The Machinery of Night

The World Says: Yes to Saddam

There was an interesting commentary by Amir Taheri in the Houston Chronicle today, entitled, "'Old Europe' feeds Saddam's suicidal fantasy."

While the American media are having a field day against the "old Europeans" -- France and Germany -- the Iraqi media are building a fantasy world in which a resurgent Europe, inspired by Saddam Hussein's "heroic leadership," will put an end to the U.S. "quest for global hegemony."

Iraq's media are trying to create the impression that Saddam enjoys worldwide support that cuts across ideological barriers.

Uday knows who the real enemies are (you do too---four letters, starts with J). He writes in an editorial in his newspaper, Babel:

The battle started in Iraq...But the struggle of mankind against the American-Zionist enemy has now spread to the whole world.

Remember the vile accusation that the peace marchers actually provided aid and comfort to Saddam and his regime?:

Uday's television station showed footage of the "peace" rallies in the West for seven hours on four successive days. Every 10 minutes or so a portrait of Saddam would appear. A solemn voice-over read the message: "The world says: Yes to Saddam."

Wonder if they translated the Bush = Hitler banners?

This next bit may explain much.

Iraqi newspapers and radio and television networks, all controlled by Saddam or his family, refer to [Schroeder] as al-munadhil al-bassel (the brave combatant) because of the stance he has taken against the United States and in favor of Iraq. This is an important title in the Iraqi Baathist lexicon, just one degree below the title of al-munadhil al-akbar (the great combatant), used to describe Chirac, the only Western head of state to have met Saddam and to have forged a personal relationship with him in the 1970s.

So, what would you rather be called when you visit a foreign country: Chiraq the Weasel, or the Great Combatant. Maybe if we started calling him the Head Cheese or possibly Leader of the Great Nation Whose Culture's Boots We Are Not Fit to Lick, he'd soften up a bit.

If there is no war, perhaps Hussein will give him a medal. (Note: I feel Lent coming on, so I will be giving up cheap jokes about how only a Frenchman could get a medal for not fighting. Make up your own.)

The newspaper Babel has praised Schroeder's policy as "an attempt to assert German honor under American occupation."

That is to say, brave Schroeder is opposing us even though we occupy and control his country.

Other Iraqi heroes, according to Taheri, include Jean-Marie Le Pen, Noam Chomsky, Ed Said, and Jesse Jackson.

I swear I am not making this up.

By persuading him -- even unintentionally -- that he could remain in power without fulfilling his commitments to the Security Council, the "old Europeans" may have contributed to Saddam's refusal to disarm.

NO!?

I wondered who this Taheri fellow is, so I googled him up.

[Now that Google owns my butt, can I get a kickback everytime I say Google? Google Google Google.]

Taheri's an Iranian who writes for various venues, including this NRO article on anti-Americanism in Europe.