Ben White: The leader of a particularly horrific, dictatorial government has just died. Under this regime, dissenters and human rights defenders were arrested and tortured. Women were discriminated against by law. Sentences of flogging were handed down. Dozens of prisoners were executed annually - including through public beheadings. So how was news of his death greeted? Pres. Obama praised him for the courage of his convictions. Tony Blair hailed his passion for inter faith relations. Others called him a reformer and moderniser. The British government requested the nationwide half-masting of flags, as a sign of mourning and respect. Why? Because this was King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Three comments about these responses to his death. 1. The vacuous hypocrisy of Western foreign policy, neocolonialism and imperial barbarity conducted in the name of human rights, is exposed. 2. We get a big clue in understanding the real meaning of the extremists vs. moderates narrative, the talk of good Muslims vs. bad Muslims. Its not about terrorism - its about attitudes towards Western power. 3. The Wests political classes are clearly confident enough in the timidity and compliance of those who might otherwise hold them to account (the media, analysts, and, yes, the general public) that they simply dont care how nauseatingly transparent a spectacle this all is.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 14:21:52 +0000
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