreds/thousands of civilians in Yemen. From a bullshit political perspective, the journalist wins. Just because civilians do not live in a NATO nation does not mean their lives are worthless and expendable.
- ivanhoe 8y ago
  > Just because civilians do not live in a NATO nation does not mean their lives are worthless and expendable. Unfortunately it means exactly that, and not just in this case and not just in the politics - the very empathy that ordinary people feel about other humans is all about us and them, friendlies and "the others"...

picsao 8y ago

Well, they are simply put - a better people, the chosen ones to guide the unwashed masses out of darkness. journalism is the colonialism of the intellectual sphere.

dagw 8y ago

It's often a single straw that breaks the camels back.

WalterSear 8y ago

He worked with people who could publish articles about it.