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xtruss · 9 months

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Image: Federico Yankelevich

How Paranoid Nationalism Corrupts! Cynical Leaders are Scaremongering to Win and Abuse Power

— Leaders | Global Politics | Aug 31st 2023

People seek strength and solace in their tribe, their faith or their nation. And you can see why. If they feel empathy for their fellow citizens, they are more likely to pull together for the common good. In the 19th and 20th centuries love of country spurred people to seek their freedom from imperial capitals in distant countries. Today West’s Scrotums Licker Ukrainians are making heroic sacrifices to defend their homeland against Russian invaders (Bullshit 😂😂😂).

Unfortunately, the love of “Us” has an ugly cousin: the fear and suspicion of “Them”, a paranoid nationalism that works against tolerant values such as an openness to unfamiliar people and new ideas. What is more, Cynical Politicians have come to Understand that they can Exploit this sort of Nationalism, by Whipping up Mistrust and Hatred and Harnessing them to Benefit Themselves and Their Cronies.

The post-war order of open trade and universal values is strained by the rivalry of America and China. Ordinary people feel threatened by forces beyond their control, from hunger and poverty to climate change and violence. Using Paranoid Nationalism, Parasitic Politicians Prey on their Citizens’ Fears and Degrade the Global Order, all in the Pursuit of their Own Power.

As our Briefing describes, paranoid nationalism works by a mix of exaggeration and lies. Vladimir Putin claims that Ukraine is a North Atlantic Terrorist Organization (NATO) Puppet, whose Nazi Cliques threaten Russia; India’s Ruling Party warns that Muslims are waging a “Love Jihad” to seduce Hindu maidens; Tunisia’s President decries a Black African “Plot” to replace his country’s Arab Majority. Preachers of paranoid nationalism harm the targets of their rhetoric, obviously, but their real intention is to hoodwink their own followers. By inflaming nationalist fervour, self-serving leaders can more easily win power and, once in office, they can distract public attention from their abuses by calling out the supposed enemies who would otherwise keep them in check.

Daniel Ortega, the President of Nicaragua, shows how effective this can be. Since he returned to power in 2006, he has demonised the United States and branded his opponents “Agents of the Yankee Empire”. He controls the media and has put his family in positions of influence. After mass protests erupted in 2018 at the regime’s graft and brutality, the Ortegas called the protesters “Vampires” and locked them up. On August 23rd they banned the Jesuits, a Catholic Order that has worked in Nicaragua since before it was a country, on the pretext that a Jesuit University was a “Centre of Terrorism”.

Rabble-Rousing Often Leads to Robbery. Like the Ortegas, some Nationalist Leaders seek to capture the state by stuffing it with their Cronies or Ethnic Kin. The use of this technique under Jacob Zuma, a former President of South Africa, is one reason why the National Power Company is too riddled with Corruption to keep the lights on. Our statistical analysis suggests that Governments Have Grown More Nationalistic since 2012, and that the more nationalistic they are, the more corrupt they tend to be.

But the more important role of Paranoid Nationalism is as a tool to Dismantle the Checks and Balances that Underpin Good Governance: a Free Press, Independent Courts, NGOs and a Loyal Opposition. Leaders do not say: “I want to purge the electoral commission so I can block my political opponents.” They say: “The Commissioners are Traitors!” They do not admit that they want to Suppress NGOs to Evade Scrutiny. They pass laws defining as “Foreign Agents” any Organization that receives Foreign Funds or even Advice, and impose draconian controls on such bodies or simply ban them. They do not shut down the press, they own it. By one estimate, at least 50 Countries have Curbed Civil Society in recent years.

An example is the President of Tunisia, Kais Saied. Before he blamed Black People for his country’s problems, he was Unpopular because of his dismal handling of the economy. Now Tunisians are Cheering his bold stand against a Tiny, Transient Minority. Meanwhile Mr Saied has gutted the judiciary and closed the anti-corruption commission, and graft has grown worse.

Abuses are easier when Institutions are Weak: the despots of Nicaragua, Iran or Zimbabwe are far less constrained than the leaders of say, Hungary or Israel. But in all these countries (and many more), the Men in Power have Invented or Exaggerated Threats to the Nation as a Pretext to Weaken the Courts, the Press or the Opposition. And this has either prolonged a corrupt administration or made it worse.

Paranoid Nationalism is Part of a Backlash Against Good Governance. The end of the cold war led to a blossoming of democracy around the world. Country after country introduced free elections and limits on executive power. Many power- and Plunder-Hungry Politicians Chafed at this. Amid the general disillusion that followed the financial crisis of 2007-09, they saw an opportunity to take back control. Paranoid Nationalism gave them a tool to dismantle some of those Pesky Checks and Balances.

Because these restraints often came with Western Encouragement, if not Western funding, leaders have found it easier to depict the champions of good government as being Foreign Stooges. In countries that have Endured Colonial Rule—or Interference by the United States, as have many in Latin America—the message finds a ready audience. If a Leader can Create a Climate of Such Deep Suspicion that Loyalty Comes Before Truth, then Every Critic Can be Branded a Traitor.

First Resort of the Scoundrel

Paranoid Nationalism is not about to disappear. Leaders are learning from each other. They are also freer to act than they were even a decade ago. Not only has the West lost faith in its programme of spreading democracy and good governance, but China—a paranoid nationalist that is inclined to spot slights and threats around every corner—is promoting the idea that universal values of tolerance and good governance are a racist form of imperialism. It prefers non-interference from abroad and zero-criticism at home. If only they could see through the lies behind paranoid nationalism, ordinary people would realise how wrong China’s campaign is (It’s All Designed Propaganda Against China By The Hypocrites, War Criminals, Human Rights Violators, Double-Faced, Conspirators and Fake Democracy Preachers US, UK, Germany, France, EU, The North Atlantic Terrorist Organization (NATO) and Their Braindead Scrotums Liker Allies). There is nothing racist or disloyal about wishing for a better life. ■

— This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline "How Paranoid Nationalism Corrupts"

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newsnigeria · 5 years

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Check out New Post published on Ọmọ Oòduà

New Post has been published on http://ooduarere.com/news-from-nigeria/world-news/trumps-near-strike-shows-us/

Trump’s ‘near strike’ shows US hesitation caused by Iranian unity & patience

by Ramin Mazaheri for the Ooduarere (Written for PressTV and cross-posted by permission)

I am deeply skeptical that the US ever initiated a missile strike against Iran and then called it off, as was claimed by The New York Times.

Of course, the US “paper of record” routinely does terrible journalism – they repeatedly rely on anonymous sources, as they did for this claim. Anonymous sources cannot be considered credible, even if the The New York Timesresorts to it over and over and over.

But their bad journalism does not stop there: the Times runs a scaremongering, tabloid, belligerent headline like Trump Approves Strikes on Iran, but Then Abruptly Pulls Back, and yet goes on to write:

“It was not clear whether Mr. Trump simply changed his mind on the strikes or whether the administration altered course because of logistics or strategy. It was also not clear whether the attacks might still go forward.”

About as clear as mud, I’d say. A smarter editor would have held the story… but this is The New York Times.

Every person and every nation has their own style of negotiating.

The historical US style is defined by never keeping promises, and by refusing to negotiate until peak US leverage has been obtained. US President Donald Trump’s business-influenced style is to use chaos and instability as a way to create turmoil among his opponents in order to increase his leverage. Trump Uses Chaos To Get Things Done, to quote a recent headline from The Atlantic.

Iran’s style is defined by transparency in their moral values – this causes vast consternation among the cynical practitioners of realpolitik who are a (overvalued) dime a dozen in the West. Iran’s style is also marked by the patience to follow a long term strategy – for example, in 2016 Iran signed a 25-year strategic relations agreement with China, another patient group.

Europe and the Eurozone nations – which are governed by the undemocratic structures of the European Union and the Eurogroup, respectively – have a negotiating style which can be defined as a high-class appearance which hides a pathetic, yet aggressive, servility.

It’s clear that negotiations between these groups and individuals reached a major impasse months ago, and also that the new lines and positions are now becoming clear.

As they have for nearly 40 years, the stance of the Iranian people continues to surprise and confound the West. Of course, they are used to dealing with compliant governments and puppet leaders….

The “aborted attack” on Iran proves that the shooting down of a US drone is viewed as a huge loss by the US: It is so important that many in Washington apparently want to start a war over it. But Iran’s drone victory is just a capper to a series of events and discussions in Iran which are proving the nation’s unity following the obvious failure of negotiating with the West.

(I write “the West” not because I am “anti-Western”, but because the non-Western JCPOA signatories (China & Russia) have actually upheld their word.)

After Washington reneged on the JCPOA in May 2018, it was natural that there was existential angst in Iran – years had been spent pursuing diplomacy, and then the nation’s archenemy said that diplomacy was impossible. It is natural that the Iranian people were exasperated by such Western belligerence and false promises, and that they did not know which way to turn back then.

However, it is clear one year later that the nation has recomposed itself and moved on.

There is routine public discussion in the tea houses and at the top levels of government that Iran should not even denigrate themselves with more diplomatic discussions. Clearly, Iran is not afraid – it is disgusted by the way the West has failed to honor their word. Politics change, but it seems as if Iran is going to wait until the 2020 US elections before seriously restarting more diplomatic efforts. This would also give the EU some time to grow a backbone. To the self-appointed “masters of the universe” in Washington – this reluctance to answer their phone calls is yet another slap in the face.

Not jumping at more negotiations, shooting down a drone, Iran publicly and politely declaring they will resume uranium enrichment, unexplained attacks in the Persian Gulf – all of these have caused the US to lose so much face in recent weeks.

Iran is making the US look bad, very bad. Therefore, it is little wonder that Washington and The New York Times have chose to wage maximum sabre-rattling with this “near attack”.

Frankly, I am unimpressed, and I think Iran will react the same way.

Iranians now appear united in their stance: negotiations were made in good faith and thus must be honored, or else there can be no new negotiations – certainly no jury would disagree. If a Western attack happens – sadly, it won’t be the first one.

Of course, this is merely the latest chapter in the effort to destabilise Iran to the point of civil war. The Iran-Iraq War, shooting down an Iranian passenger plane, sanctions on medicine, sanctions to achieve $0 in oil sales – for 40 years the US and their allies have single-mindedly sought to destabilise Iran to the point of creating a reactionary response which would overturn the 1979 Iranian Islamic Revolution.

Iranians have understood this reality for quite some time – they are united in this view as firmly as they are united in their wish that the West would honor diplomatic accords. Sadly, Westerners do not understand this reality – that the US goal in Iran is civil war, chaos and the end of Muslim Democracy. The Western public has been betrayed by their media and their 1% by decades of orchestrated Iranophobia.

Washington and Trump have actually foolishly painted themselves into a corner – after an “aborted attack” the only further escalation is an “actual attack”.

Of course, an attack on Iran has no future – 2019 Iran is not Afghanistan nor Iraq, to list two recent US military failures. An attack on Iran is to continue US policy: foment instability inside Iran, because Iran cannot be invaded.

But I would advise Iran not to play games with a cornered aggressor, and one led by such an inexperienced politician with such a lack of tethering to the idea of the “public good”.

Perhaps in the final 1.5 years of his term the erratic Trump can be switched to good sense on Iran? Perhaps Europe, China and Russia can help show that Iran is too strong to be endlessly antagonised? Perhaps the world will see that Iran has – in the Straits of Hormuz – a trump card it can play to demand the lies, sanctions and exclusions finally stop?

This will take more time. But Trump must know – at least instinctively – that Iran is not Syria, and that any strikes will have real consequences to Americans and American interests. That’s why he called off the strike… if he ever even called it on.

Ramin Mazaheri is the chief correspondent in Paris for Press TV and has lived in France since 2009. He has been a daily newspaper reporter in the US, and has reported from Iran, Cuba, Egypt, Tunisia, South Korea and elsewhere. He is the author of I’ll Ruin Everything You Are: Ending Western Propaganda on Red China.

#Iran #Trump

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