September 08, 2006
Radio Free Propaganda
Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo has an interesting piece on the Bush admin's (and US government generally) culture of propaganda specfically that anti-Castro pablum was paid for with USA taxpayer money via the Office of Cuba Broadcasting.
The Cuba outfit is just one of the efforts under the authority of the Broadcasting Board of Governors which is the umbrella group for all the organizations, many private, which get federal dollars to promote “democracy” and “freedom of religion,” i.e., propaganda against the governments of select nations. It includes the VOA, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, Radio & TV Marti, and so on. Congress authorized almost a billion dollars for BBG this fiscal year (2007).
About a year ago the Chairman of the BBG, Kenneth Tomlinson, was accused of fraud in a State Dept. Inspector General's report for giving about $250,000 to a friend and former VOA employee for unknown services. Tomlinson remains the Chairman.
I’ve long suspected but have not found evidence (yet) that Radio Free Asia pays for phony news stories (more often than not unsubstantiated and third-hand) about "human rights" abuses in China.
The whole outfit is propaganda. The question to me is, is it really in our national interest? Imagine if the Chinese spent $36 million each year (the current level funding for “Radio Free Asia”) to broadcast an English language show highlighting every abuse by an American police force, every injustice done the American poor, every failing of local government? Maybe they should.
The Cuba outfit is just one of the efforts under the authority of the Broadcasting Board of Governors which is the umbrella group for all the organizations, many private, which get federal dollars to promote “democracy” and “freedom of religion,” i.e., propaganda against the governments of select nations. It includes the VOA, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, Radio & TV Marti, and so on. Congress authorized almost a billion dollars for BBG this fiscal year (2007).
About a year ago the Chairman of the BBG, Kenneth Tomlinson, was accused of fraud in a State Dept. Inspector General's report for giving about $250,000 to a friend and former VOA employee for unknown services. Tomlinson remains the Chairman.
I’ve long suspected but have not found evidence (yet) that Radio Free Asia pays for phony news stories (more often than not unsubstantiated and third-hand) about "human rights" abuses in China.
The whole outfit is propaganda. The question to me is, is it really in our national interest? Imagine if the Chinese spent $36 million each year (the current level funding for “Radio Free Asia”) to broadcast an English language show highlighting every abuse by an American police force, every injustice done the American poor, every failing of local government? Maybe they should.
September 07, 2006
Why are we in Iraq?
Juan Cole's post on W's new "islamofacist" bogeyman is the best description yet of what's really going on in Eurasia.
My comments at his blog, repeated here:
When you consider what your analysis shows – that the real aim of the GWOT is to establish & maintain an American presence on the Eurasian landmass and to control the spigot of oil that not only feeds our economy but even more so the European Community, Japan, and China – then you can see that Iraq truly is a new Vietnam. Why were we in Vietnam? The USA needed to establish its dominance in Asia and Indo-China was then the most unsettled area. The countries of the region (Laos, Cambodia, India. China, etc.) were still determining their borders up to the start of the Vietnam occupation. Of course who were we really confronting in Vietnam? China, of course. And hence the importance of North Korea in the “axis of evil” nonsense since North Korea justifies a continued American military nuclear presence not far from Beijing. We are in Iraq and all the other areas mentioned because we are really confronting the Chinese first and the Russians second. This is the big game of the 21st Century. But our “leaders” have to lead us down to defeat again in a pack of lies. Take any book or good magazine article from the late 60s and early 70s, search and replace the word “Vietnam” with “Iraq” and you’re reading today’s news.
My comments at his blog, repeated here:
When you consider what your analysis shows – that the real aim of the GWOT is to establish & maintain an American presence on the Eurasian landmass and to control the spigot of oil that not only feeds our economy but even more so the European Community, Japan, and China – then you can see that Iraq truly is a new Vietnam. Why were we in Vietnam? The USA needed to establish its dominance in Asia and Indo-China was then the most unsettled area. The countries of the region (Laos, Cambodia, India. China, etc.) were still determining their borders up to the start of the Vietnam occupation. Of course who were we really confronting in Vietnam? China, of course. And hence the importance of North Korea in the “axis of evil” nonsense since North Korea justifies a continued American military nuclear presence not far from Beijing. We are in Iraq and all the other areas mentioned because we are really confronting the Chinese first and the Russians second. This is the big game of the 21st Century. But our “leaders” have to lead us down to defeat again in a pack of lies. Take any book or good magazine article from the late 60s and early 70s, search and replace the word “Vietnam” with “Iraq” and you’re reading today’s news.
September 01, 2006
CHINESE MISSILE BLOWN UP OVER PACIFIC
well, that's the impression given by this graphic courtesy the Agence France Press. Notice that "enemy missile" seems to have launched from the ICBM control room outside Beijing. At least now we know those CHICOM nukes won't hit California! And, most importantly, that America's satellite (Japan) still has role after all! The USA-Japan Security Alliance just may survive until mid century.
Read more about AFP Here.
Read more about AFP Here.
August 23, 2006
Sherrod Brown: He's On Taiwan's Side
As the voters of Ohio decide how to vote in the Senate race between Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican Mike DeWine (the incumbent) they might ask whether their Senator will work for Ohio or wealthy special interests in places like Los Angeles?
The Democrats say DeWine is beholden to big oil and drug companies and a GOP in$ider while Republicans say Brown is on labor union payrolls but what’s never mentioned by either side -- or the press -- is Brown’s devotion to Taiwan money.
Sherrod Brown is co-chairman and founder of the Taiwan Congressional Caucus (along with other anti-China blowhards such as arch conservative Dana Rohrabacher of California). The Taiwan Congressional Caucus is a bipartisan group shaped by the heavy hitters of Taiwan influence peddling such as TECRO, Formosan Assoc. for Public Affairs, and the Formosa Foundation whose Chairman, Donald S. Lee, is a Sherrod Brown campaign contributor.
Brown believes Taiwan is a “miracle” democracy and aims to end the USA’s long-standing and delicate “one China” policy. But for whom – the people of Ohio or an unpopular fringe element thousands of miles away determined to maintain control of Taiwan?
The Democrats say DeWine is beholden to big oil and drug companies and a GOP in$ider while Republicans say Brown is on labor union payrolls but what’s never mentioned by either side -- or the press -- is Brown’s devotion to Taiwan money.
Sherrod Brown is co-chairman and founder of the Taiwan Congressional Caucus (along with other anti-China blowhards such as arch conservative Dana Rohrabacher of California). The Taiwan Congressional Caucus is a bipartisan group shaped by the heavy hitters of Taiwan influence peddling such as TECRO, Formosan Assoc. for Public Affairs, and the Formosa Foundation whose Chairman, Donald S. Lee, is a Sherrod Brown campaign contributor.
Brown believes Taiwan is a “miracle” democracy and aims to end the USA’s long-standing and delicate “one China” policy. But for whom – the people of Ohio or an unpopular fringe element thousands of miles away determined to maintain control of Taiwan?
August 16, 2006
China Hands Get Catty Over Keyser Espionage Case
It seems only the conservative New York Sun with its ties to American Enterprise Institute, etc., is following the Keyser story. Some interesting tidbits in staff reporter Josh Gerstein's latest dispatch of August 15.
No one should take seriously any of the so-called China "experts" involved after all this blows over. It will be interesting to see whether John Tkacik, for example, will still get prominent editorial space to spew his Red China scare line. And Keyser should escape jail because he helped "save" Harry Wu?!
No one should take seriously any of the so-called China "experts" involved after all this blows over. It will be interesting to see whether John Tkacik, for example, will still get prominent editorial space to spew his Red China scare line. And Keyser should escape jail because he helped "save" Harry Wu?!
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