The answer is a flat 'no' - Western leaders must always be treated with due deference and respect. It is because of this deep bias (unnoticed because omnipresent) presenting the reasonable good guys, 'us', pitted against the ludicrous bad guys, 'them', that Western nations are able to kill and maim thousands of Third World people with massive military violence, comparatively unhindered by public dissent. Our point is not that the Iraqi's are reasonable; it is that our leaders should not be reflexively portrayed as reasonable.
Also on BBC News, Matt Frei described Tariq Aziz as Saddam's "chief lieutenant", who was tirelessly "trying to woo the world", and that he had just that day "popped up on Good Morning America". (Frei, BBC1 News At Ten O 'Clock, September 3, 2002) Again, the Iraqi's are painted as absurd comedy figures crudely trying to trick the world into taking them seriously - 'But we won't fall for that!' is the message being subliminally delivered to the public. When the bombs start to fall, the public will likely be convinced that the Iraqis had it coming to them.
Again, Frei does not appear to have much to do with violence and death - like most TV reporters, he is a well-dressed, well-spoken, educated, middle class white man (the epitome of 'respectability' in our society). But, again, we should make the association, because words of this kind are crucial in making violence possible.
Also on BBC News, Matt Frei described Tariq Aziz as Saddam's "chief lieutenant", who was tirelessly "trying to woo the world", and that he had just that day "popped up on Good Morning America". (Frei, BBC1 News At Ten O 'Clock, September 3, 2002) Again, the Iraqi's are painted as absurd comedy figures crudely trying to trick the world into taking them seriously - 'But we won't fall for that!' is the message being subliminally delivered to the public. When the bombs start to fall, the public will likely be convinced that the Iraqis had it coming to them.
Again, Frei does not appear to have much to do with violence and death - like most TV reporters, he is a well-dressed, well-spoken, educated, middle class white man (the epitome of 'respectability' in our society). But, again, we should make the association, because words of this kind are crucial in making violence possible.