Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon: Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

[Radio_Lady]

August 19-20, 2006

Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon
Self-Fulfilling Prophecies



By STEPHEN FLEISCHMAN

A self-fulfilling prophecy - as defined by Robert K. Merton, 20th Century sociologist who coined the phrase - is that a prediction, in being made, actually causes itself to become true. There are a couple of vivid examples in the works right now.

In the nearly five years since 9/11 and the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City, up to the alleged recently thwarted plot to destroy twelve commercial airliners in mid-flight between Great Britain and the United States, President Bush has been working furiously to bring about a self-fulfilling prophecy with his war on terror.

"War on Terror." The phrase is meaningless. What is terror? An emotion. You can't go to war against an emotion. But it's being used and promoted by the administration for its fear-producing effect and by the mainstream media as a rating or readership enhancer.

When the al-Qaeda 9/11 attacks took place, instead of coordinating a massive international police action to apprehend Osama bin Laden, the brains of the operation, the United States decided to wipe out an independent country, Afghanistan. The justification was that Bin Laden had been given sanctuary there and was using the place for a terrorist training ground. Bush made it perfectly clear. He wanted Bin Laden "dead or alive" like a good Western lawman should. After some shock and awe bombing, the US Army's Special Forces hit the ground running, but flubbed an attempt to capture Bin Laden in his mountain stronghold at Tora Bora.

The Taliban, once courted by American oil companies and US government officials for concessions in the building of an oil pipeline across their country, was now demonized and driven out of power. The US has been carrying on a military operation against the Taliban's guerrilla force ever since and Afghanistan continues to be a terrorist producing machine.

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Counterpunch

STEPHEN FLEISCHMAN, television writer-director-producer, spent thirty years in Network News at CBS and ABC, starting in 1953. In 1959, he participated in the formation of the renowned Murrow-Friendly "CBS Reports" series. In 1983, Fleischman won the prestigious Columbia University-Dupont Television Journalism Award. In 2004, he wrote his memoir. See: www.ARedintheHouse.com, E-mail: [e-mail]

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Radio_Lady]

2. I welcome your comments on this article.

Not sure what was deleted (above).

[IndianaGreen]

3. It was probably some idiot that took issue with the author's views

You missed nothing!

I just read the article, and I thank you for posting it. I will reply to it separately.

[Radio_Lady]

7. Thank you, Indiana Green.

[IndianaGreen]

4. So was Bush using Israel, or was Israel, the tail, wagging the dog?

Are people in such denial that they learn nothing from history, or even from events of the recent past. Look at Iraq. Look at Vietnam. Look at Algeria. Look at Tito of Yugoslavia or France under Nazi occupation during World War II. As the Vietcong used to say, "we live among the people like fish in water."

One thing that is obvious is that Bush and Olmert's wars in Iraq and Lebanon failed to achieve any of their declared objectives, and had in fact succeeded in turning their "enemies" into heroes.

There was a report in the American press about a secret agreement between the US and Israel on the use of American weapon technology given to Israel. The news report dealt with cluster bombs being used on populated areas. I wonder what other secret agreements exist between the US and Israel. The fact they were kept secret tells volumes as to their questioned legality.

One thing is indisputable: Bush and Olmert's policies are creating a tidal wave of enemies!

[bemildred]

5. Kick for Mr. Fleischman.

You can tell he is a writer.
Scintillating prose with a nice kick at the end.

[Radio_Lady]

6. Thanks, Bemildred. I'll pass the message along to Steve.

He was my ex-husband's boss in the 1960s at the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in New York.

Here is the link for this weekend's discussion:

Jurassic White House: The Reptilian Brain of George W. Bush

I'm sure he will appreciate your kind compliments.

In peace,

Radio_Lady in Oregon