Listen to a reading of this article:This Substack will always be free to read. A fascinating exchange took place at a UN press briefing the other day between China Global Television Network's Xu Dezhi and the UN's Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Farhan Haq about the US military occupation of Syria. The exchange is interesting both for the wild pro-US bias shown by a UN official, and for the way it illustrates how much truth can be exposed when journalists do what they're supposed to do in the press gallery.
That the imperial hegemon feels entitled to deference is but a perk of empire.
“A wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf’s right to eat him. He thus addressed him: “Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me.”
“Indeed,” bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, “I was not then born.”
Then said the Wolf, “You feed in my pasture.”
“No, good sir,” replied the Lamb, “I have not yet tasted grass.”
Again said the Wolf, “You drink of my well.”
“No,” exclaimed the Lamb, “I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother’s milk is both food and drink to me.”
Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, “Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations.”
Moral: The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.”
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For a few more years, the US will have absolute power over other people and we will use that power in an absolutely corrupt way. When retribution finally comes our way, no one will shed a tear for us.
This is the most beautifully (and visual) phrased statement about the state of journalism in the world today: "Instead we get the world's most powerful government represented by people whose only traits are the ability to skillfully avoid providing meaningful answers, receiving slobbering rim jobs from power-worshipping cronies who want nothing more than to be their friend. This is the exact opposite of a healthy dynamic, and the exact opposite of a functioning free press."
Bravo! Here's to a true free press not afraid to ask the tough questions and demand answers. (And no more slobbering rim jobs, please. You butt-kissers bring the entire profession of journalism down. You're gross.)
Funny how all the ones accusing Ateba of making a ruckus were the ones making a ruckus! How many bobbing heads does it take to prove they are airheads!?
Thank you for this. Dead on, as usual. The ‘most charitable’ view of Mr. Haq’s unfamiliarity with basic facts on Syria is, as you beautifully sardonic understatement, imply, is absurd. Of course he knows. It is another of those inconvenient facts, like the Israeli nuclear weapons program, that cannot and will never be acknowledged by the US or any of its stooges. The fact that Haq was forced to at least refuse to answer in the context of the death of a US contractor and wounding of 5 US servicemen IN SYRIA is, indeed, some fine journalistic work. It would be nice if this exchange had ‘resonance’. In other words, if it was followed up on by our tribe of lowly syncophants. The execrable Ted Koppel used that word as part of an explanation that was perfectly circular about something or other back when he was pioneering late- night propaganda on network tv before cable grabbed the model and ran during the America Held Hostage show that debuted in 1979 on the US version of ABC. Or, maybe, more recently. Why are you not reporting on that? It doesn’t have ‘resonance’! How does ANY story get ‘resonance’? By being reported on and stayed with, of course. It’s just amazing. Or, should be. Thanks again.
There really is no journalism. On March 28, 2023, Tucker Carlson said, "I really have no idea what 9/11 was all about. They blamed that on people hating us because we're free." I remember buying into that at the time, too. There were a few articles that tried to explain what really provoked those attacks. I'm not saying that I like or justify those attacks. I am saying, "They hate us because we're free," is a one sentence "explanation." I'd like the 20 paragraph explanation, please. But they never explain anything. They just impose they create:
* Bombings everywhere;
* Invasions;
* Surveillance of their own citizens;
* Censorship. I'm still mad about the censorship over 9/11, Ukraine, the "vax," and now these transgender mentally ill people who are shooting nine year olds. I see where there have been four separate cases of this, and heartless jackasses want to blame the weapon, and not the deeply disturbed person whom no one ever helped, other than to cut off their anatomy.
Caitlin has really helped open my eyes to all of the censorship, lies, lack of journalism, and the fact that our "leaders" never back up and give us an actual explanation of what is going on. They just get sanctimonious and humorless, and then they spy on you, and drop bombs, and hope you die so they can institute their agenda.
The Whitehouse press gallery has all been downhill since veteran reporter Helen Thomas was ejected for the crime of answering a question (asked outside the press gallery) honestly in an obvious set up which took some weeks to compile, none of her 'colleagues' made any attempt to aid her, she who had spent 67 years as a reporter much of that at the Whitehouse. They are a joke and exist only to gather 'un-named spokesperson close to the president' style deliberate leaks used by the whitehouse to cover their arses/promote some deceit/boost some program which sells out ordinary humans - sometimes in amerika, sometimes elsewhere on the planet.
As others have noted the last time anyone in the gallery stood up to a president was when Drumpf was in power and that bloke, one of nature's slimiest toadies got a raise & a book deal out of his ill mannered spiel, much worse than anything either Simon Ateba or Xu Dezhi have ever done.
I hope it is your undeniable wit and not the withering of my soul, which leads me to laugh out loud as you point out the sheer lunacy in 'our' institutions who ostensibly stop war crimes.
That the imperial hegemon feels entitled to deference is but a perk of empire.
“A wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf’s right to eat him. He thus addressed him: “Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me.”
“Indeed,” bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, “I was not then born.”
Then said the Wolf, “You feed in my pasture.”
“No, good sir,” replied the Lamb, “I have not yet tasted grass.”
Again said the Wolf, “You drink of my well.”
“No,” exclaimed the Lamb, “I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother’s milk is both food and drink to me.”
Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, “Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations.”
Moral: The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.”
**************************
For a few more years, the US will have absolute power over other people and we will use that power in an absolutely corrupt way. When retribution finally comes our way, no one will shed a tear for us.
Nor should they, for we do evil.
************************
This is the most beautifully (and visual) phrased statement about the state of journalism in the world today: "Instead we get the world's most powerful government represented by people whose only traits are the ability to skillfully avoid providing meaningful answers, receiving slobbering rim jobs from power-worshipping cronies who want nothing more than to be their friend. This is the exact opposite of a healthy dynamic, and the exact opposite of a functioning free press."
Bravo! Here's to a true free press not afraid to ask the tough questions and demand answers. (And no more slobbering rim jobs, please. You butt-kissers bring the entire profession of journalism down. You're gross.)
Haj spoke like a mouthpiece for the American military who would be even been embarrassed by his amateur stupidity in confronting the issue.
The Un is so without credibility and may become another League of Nations which expired for losing its mind in upholding its charter.
Hopefully it can be saved from certain death by this kind of reporter revealing it’s ridiculous biases .
Funny how all the ones accusing Ateba of making a ruckus were the ones making a ruckus! How many bobbing heads does it take to prove they are airheads!?
Thank you for this. Dead on, as usual. The ‘most charitable’ view of Mr. Haq’s unfamiliarity with basic facts on Syria is, as you beautifully sardonic understatement, imply, is absurd. Of course he knows. It is another of those inconvenient facts, like the Israeli nuclear weapons program, that cannot and will never be acknowledged by the US or any of its stooges. The fact that Haq was forced to at least refuse to answer in the context of the death of a US contractor and wounding of 5 US servicemen IN SYRIA is, indeed, some fine journalistic work. It would be nice if this exchange had ‘resonance’. In other words, if it was followed up on by our tribe of lowly syncophants. The execrable Ted Koppel used that word as part of an explanation that was perfectly circular about something or other back when he was pioneering late- night propaganda on network tv before cable grabbed the model and ran during the America Held Hostage show that debuted in 1979 on the US version of ABC. Or, maybe, more recently. Why are you not reporting on that? It doesn’t have ‘resonance’! How does ANY story get ‘resonance’? By being reported on and stayed with, of course. It’s just amazing. Or, should be. Thanks again.
There really is no journalism. On March 28, 2023, Tucker Carlson said, "I really have no idea what 9/11 was all about. They blamed that on people hating us because we're free." I remember buying into that at the time, too. There were a few articles that tried to explain what really provoked those attacks. I'm not saying that I like or justify those attacks. I am saying, "They hate us because we're free," is a one sentence "explanation." I'd like the 20 paragraph explanation, please. But they never explain anything. They just impose they create:
* Bombings everywhere;
* Invasions;
* Surveillance of their own citizens;
* Censorship. I'm still mad about the censorship over 9/11, Ukraine, the "vax," and now these transgender mentally ill people who are shooting nine year olds. I see where there have been four separate cases of this, and heartless jackasses want to blame the weapon, and not the deeply disturbed person whom no one ever helped, other than to cut off their anatomy.
Caitlin has really helped open my eyes to all of the censorship, lies, lack of journalism, and the fact that our "leaders" never back up and give us an actual explanation of what is going on. They just get sanctimonious and humorless, and then they spy on you, and drop bombs, and hope you die so they can institute their agenda.
Thus explains the utter mess! The UN should be dismantled!
The Whitehouse press gallery has all been downhill since veteran reporter Helen Thomas was ejected for the crime of answering a question (asked outside the press gallery) honestly in an obvious set up which took some weeks to compile, none of her 'colleagues' made any attempt to aid her, she who had spent 67 years as a reporter much of that at the Whitehouse. They are a joke and exist only to gather 'un-named spokesperson close to the president' style deliberate leaks used by the whitehouse to cover their arses/promote some deceit/boost some program which sells out ordinary humans - sometimes in amerika, sometimes elsewhere on the planet.
As others have noted the last time anyone in the gallery stood up to a president was when Drumpf was in power and that bloke, one of nature's slimiest toadies got a raise & a book deal out of his ill mannered spiel, much worse than anything either Simon Ateba or Xu Dezhi have ever done.
My God, that is powerful stuff, Caitlin.
This.......is speaking truth to power.
I hope it is your undeniable wit and not the withering of my soul, which leads me to laugh out loud as you point out the sheer lunacy in 'our' institutions who ostensibly stop war crimes.
His name is appropriate, Haq (hack).
"Look, I'll leave your analysis to you." <----- Stealing This, can't wait to use it. ;~p Another terrific post. Fantastic reporting, Thank You.
They don't allow journalists willing to do that in the door. Go ask Michael Tracey.
Ah, just sit down and mind your manners.
The house slaves always protect their master.
Great piece, thank you. The influence of the evil empire is staggering. Historically I fear karma is not going to be kind to Amerika.