It looks like the publicity machine is starting to soften us all up for another "regime change" - but maybe not in Iran at first - from
Global Exchange's Zach Hurwitz (my
emphasis):
On March 27, the UK's Channel 4 aired a report on Venezuela by journalist Jonhatan Rugman, in which Chavez is depicted as a soon to be dictator and the next Saddam. The piece has been described by journalist John Pilger as "one of the worst, most distorted pieces of journalism I have ever seen, qualifying as crude propaganda... utter bullshit... a disgrace from beginning to end".
Pilger states that the propaganda piece is aimed at softening up public opinion for a future US attack, and ends his brief analysis stating that "...If and when it comes [an attack on Venezuela], the Rugmans will share some of the responsibility".
As Zach goes on to say:
...The timing is just right: Condoleeza Rice has just called for an international alliance to isolate Venezuela, while public opinion in GB is driving away from Blair's neocolonialist agenda and there are growing calls for active solidarity with Venezuelas' political process.
The aim behind the strategy is simple, as Goebbels pointed out: repeat a lie a thousand times and it will become true as crystal before public opinion.
...If progressives don't act now, sooner or later all corporate media will follow this lead. By then, it will be too late to stop more imperial fireworks on your TV screens - and on the rooftops of innocent people.
Action is recommended to condemn the trend behind this despicable propaganda media show and demand apology and reddress.
To add your voice to the many decrying this blatant attempt at spinning us into another war, please consider writing to the following:
Channel 4 News: news@channel4.co.uk
Channel 4 News director, Jon Snow: jon.snow@itn.co.uk
Channel 4 Ombudsman: viewer_liaisonC4@itn.co.uk
And for those of you that may be buying into the Right-wing spin on Chavez, please check out this article from Roger Burbach, Director of the Center for the Study of the Americas based in Berkeley, and author of "Imperial Overstretch: George W. Bush and the Hubris of Empire".
The sooner we beat back the lies, maybe no more of our kids will die on foreign soil for oil.
UPDATE: As Markos NYC mentions, Wilfred at Booman Tribune has posted a story from Tuesday's NY Times that looks very suspiciously like the same talking points from the Channel 4 report:
Mega-projects, like Mr. Chávez's utopian plan of building a gas pipeline through the Amazon from Venezuela to Argentina, are not likely to materialize.
Don't you just love it, it's "utopian" when a Latin America country has big plans (backed by big money don't forget) but when the Neocons/Gas and Oil people want to run pipelines throughout the Middle East that are 10 times larger they are seen as 'visionary'
And the seeding begins...