Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Speaking the bleeding obvious

This comes from The Wrap, the Guardian's email news digest, "Our new friends in the Middle East," splashes the Independent sardonically above a picture of the Iranian and Syrian presidents, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Bashar Assad. "[They] were demonised to justify the invasion of Iraq. Now Britain and the US want their help sorting out the mess."

Once again I see that we have gone into the business of demonisation, which I suppose means describing an oppressive theocratic regime as an oppressive theocratic regime and a Ba'athist police state as a Ba'athist police state.

But Iran and Syria were the justification for the invasion of Iraq? Surely the justification for Iraq was – Iraq?

Off to prepare my class on the Nazis – must make sure I don't do any more demonisation. A terrible habit.

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