Intro. 2024-02-28. Almost 40-years later and we’re still tangled up in the Middle East. Biggest difference is that it used to be the GOP’s distraction strategy that whenever the economy was tanking to drum up some conflict overseas. Now, they complain that everything, the economy and foreign affairs are going to hell and that it’s all the guy’s fault. AND they’re making it harder to satirize the situation by boldly ignoring the facts of any given situation, going full-on with the BIG LIE strategy. Sad and not really very funny… enjoy this blast from 1987(?)
ADI EDITORIAL: “THE MEDIA AND REAGAN ON THE PERSIAN GULF”
June-July 1987 ADI Vol. 1, Issue 2 A lot has transpired since that fateful day, way back in the distant past (April?) when the first issue of Air, Dirt & Ink made its appearance on the scene (God, three trite phrases in one sentence!). Anyway, the summer has proved to be, in many ways, overwhelming in its revelations and eventfulness. “Too much information runnin’ ’round my brain, too much information drivin’ me insane.” Afghanistan, Gary Hart, Jim & Tammy, Drug Abuse, Ollie for President, the NRA’s answer to California freeway gridlock … US Warships in the Persian Gulf Time waits for no one and it sure as hell doesn’t seem to care whether ADI gets out on time or not. Sorry.
So . . . what the hell are we doing in the Persian Gulf?
With US mine sweepers and battle vessels heading toward the region, the situation sure looks like another world war just waiting to happen. Perhaps I’m mistaken in all of this, but does anyone remember how we got involved with the First World War, or the Spanish-American War?
Ah, the Persian Gulf, cradle of civilization fitting that we should return there to find out if we’ve learned anything over the last, say, 6,000 years. Iran and Iraq have been standing toe to toe like two turn-of-century artless bar room boxers, exchanging direct punches to each others face for the last seven years. The art of sending thousands of unarmed troops into machine gun fire had become as routine as car bombs in Lebanon. It was something of an intramural squabble between rival factions in the Islamic world. Then some time during the Iran-Contra debacle it was decided that the US should re-flag Kuwaiti oil tankers and escort them through the Persian Gulf. Does anyone wonder why the powers-that-be chose now to make the US Navy into an escort service to the world?
Some very faint voices have suggested that for one to properly understand the “Why now?” question one need only point to a suffering public image on the part of the Reagan administration.
Of course these are probably the same folks that saw the attack on Tripoli in *86 as an attempt on the part of the administration to divert the public’s attention away from a failing domestic policy and toward a mythical end of International terrorism. Ha. Well, it did end international terrorism, didn’t it?
Reagan may be stupid enough to think that he can fix what is basically an ideological problem between the US and the USSR with technology but he’s no fool when it comes to manipulating the media. I’ve never seen anyone say to the Press, “Hey, Look, it’s Halley’s comet!” so many times in a row and get away with it.
Name any of the low points during the Reagan reign, you know, when political commentators start comparing him to Nixon and mention popularity polls in the same breath and I’ll bet you that some media stunt was later used to influence a change in the public’s attitude.
So the Persian gulf, are we there to protect the interests of US Oil Companies . . . er, I mean, our oil interests or is this just another attempt to get us to focus in on some battle “over there” while the Wizard of Oz struggles to get the curtain back around the sound booth?
“This is your President speaking. This morning the United States Congress passed a resolution that outlawed the Soviet Union. The bombs will be dropping in fifteen minutes.” Doesn’t sound so funny any more, does it ?
One comment to those who might think that I’m taking pot shots at Reagan and withholding equal treatment of the Soviet Union: ADI is basically a satirical publication dedicated to the belief that our beloved government can be better and that sometimes we need a different perspective to see that. It’s meant to be funny (at least I can hope). But when it comes to the Soviet Government (not to confuse the government with the people) there hasn’t been a thing that that government has done that I find in the least bit funny. [ADI ]
