linguistic mobilization

Every day linguistic mobilizations are taking place, pulling us in some small way toward war with Iran. Whether it is the authoritative use of the word "terrorist" to describe their government by American senators or news show hosts, or the mundane use of the word "Islamofascist" by conservative men on the discussion boards of political websites, all in some small way contribute, like guns large and small being dragged into position for the bombardment that is sincerely hoped for.

A common mobilization is the use of the word "elite" to describe the Iranian army's Revolutionary Guard corps. I remember this word being used to describe Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard corps in two different wars. Both times they crumbled like the rest of his undernourished army before the hellish winds of American might. I would not be surprised if the word were used to hype up some pitiful unit of Noriega's army in Panama and the "army" of Grenada before those two countries were invaded so heroically by our boys.

My question is simple: why does the media insist on repeating these words that are manifestly not true? Why do they parrot the words of a government that cannot be trusted? And finally, this: is the superior section of a poor army really "elite"? Our media is complicit in these mobilizations, even after the lessons of Iraq became clear. What is clearer is that the propaganda apparatus hums along undiminished, along with the cowardice of the American media in not resisting the effort to terrify the American people with lies. Tell me what is "elite" about these troops. Do they have one tenth the armaments and training of American troops? I think not.

Tell me in what way Ahmedinejad is "Hitler." That government cannot even exercise full sovereignty over its own territory, for god's sake! Tell me, oh "conservative" lovers of war, what nation this devil is poised to conquer with his omniscient stratagems and all powerful weaponry!

Perhaps they are equipped with advanced popguns able to dent American tanks. Perhaps they possess the terrifying balsa wood planes with which Saddam was able to make the people of the United States quake in their shoes.

"Elite" my ass!! The only military elite in the world is American. By editing out this truth, the media is able to keep a straight face about the horrific "dangers" posed us by third world countries. How many times will a fool fall for the same trick? Answer: as many times as he wants (yes, he: the howlers for war in this nation are mostly male).

You can bet your bottom dollar that within a year or two Hugo Chavez's pitiful army will also be found, magically, to possess an "elite" corps. I suppose Evo Morales will be painted in the same way; I predict an elite llama brigade will be identified by our heroes in Washington.