Rock Bottom
What do you get when you take fear and ignorance? That's right! You get Fox News.
I ran into an old (although I'm not sure how old) 4 part series of Fox News exposing what they call the "Israeli Connection" to 9/11. During the time the file downloaded I also googled it and got a handful of hits, all alleging Israel had some sort of connection (the sort of the connection varies) to 9/11.
It is one thing when a Saudi royalty claims that Israel was the mastermind behind the attacks. That Israeli spies carried them out and that the Saudis are patsies. Even the dumbest and the most red-necked American won't buy that, assuming of course that he's not a fanatical Muslim.
It is a completely different thing when a network news agency, with their square shouldered, bass voiced and somber faced anchormen, announce to the world that "... Fox News have uncovered evidence of a massive ring of Israeli spies" that "... may have had prior knowledge of the 9/11 attacks but did not warn". Or that "...Israeli technology can be used to tap into all telephone calls in the United States".
Let me address, for a minute, their phrasing. In Hebrew, if you're not sure something actually happened you use the equivalence of "maybe". Depending on how sure you are you can say the equivalence of "it is possible" or "it is plausible" or "it is logical". English has the excellent "it may have happened". If you're told something bad may have not happened, you automatically infer that this may have actually took place. It is the euphemistically way to say "this is what we think [or what we want you to think] but we can't back it up with any evidence". 1
So what is their case? what is the "Israeli Connection" according to Fox News?
It seems that a lot of young Israelis with a military background (not a surprise, considering recruitment is mandatory) come to the United States. Their cover - working in shopping malls selling stupid toys or working in moving. They try to infiltrate all branches of the government -- the FBI, CIA, DEA etc. Some of the more sophisticated Israeli spies use the genius covers of "art students" that come to the States to sell pictures (*shock*). This would be like saying there is a massive Mexican spy ring in Texas posing as construction workers.
More so, Fox News made the astonishing discovery that Israeli hi-tech companies provide some of the solution for their telephony systems. (*gasp*) That's where the xenophobia and preying on fear kicks in: "...information generated by this firm [Israeli based Amdocs] may have fallen to wrong hands and had the effect of impeding the 9/11 terrorist inquiry", and "We [Americans] are buying technology rather than developing it". Another Israeli company that is mentioned is a branch of Comverse, that supplies the Americans with wire-tap equipment. This alone is enough to bring up allegation as if the company, and through it - the Israeli government - leaked this information [e.g. who's being tapped] to criminals.
They're not stupid, though. They won't risk legal action and defamation charges. When asked if the Israeli government is involved [in respect to , the reporter quickly says "no, BUT there is growing instincts and an awful lots of law officials in a variety of agencies ... that are investigating"
So little actual content and so much scaring rhetorics.
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1This whole thing reminds me a short clip from the Simpsons, where Homer is accused of sexual harassment. To clear his name he goes to a TV show called "Rock Bottom" [a clear reference to "Hard Copy"], where he interviews. Later, when they watch the interview on TV, they see it was edited to fit the show (incidentally, this is one of the finest moments on The Simpsons]. I will try to rip this bit and upload it.
At the end the interviewer tells Homer "So, Mr. Simpson: you admit you grabbed her can. What do you have to say in your defense?" The reply is a clearly paused frame of Homer 1/2 drooling. The interviewer continues "Mr. Simpson, your silence will only incriminate you further!". The camera slowly zooms in on Homer's paused picture. The interviewer starts to cry "No, Mr. Simpson, don't take your anger out on me. Get back! Get back! Mist -- Mr. Simpson -- nooo!" and then a man quickly says "Dramatization -- may not have happened".
And here you thought the Simpsons quote is not relevant to my rant...
I ran into an old (although I'm not sure how old) 4 part series of Fox News exposing what they call the "Israeli Connection" to 9/11. During the time the file downloaded I also googled it and got a handful of hits, all alleging Israel had some sort of connection (the sort of the connection varies) to 9/11.
It is one thing when a Saudi royalty claims that Israel was the mastermind behind the attacks. That Israeli spies carried them out and that the Saudis are patsies. Even the dumbest and the most red-necked American won't buy that, assuming of course that he's not a fanatical Muslim.
It is a completely different thing when a network news agency, with their square shouldered, bass voiced and somber faced anchormen, announce to the world that "... Fox News have uncovered evidence of a massive ring of Israeli spies" that "... may have had prior knowledge of the 9/11 attacks but did not warn". Or that "...Israeli technology can be used to tap into all telephone calls in the United States".
Let me address, for a minute, their phrasing. In Hebrew, if you're not sure something actually happened you use the equivalence of "maybe". Depending on how sure you are you can say the equivalence of "it is possible" or "it is plausible" or "it is logical". English has the excellent "it may have happened". If you're told something bad may have not happened, you automatically infer that this may have actually took place. It is the euphemistically way to say "this is what we think [or what we want you to think] but we can't back it up with any evidence". 1
So what is their case? what is the "Israeli Connection" according to Fox News?
It seems that a lot of young Israelis with a military background (not a surprise, considering recruitment is mandatory) come to the United States. Their cover - working in shopping malls selling stupid toys or working in moving. They try to infiltrate all branches of the government -- the FBI, CIA, DEA etc. Some of the more sophisticated Israeli spies use the genius covers of "art students" that come to the States to sell pictures (*shock*). This would be like saying there is a massive Mexican spy ring in Texas posing as construction workers.
More so, Fox News made the astonishing discovery that Israeli hi-tech companies provide some of the solution for their telephony systems. (*gasp*) That's where the xenophobia and preying on fear kicks in: "...information generated by this firm [Israeli based Amdocs] may have fallen to wrong hands and had the effect of impeding the 9/11 terrorist inquiry", and "We [Americans] are buying technology rather than developing it". Another Israeli company that is mentioned is a branch of Comverse, that supplies the Americans with wire-tap equipment. This alone is enough to bring up allegation as if the company, and through it - the Israeli government - leaked this information [e.g. who's being tapped] to criminals.
They're not stupid, though. They won't risk legal action and defamation charges. When asked if the Israeli government is involved [in respect to , the reporter quickly says "no, BUT there is growing instincts and an awful lots of law officials in a variety of agencies ... that are investigating"
So little actual content and so much scaring rhetorics.
---------------------------------
1This whole thing reminds me a short clip from the Simpsons, where Homer is accused of sexual harassment. To clear his name he goes to a TV show called "Rock Bottom" [a clear reference to "Hard Copy"], where he interviews. Later, when they watch the interview on TV, they see it was edited to fit the show (incidentally, this is one of the finest moments on The Simpsons]. I will try to rip this bit and upload it.
At the end the interviewer tells Homer "So, Mr. Simpson: you admit you grabbed her can. What do you have to say in your defense?" The reply is a clearly paused frame of Homer 1/2 drooling. The interviewer continues "Mr. Simpson, your silence will only incriminate you further!". The camera slowly zooms in on Homer's paused picture. The interviewer starts to cry "No, Mr. Simpson, don't take your anger out on me. Get back! Get back! Mist -- Mr. Simpson -- nooo!" and then a man quickly says "Dramatization -- may not have happened".
And here you thought the Simpsons quote is not relevant to my rant...