5 ms·

How to Avoid Swallowing War Propaganda

54 points by oftenwrong 7y ago

bert1100 7y ago
Forgot to mention the general was genocidal and to blame for tens of thousands of Iraqi and american killings, and that people are fine with assassinating him for that reason. It's not propaganda to say "yes, he probably deserved it". It is however dangerous that this was done, because of how it destabilises american relations with Iran. Why not be honest?
- ziotom78 7y ago
  One of the points made in the article is that the US had not the authority to decide to kill him, no more than any other country in the world. As a non-U.S. citizen, I find this compelling: the world is probably a more dangerous place now, because of a choice that was taken by one country unilaterally.
  - bert1100 7y ago
    Absolutely. That's not propaganda.
  - Craighead 7y ago
    Killed in a Title 10 area in Iraq
- ianleeclark 7y ago
  > It's not propaganda to say "yes, he probably deserved it". I'm not quite sure I buy this. When you say that he probably deserved it, you're accomplishing only one thing: furthering the ideological point that the US was justified in their assassination. You're furthering a political idea that the US is doling out justice by getting this "bad man" who "was genocidal and to blame for tens of thousands of Iraqi ... killings," all while ignoring the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilian murders at the Americans hands. How is it not propaganda for you to be intentionally muddying the waters through selective criticism?
  - bert1100 7y ago
    You're right, the Iraq war has been a catastrophe and the American military-industrial complex is to blame. We saw that through Chelsea Manning and Wikileaks, and we vilified them for it. That doesn't take away from the fact that someone just drone-bombed a guy who was trying to stir shit and wage genocide.
    - ianleeclark 7y ago
      Suleimani was there on a diplomatic mission to deescalate with Saudi Arabia. He was literally there on a peace mission.
      - bert1100 7y ago
        Welcome to propaganda 101. The journalist who claimed this is now walking that statement back https://twitter.com/janearraf/status/1213862885925019648 https://twitter.com/janearraf/status/1213862885925019648
        ianleeclark 7y ago
        There were other journalists such as Salimb from WaPo corroborating it. Absolutely hilarious you come in here parroting the empires talking points and thinking others are propagandized.
        bert1100 7y ago
        What exactly have I said that offends you? That America killed a bad guy? Well they did, get over it. It happens sometimes. Even accidentally. Other than that I have no claims in your bullshit.
    - Udik 7y ago
      > That doesn't take away from the fact that someone just drone-bombed a guy who was trying to stir shit and wage genocide. You're just repeating what has been hammered in your head for years. This is the power of propaganda: you say things that sound perfectly obvious to you except in fact you don't know- and that's why instead of telling us clearly what you think he was going to do you resort to expletives.
Cougher 7y ago
Read Chapter 6 of Mein Kampf and realize that America has honed that craft to an art form. http://www.mondopolitico.com/library/meinkampf/v1c6.htm http://www.mondopolitico.com/library/meinkampf/v1c6.htm Review the propaganda of our past wars and understand that this is what they do with every war to get people on board with the insanity of sending their own kids off to die for them. It's not new. Read War Is A Racket by Major General Smedley Butler: https://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html https://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html Understand that "both sides" agitate for war and/or violent manipulation of foreign countries. If you're upset that Russia interferes with our elections, look in the mirror. We do much worse and have done for decades. Defense contractors figure prominently in the investment portfolios of representatives of both parties. Keep informed. This is a dependable, convenient place. https://www.antiwar.com https://www.antiwar.com
duelingjello 7y ago
It’s typical for centuries, if not millennia, that politicians will start external dramas (i.e., wars) as smokescreens to deflect and to distract from internal controversies.
simonblack 7y ago
Read as wide a selection of news material as you can over a period of time: From the US, Europe, Russia, Middle East, China, Southern Asia, etc, etc. You will eventually see where all of their individual biases cancel out, leaving you with a small, relatively accurate "nut" of information that's fairly close to the truth. If you restrict yourself to (say) the US-only news sources, or the China-only news sources you have nobody to blame but yourself for your being badly misinformed.

54 points by oftenwrong 7y ago

Forgot to mention the general was genocidal and to blame for tens of thousands of Iraqi and american killings, and that people are fine with assassinating him for that reason. It's not propaganda to say "yes, he probably deserved it". It is however dangerous that this was done, because of how it destabilises american relations with Iran. Why not be honest?

ziotom78 7y ago
One of the points made in the article is that the US had not the authority to decide to kill him, no more than any other country in the world. As a non-U.S. citizen, I find this compelling: the world is probably a more dangerous place now, because of a choice that was taken by one country unilaterally.
- bert1100 7y ago
  Absolutely. That's not propaganda.
- Craighead 7y ago
  Killed in a Title 10 area in Iraq
ianleeclark 7y ago
> It's not propaganda to say "yes, he probably deserved it". I'm not quite sure I buy this. When you say that he probably deserved it, you're accomplishing only one thing: furthering the ideological point that the US was justified in their assassination. You're furthering a political idea that the US is doling out justice by getting this "bad man" who "was genocidal and to blame for tens of thousands of Iraqi ... killings," all while ignoring the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilian murders at the Americans hands. How is it not propaganda for you to be intentionally muddying the waters through selective criticism?
- bert1100 7y ago
  You're right, the Iraq war has been a catastrophe and the American military-industrial complex is to blame. We saw that through Chelsea Manning and Wikileaks, and we vilified them for it. That doesn't take away from the fact that someone just drone-bombed a guy who was trying to stir shit and wage genocide.
  - ianleeclark 7y ago
    Suleimani was there on a diplomatic mission to deescalate with Saudi Arabia. He was literally there on a peace mission.
    - bert1100 7y ago
      Welcome to propaganda 101. The journalist who claimed this is now walking that statement back https://twitter.com/janearraf/status/1213862885925019648 https://twitter.com/janearraf/status/1213862885925019648
      - ianleeclark 7y ago
        There were other journalists such as Salimb from WaPo corroborating it. Absolutely hilarious you come in here parroting the empires talking points and thinking others are propagandized.
        bert1100 7y ago
        What exactly have I said that offends you? That America killed a bad guy? Well they did, get over it. It happens sometimes. Even accidentally. Other than that I have no claims in your bullshit.
  - Udik 7y ago
    > That doesn't take away from the fact that someone just drone-bombed a guy who was trying to stir shit and wage genocide. You're just repeating what has been hammered in your head for years. This is the power of propaganda: you say things that sound perfectly obvious to you except in fact you don't know- and that's why instead of telling us clearly what you think he was going to do you resort to expletives.

Cougher 7y ago

Read Chapter 6 of Mein Kampf and realize that America has honed that craft to an art form. http://www.mondopolitico.com/library/meinkampf/v1c6.htm http://www.mondopolitico.com/library/meinkampf/v1c6.htm Review the propaganda of our past wars and understand that this is what they do with every war to get people on board with the insanity of sending their own kids off to die for them. It's not new. Read War Is A Racket by Major General Smedley Butler: https://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html https://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html Understand that "both sides" agitate for war and/or violent manipulation of foreign countries. If you're upset that Russia interferes with our elections, look in the mirror. We do much worse and have done for decades. Defense contractors figure prominently in the investment portfolios of representatives of both parties. Keep informed. This is a dependable, convenient place. https://www.antiwar.com https://www.antiwar.com

duelingjello 7y ago

It’s typical for centuries, if not millennia, that politicians will start external dramas (i.e., wars) as smokescreens to deflect and to distract from internal controversies.

simonblack 7y ago

Read as wide a selection of news material as you can over a period of time: From the US, Europe, Russia, Middle East, China, Southern Asia, etc, etc. You will eventually see where all of their individual biases cancel out, leaving you with a small, relatively accurate "nut" of information that's fairly close to the truth. If you restrict yourself to (say) the US-only news sources, or the China-only news sources you have nobody to blame but yourself for your being badly misinformed.