On Tuesday President Bush presented a
speech on the "War on Terror" where he outlined areas of focus that provide a threat to America which included, among other things, conspiracy theories and Al Qaeda's "media campaign".
We all are aware of the conspiracy theories, but what exactly is the Al Qaeda "Media Campaign"? Bush provides further detail by providing quotes from Al Qaeda: "a media campaign... to create a wedge between the American people and their government." This media campaign ... will send the American people a number of messages, including "that their government [will] bring them more losses, in finances and casualties."
Furthermore, (Al Qaeda) says "they (Americans) are being sacrificed... to serve... the big investors..."
Yes, we've seen the jihadist videotapes and know they do have an internet presence, but have these in anyway created a "wedge between the American people and their government"?
Clearly, Bush is concerned about the direct effect on the American people from a `media campaign' that criticizes the Bush Administration and it's policies.
If Al Qaeda were indeed launching a campaign such as this against America, my comment would be "why bother?" There's no lack of criticism of this administration right here in the U.S. So is Bush trying to equate our press and it's criticism with the motives of Al Qaeda? There's no question about it. It's not difficult to see whom they are really targeting here and their motives are quite visible.
But the release of a new document from the White House in conjunction with the speech called "Strategy for Winning the War on Terror" goes even further at calling for action against those speaking out.
In the conclusion of the first paragraph, there is one simple, very telling sentence "This is the battle of ideas."
Not collective ideologies folks, but specific ideas. We are now being told basically that there are 'bad ideas' that pose a threat to American democracy and freedom.
If that is not enough to warrant major concern, the document then continued to identify four major "springs" from which terrorism grows. One of the four is "Subcultures of conspiracy and misinformation".
Yes, `misinformation' is now an official target of the "War on Terror":
"Terrorists recruit more effectively from populations whose information about the world is contaminated by falsehoods and corrupted by conspiracy theories. The distortions keep alive grievances and filter out facts that would challenge popular prejudices and self-serving propaganda."
Since "Conspiracy Theories" are not elaborated upon in the document, we have to ask "what exactly are the conspiracy theories that the U.S. Government is targeting"? One would have to assume that it would be any theory implying the U.S. Government did something wrong and tried to cover it up. Something that would certainly cast the government and our officials in a negative light. So those are categorically bad and are a "spring" for terrorism. Well that certainly is `self-serving' of you Mr. President.
And linking Conspiracy Theorists with Al Qaeda? So apparently after all the boasting we've been shown from Al Qaeda about their hugely successful attack on the greatest power on earth, they now want people to believe they weren't capable of pulling it off. That would be an excellent recruitment message, don't you think?
So, this `Misinformation and Conspiracy Theory Campaign' headed by Al Qaeda and the terrorists is a threat to the American way of life. Does Bush really think we are going to buy this after they've completely discredited themselves to us and the rest of the world by spinning lie after lie and are the prime source of misinformation?
There is however some truth in the President's speech on Tuesday. It's not about our government or Al Qaeda or the "War on Terror". It is about the American people themselves. To quote:
"If we don't uphold our duty to support those who are desirous to live in liberty, 50 years from now history will look back on our time with unforgiving clarity, and demand to know why we did not act."...."America will not bow down to tyrants."
No, we certainly won't bow down, Mr. President.