New Media

My latest short fiction piece in The Propagandist: Middle East Inc. and the Arab Spring. An excerpt:

“So, boss?” Hussein spurred on, trying through sheer force of will not to sweat through his old suit. “Do we have a plan?”

“I don’t think we should change a thing,” Assad said. “Our customers are fine with what we give them. Corruption, torture, terror… we have to stick to our main business offerings. That’s what we’re known for.”

Najib shook his head. “Look, boss. I’ve only been with the company a little while, but it seems to me the marketplace is changing. They’re not going for the old product line. Word on the street is the customers want freedom. Democracy.”

If you’re looking for something a bit weightier in a similar vein, you could always try my novel, A History of the Middle Eastside.

If the discussions between the Arab League and the coalition of Western nations bombing Gaddafi’s military forces were dramatized:

The West
Gaddafi is killing his own people! Human rights are being violated! We’ve got to do something!

Arab League
Well, we see your point, but we think the situation requires an Arab solution.

The West
OK, what’s your solution? Are you ready to intervene?

Arab League
Uh, er, no.

The West
So you have no solution.

Arab League
Well, what do you want? This “no-fly” zone? Fine. I guess we could go along with that.

The West
You understand that a no-fly zone means someone has to take out Libya’s air defenses, right? So, you’re going to take care of that? What about other measures?

Arab League
Well, we’re fine with all measures that will protect Libya’s civilians. All necessary measures.

The West
Really? You didn’t seem too enthused a moment ago.

Arab League
Well, I mean, we might get involved. But perhaps it is better if you take the lead role.

The West
I thought you said you wanted an “Arab” solution.

Arab League
Oh yes. It’s our solution. Save the civilians. It is a good thing. We’ll get on board later. You go ahead.

The West
OK, uh, so we’re good, here. I’m glad we’re on the same page.

48 HOURS LATER

Arab League
Why are you bombing innocent civilians in Libya?

The West
We’re not. We’re bombing Libyan military forces Gaddafi is using to slaughter his civilians…

Arab League
We didn’t authorize this! It’s more Western imperialism! You are killing innocent Muslims! Jihad! Jihad! Death to the Infidels!

The West
Aw fucking hell.

Ever wondered what George Orwell’s 1984 might be like in real life? Try chatting up someone who’s spent any time in Iran. They can tell you.

An excellent series in The Propagandist on why most Israel lobby critics really ought to spend far more time doing some personal soul searching rather than ganging up on the marketing people for the Middle East’s only Western democracy.

When one boils it down to the bare essentials: the Lobby is interested in presenting Israel in a positive light, of course. It recognizes that the honest and effective means of doing this is not by presenting Palestinians as evil, but to show the honest views of all parties with a vested interest in the region.

The anti-Israel gang of activists (I’d call them pro-Palestinian, but what have they ever done for the Palestinians they claim to represent?) strive to show Israel, as a place of intolerance, racism and illegitimacy. And I’ll give this to them: their propaganda methods are effective…

Libby Davies can be seen on YouTube saying she thinks that chanting “long live the intifada” “sounds good” and saying (not once but twice) that Israel has been occupying Palestinian land since 1948, that “it’s the longest occupation in history,” and that it’s time for boycotts and disinvestment. – Bob Rae

People are fired up about this. Here’s video of a protest outside NDP MP Libby Davies’ office in the heart of Vancouver: