Mind police, ceasefire with Mujahideen and the threat of multipolarism

The language police are out for the deviant ideas again, reports the New York Times on a new book "The Language Police." The author Diane Ravitch says that censor pressure groups all "demand that publishers shield children from words and ideas that contain what they deem the `wrong' models for living." Left and right "believe that reality follows language usage," and they hope they "can stop people from ever seeing offensive words and ideas, they can prevent them from having the thought or committing the act that the words imply." Semantics, semantics. It's not 1984.

We are getting cozy enough with the fun fun groups in Iraq today, such as the People's Mujahideen, who just signed a ceasefire with the US, despite their status as a terrorist organization. They are opposed to the Iranian government and are about 10,000 strong in Iraq, according to the Times. Their armed wing is the National Liberation Army of Iran, which seeks to "protect itself" in a "defensive" fashion against the frightening Badr Corps, who are affilitated with the Iran-angled Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq. So that balance of power looks pretty damn solid, yes. Thanks to jiriki for linx. This of course will fit in like a grand jigsaw puzzle with the emerging problem of the Turkish special forces trafficking weapons to Turkomen groups around Kirkuk, (via aid convoys) with the apparent goal of provoking a crisis to justify Turkish intervention in the area. Yes, the management of these forces is going so damn well. It's only going to get simpler from here, of course.

Its looking unipolar though. Voice of America reports Blair Warns France Against Multipolar World Vision , that There Can Be Only One, one world hegemony, that is (Thanks to Schwartz for link):

Mr. Blair said in an interview published today (Monday) in Britain's Financial Times that the quickest way to push America toward solitary action is to set up a rival center of power. The British prime minister said what the world needs is one power encompassing a strategic partnership between Europe and America.

Oh good, the Israeli Ambeassador to Washington, while speaking in front of the Anti-Defamation League, called for "regime change" in Iran and Syria because they still threaten Israel, via "psychological pressure." Yay.

Now it is always fascinating to jump in and watch Fox from time to time, to grasp in which ways they are justifying their whole circus. Hannity and Colmes was interesting because a former secretary of state, Mr. Bloated and Decrepit Troll was his name, if I recall. He basically said that (specifically citing a lack of NATO acquiescence) France is no longer worth sharing information with, now needs to be on the third tier, no longer an "ally." How did this happen? That totem of Republican Youth gone bigtime Sean Hannity, started rambling on about this plan to say we are 'done with the UN,' create an institution which didnt let Libya lead the human rights boards, and wasn't 'so anti-Israeli and anti-American,' which is a fascinating statement in and of itself. Tragically I can't find the link, which is really a pity because the angry ideology of these guys was so transparent and glorious...

And then whenever you go to FoxNews.com you invariably get a rich helping of the underbelly of dull-right rhetoric. No oil for food, an intriguing example of normative language to attack the United Nations. The lead:

Around the globe, the U.N. uses "humanitarian aid" as a vehicle to impose politically correct policies, from gender feminism to gun control. But the crisis in Iraq reveals another aspect of the U.N.: a money-hungry institution that hides behind a mask of compassion.

Yes, ein volk und ein FOX. I liked the description of this Hannity & Colmes story, "What is Hollywood Saying Now? What are people in Hollywood who opposed the president saying now? Would they ever admit they were wrong?" Yes, Hollywood was so wrooooong, wrooong. We won, dude. What can you possibly be upset about? We woooon!!!!!!!!!!

For a perspective of the world which might not square with Hannity or Colmes, try the blogger IranianGirl .

Posted by HongPong at April 29, 2003 01:43 AM
Listed under Iraq .