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Turkish Delight
The Wall Street Journal ^ | February 10, 2006

Posted on 02/10/2006 12:49:55 PM PST by presidio9

It is often claimed that the Bush Administration is failing to "win the hearts and minds" of the Muslim world. This criticism implicitly blames Washington's foreign policy for its poor image in the Middle East. But perhaps the problem isn't so much with the policy as with the way it's portrayed in the region.

Consider "Valley of the Wolves: Iraq," the most expensive Turkish movie ever made. The plot is a cross between "American Psycho" in uniform and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. U.S. soldiers in Iraq pillage, murder and maim at will. In one scene, they butcher guests at a wedding before taking the survivors to Abu Ghraib. A Jewish doctor at the prison cuts out their organs to sell them to rich clients in New York, London and Tel Aviv. The only real Muslim wedding massacre that we can think of was perpetrated last November by al Qaeda in Amman -- but, hey, artistic freedom must have free rein.

After its domestic release last week, the film is scheduled for distribution to Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia as well as in the U.S. and Europe. One might be tempted to simply ignore it and hope that Turkish and Arab audiences will be able to distinguish between fiction and reality. Well, that's exactly where we get to the "hearts and minds" problem. As crazy as the plot sounds, similarly gory story lines constantly appear as "news" in the Turkish and Arab media. Middle East is awash with wacky conspiracy theories, usually centering on some American-Zionist plot to subdue the Muslims while committing the most horrific crimes.

This message is legitimized at the highest levels of Muslim societies. At the gala opening in Ankara for "Valley of the Wolves," guests included Istanbul Mayor Topbas ("the screenplay is great")

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: arabworld; bush43; michaelmoore
FReepmail me for the rest of this article.
1 posted on 02/10/2006 12:49:56 PM PST by presidio9
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To: presidio9

Makes Hollywood look tame.


2 posted on 02/10/2006 12:57:58 PM PST by GeorgefromGeorgia
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To: GeorgefromGeorgia

Could have been worse. They could have been gay.


3 posted on 02/10/2006 1:01:17 PM PST by presidio9 ("Bird Flu" is the new Y2K Virus -Only without the inconvenient deadline.)
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To: presidio9

I keep wondering about this and where's the fallout for the two Hollywood actors who acted in it.

I hope that at least the bloggers will pay more attention.

There was something about it on Libertas.


4 posted on 02/10/2006 1:04:34 PM PST by squarebarb
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To: presidio9

Starring Billy Zane and Gary Busey no less!


5 posted on 02/10/2006 1:05:57 PM PST by D_Idaho
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To: D_Idaho

[Starring Billy Zane and Gary Busey no less!]

And Billy Zane said he was doing the movie to show that he is against war.

His participation only increases the chances of more war.


6 posted on 02/10/2006 1:08:23 PM PST by GermanBusiness
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On a moonlit night?


7 posted on 02/10/2006 1:19:13 PM PST by vollmond (Careful with that axe, Eugene!)
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To: GermanBusiness
I find Zane's comment, then, despicable. Anyone can be against the war. But to engage in an anti-American propaganda film because of the war shows he's lost all sense of balance, perspective, reality, decency, manhood, honor, and more.
8 posted on 02/10/2006 1:20:46 PM PST by elhombrelibre (MSM: de facto allies of America's enemies.)
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To: olguatci

you may want to see this article...


9 posted on 02/10/2006 1:23:29 PM PST by CharlieOK1 (I hate "Say no to Hate" bumper stickers)
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To: elhombrelibre

What bothers me is that, if this movie plays here in Germany, and people in the theater cheer when the Americans get ambushed and killed, I WILL stand up and tell the audience where to go very loudly.


10 posted on 02/10/2006 1:25:40 PM PST by GermanBusiness
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To: presidio9

No, then it would've fallen right in line with the Arab love affair with men/boys/etc. The Arab street is a bunch of raving homos.


11 posted on 02/10/2006 1:31:45 PM PST by steel_resolve
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Comment #12 Removed by Moderator

To: Yehuda

Actually, we import less than 20% of our oil from the Middle East now. Must of what we use we get from Canada, Mexico, Venezuala and our own reserves.


13 posted on 02/10/2006 1:38:17 PM PST by presidio9 ("Bird Flu" is the new Y2K Virus -Only without the inconvenient deadline.)
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Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

To: presidio9
...usually centering on some American-Zionist plot to subdue the Muslims...

Well, count me in for this part at least...

15 posted on 02/10/2006 1:47:20 PM PST by bolobaby
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To: presidio9

Forget about winning the hearts and minds of these savages. It incorrectly assumes they possess hearts and minds.

This whole situation.... the cartoon protests, this idiotic film, the insurgency in Iraq, the Al Qaida situation... all of it is nothing more than an attempt to accomplish 2 things:

First, how many shots can the Americans take on the chin before they loose their cool? Everytime the Americans respond like gentleman its a win for Islam.

Second, wear down the Americans to force them to submit as the Europeans soon will.

The solution to this problem will not come out of diplomacy. It will come when even diplomats recognize that these barbarians can only be tamed by a major, world wide ass kicking that will bring them very nearly to the edge of total annihilation. Why is this? Because DOMINATION and VIOLENCE are the only things these fascist booger eaters actually understand. In short, we will have to beat them into submission. In the final analysis there will be no other solution.

With that in mind, when the goop hits the fan here in the US (and it will) remember 1 thing... the gov't will not be able to protect you. You need to be able to protect yourself. 'Nuff said.


16 posted on 02/10/2006 2:41:23 PM PST by navyguy
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To: presidio9

Where lunatic Islamist/Jihadists are concerned -- FORGET winning their hearts and minds.....

They have NEITHER...
Kick their asses, and the rest of the body will follow.

Semper Fi


17 posted on 02/10/2006 2:48:38 PM PST by river rat (You may turn the other cheek, but I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.)
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To: GeorgefromGeorgia

Was Michael Moore involved in this production?


18 posted on 02/10/2006 3:12:19 PM PST by BenLurkin (O beautiful for patriot dream - that sees beyond the years)
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