Blair and the Rhetoric of False Equivalence
The techniques of propaganda were on full display during the joint news conference of George W. Bush and British PM Tony Blair on Friday. Blair began by saying,
' What is happening in the Middle East at the moment is a complete tragedy for Lebanon, for Israel and for the wider region. '
Note how by calling it a "tragedy," Blair takes the onus off Israel for launching a total war on the Lebanese infrastructure and population. A hurricane is a tragedy, Mr. Prime Minister. This is a war. It is a war launched by specific persons, including especially Ehud Olmert and Gen. Halutz. It isn't something that can be put into the passive voice.
Moreover, Blair further obscures reality by making the "tragedy" cover 'Lebanon, Israel, and the wider region.' 50 Israelis have died, 33 of them military. On the order of 600 Lebanese civilians have been killed, with over 400 bodies recovered. Hizbullah's rockets have damaged some buildings, but the scale of destruction in Lebanon by far dwarfs that in Israel. The Israelis have targeted residential apartment buildings, bridges, roads, telecom towers, internet servers. They have made 750,000 Lebanese homeless, out of 3.8 million residents of Lebanon.
It isn't a "tragedy" and its effects haven't been the same everywhere.
Here is more of Blair:
' And the scale of destruction is very clear. There are innocent lives that have been lost, both Lebanese and Israeli. There are hundreds of thousands of people that have been displaced from their homes, again, both in Lebanon and in Israel. And it's been a tremendous and terrible setback for Lebanon's democracy. '
His rhetoric attempts to lump together Israel and Lebanon with regard to the "scale of destruction." And, even if it were true that "hundreds of thousands" of Israelis have been displaced, which I doubt, the fact is that very few of them have lost a home or suffered serious wounds, compared to the thousands and thousands of Lebanese who have. There is not any equivalence, of the sort Blair pretends exists, between the suffering of the Lebanese and the suffering of the Israelis. There certainly are Israelis suffering. But their number is tiny in comparison to the Lebanese who have.
I could go on, but it is pretty clear, I think. Even the British cabinet is unhappy with Blair over his performance.
posted by Juan Cole @ 7/30/2006 12:03:00 AM
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4 Comments:
Tragedy is a very apt word. Had Blair said calamaity or disaster, your point would have been well taken. Tragedy, however, isn't general causelesss woe, it's rather a story of a noble but flawed protagonist whose actions cause a terrible fate.
Dear Professor Cole
The British Cabinet is even more unhappy than your link shows.
Jack Straw who used to be Foreign Secretary and wants to be Deputy Prime Minister has publicly departed from Mr Blair's stated policy and called for an immediate ceasefire.
The Scotsman reports
Straw's comments represent the first critical remarks by a UK Cabinet minister of Israel's actions since the start of hostilities three weeks ago, and expose the rift that has now opened up between Blair and some of his senior allies over the issue.
Labour sources say that Straw's views are widely shared widely within the Cabinet, with only Home Secretary John Reid said to have been supportive of Blair's position last week. Even the normally loyal Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott is said to have raised concerns about the level of opposition to Israel's actions and Blair's support during Cabinet discussions.
Mr Blair has apparently been offered a job by Rupert Murdoch on his departure from office
Dear Professor Cole -
I wanted to make you aware of a blog that may interest you. David Michaelis, an Israeli citizen, directory of Current Afairs for Link TV and the co-producer of a documentary entitled, "Occuppied Minds" with a Palestinian Journalist now has his own blog. You may review it by clicking here. Michaelis's views are to the Left of most Israelis and is a long time advocate of minority rights in Israel. His perspective is interesting and worth reading.
"Note how by calling it a "tragedy," Blair takes the onus off Israel for launching a total war on the Lebanese infrastructure and population."
Noted. Local new begins with, "Today, bombs continue to fall on Lebanon even as the terrorist organization Hizbullah fires missles at Israeli towns and villages."
"Bombs fall?" Is this some sort of "mana from heaven" gone bad? Oh wait, its global warming. Glaciers melt and then bombs fall. Stupid blond newsreader did not blink. Bombs fall on Lebanon, it's a natural catastrophe.
"Bombs fall" doesn't even suggest that Israelis are dropping them.
Makes me sick.
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