F.A.I.R. nails media's spin on Wikileaks.

[EFerrari]

(Clear thumbnail for time strapped readers, too.)

What We Learn From WikiLeaks
Media paint flattering picture of U.S. diplomacy

In U.S. elite media, the main revelation of the WikiLeaks diplomatic cables is that the U.S. government conducts its foreign policy in a largely admirable fashion.

Fareed Zakaria, Time (12/2/10):
The WikiLeaks documents, by contrast , show Washington pursuing privately pretty much the policies it has articulated publicly. Whether on Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan or North Korea, the cables confirm what we know to be U.S. foreign policy. And often this foreign policy is concerned with broader regional security, not narrow American interests. Ambassadors are not caught pushing other countries in order to make deals secretly to strengthen the U.S., but rather to solve festering problems.

snip

These conclusions represent an extraordinarily narrow reading of the WikiLeaks cables, of which about 1,000 have been released (contrary to constant media claims that the website has already released 250,000 cables). Some of the more explosive revelations, unflattering to U.S. policymakers, have received less attention in U.S. corporate media. Among the revelations that, by any sensible reading, show U.S. diplomatic efforts of considerable concern:

snip

The "duplicity" of other countries can be illuminated by the cables, while the U.S.'s secret wars are evidence of "diplomacy." That principle would seem to be guiding the way many U.S. outlets are interpreting the WikiLeaks revelations.

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=4215&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[WillyT]

1. K & R !!!

:kick:

[Poll_Blind]

2. K&R- thanks for bringing this article to our attention!

:thumbsup:

PB

[EFerrari]

7. You might also enjoy Greg Mitchell's blog.

He does a great, well written run down:

http://www.thenation.com/blog/157206/blogging-wikileaks-news-views-special-weekend-edition

[nashville_brook]

3. we have reverted back to a feudalist mentality, when the elite were granted honor by "virtue" of

elite-ness. it's terrifying. and very apropos.

[EFerrari]

5. Yep. It's disturbing to be spoken to like slow children

by the oligarchy and by their outlets.

[nashville_brook]

11. equally disturbing that the practice is defended...by anyone... left or right.

[malaise]

13. Of course

They know best :sarcasm:

[sabrina 1]

4. What is mostly alarming about the documents is the

proof that the U.S. interferes in so many countries around the world, and appears to be influencing elections in Europe now, the way they used to influence them in South America.

Australia also. Eg, the cables regarding Nigeria show that they U.S. has totally infiltrated that government and that the influence of the U.S. there has produced a system so corrupt that it will probably take decades to try to repair it, and that that can only be done after any U.S. influence is removed.

Then there were the cables on Uzbekistan. I remember finding out that the Bush administration was supporting the brutal dictator Karimov, sending Rumsfeld to deliver millions of dollars to him. I got slammed by rightwingers for posting that information.

But the cables not only confirm the disgraceful alliance, they show that the State Dept. KNOWS his record, (a British diplomat quit his post there in protest of what he had seen regarding human rights) but argue that while he is all that he is accused of, he allows them to build bases there and so, he will remain an ally. The hypocrisy is stunning, considering he is worse than Saddam Hussein.

Then there are the cables that explain why the U.S. would have no problem supporting such a vile human being. In the recent cables regarding the European Court of Human Rights, we see clearly how the U.S. now has zero respect for human rights, and slams very respected human rights members of that court. Apparently they didn't like being chastized for torturing human beings.

I don't know where anyone is getting the idea that these cables paint a nice picture of the U.S. they do the exact opposite, and while in the U.S. people may be ignoring them, this is not the case elsewhere, where citizens are learning how much influence this country has had on their own governments.

More pap from the U.S. media who probably have not even bothered to read the cables. Just publish the government memos they are handed.

[EFerrari]

6. The cables are not flattering in any way to the US.

That's why the meme "Wikileaks has made it more difficult for the US to conduct diplomacy" is often greeted by the response "Good!" in other countries.

[sabrina 1]

8. You know, what is strange is the reaction of this government

to the cables. Compared eg, to the reaction of Russia, which also doesn't look too good from the cables. Eg, Putin was accused in the cables of being responsible for the poisoning of the Russian spy. Not to mention that the cables show the corruption in Russia at even the highest levels.

But Putin has not only more or less laughed it all off, he has stated that Assange should be given a Pulitizer prize.

I wonder if there is so much more than we have seen already, because bad as what we have seen is, most people suspected most of it anyhow.

But then we have seen only a very small % of what they have. And they seem very desperate to shut them up.

[EFerrari]

9. Hmm. I tend to think the contempt for democracy

and for us shown in those cables is the most dangerous element.

The American people will not be happy if it ever gets through to them how cheaply they are held by their own government.

[sabrina 1]

14. Yes, that is very clear from the cables.

In fact, reading through them, you get the impression you are peeking into a private club that has nothing to do with ordinary people. I can't remember a single mention of the American people wrt what they might want in terms of our relationships with other countries.

It's as if these people represent entities other than the people who pay their salaries. I think I already mentioned this before.

[snagglepuss]

10. +1

[underpants]

12. +

mark for later read

[City Lights]

15. KR&B. nt

[Kurovski]

16. Sorting through the bullshit is now a citizen's full time duty.

Thanks for this, E.

K&R