Posted on 12/08/2010 9:20:41 AM PST by OldDeckHand
Here’s an interesting tidbit we can thank jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for: according to cables included in the recent WikiLeaks document drop, informants have told diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia that American television–particularly Fox News Channel and David Letterman’s Late Show–are proving to be powerful weapons against “violent jihad.”
As the U.K.’s Guardian reports, uncensored satellite broadcasts of popular American shows–with Arabic subtitles–carried via Saudi channel MBC, have turned young Saudis into huge fans of Desperate Housewives, Friends, and Fox News:
“It’s still all about the war of ideas here, and the American programming on MBC and Rotana [a channel part-owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation] is winning over ordinary Saudis in a way that al-Hurra and other US propaganda never could,” two Saudi media executives told a US official in a meeting at a Jeddah branch of Starbucks. “Saudis are now very interested in the outside world and everybody wants to study in the US if they can. They are fascinated by US culture in a way they never were before,” the May 2009 cable says.
The popularity of the channels is particularly surprising given Rotana broadcasts Fox News, the rightwing News Corp channel that takes a hard line against Islamic radicalism and has strongly supported US military intervention in the Middle East.
(Excerpt) Read more at mediaite.com ...
I am. Freedom is sweet and that’s why the ignorant 4th century jihadis are threatened by it.
This whole wikileaks thing has my head turning from yes to no. I don’t know what the heck to think anymore.
The Lord can’t come back soon enough as far as I’m concerned.
I used to watch CNN to just stare at Lynne Russel back in the early 80's. I have no idea whatsoever of what she spoke.
Hmmmm......I agree with you. I’m not sure what to make of this. Will have to think about it for awhile.
They probably wonder why everyone does not agree with Juan Williams.
I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with Megyn Kelley vs. Candy Crowley. /s
Our most potent weapons: sex, drugs, rock n roll.
IIRC, Osama bin Laden explained in an interview years ago why he declared war on the USA. He said it was because of “attacks on Islam”. The reporter asked what “attacks” bin Laden was referring to.
Bin Laden replied, “Ideas such as womens liberation and democracy ARE ATTACKS ON ISLAM”.
I love this.
Given the opportunity to see the other side of the story, people choose freedom. And choosing freedom leads to peace.
In a way, it's like the employee who won't ever go on vacation because they don't really produce or do anything. By showing up every day and making reports or work for others, they lead a continued existance.
Is most this a bad remake of "Office Space" and their TPS Reports? As for the military secret stuff, that's a different issue.
Thanks for the pics.
This seems like very good news.
Why do they feel threatened? 6o year old imams with many wives think they are too old to start over, don't want upheaval in their lives?
You know Blacdog she’s 64 years old....Also is doing the new at CBC in Toronto now
Not convinced. Those programs are available on Saudi state-controlled TV only because the powers that be permit it.
Even in the former USSR the regime found that there has to be some outlet for pent up emotional energy, lest it be refocused into political opposition. The regime chose...vodka. The state-run store shelves might be empty of food, but other stores were stocked to the ceiling with vodka.
No alcohol in Saudi, but a few permitted TV shows depicting Western decadence. The mullahs are still in charge although even they must contend with incredible corruption and decadence in their society, mostly behind closed doors.
Even Kim Jong-il likes his bourgeois pleasures. Remember when Leonid Brezhnev kicked the bucket and his successor Yuri Andropov, head of the KGB, was said to be a closet liberal who liked American jazz? Ho Chi Minh smoked only American cigarettes.
Heck, we’ll probably learn someday that Ayatollah Khomeini liked baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie.
Again, not convinced and very wary.
Brezhnev was a big fan of American Westerns, Chuck Connors was he favorite actor.
That should be made into a bumper sticker.
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