State Journalism and Terrorism

State Journalism creates the excuses for State Terrorism to act.
A Journalist with a credible organ behind him can do more damage to a country than an ICBM. That is why the Information Ministries must demand responsibility from the Media. However is this the case in the United States of America?

A good example of State Journalism is provided by Larry Rohter, who gallivants around the world writing smear stories, doing the dirty work of the Intelligence Agencies for them and not caring what he does or who he hurts. The most recent example was the smear against President Lula of Brazil, who he accused of being an alcoholic and which promptly led to this journalist (small j) being expelled by Brasilia. Good riddance.

The article (Brazilian Leader's Tippling Becomes National Concern), which appeared in the New York Times on May 9th, claimed in no uncertain terms that President Lula is a drunkard, a fabrication based on the claims of one opposition politician who has been saying the same thing for years.

The story that hit the front page of the world's press was the expulsion, not the nonsense that Rohter wrote. However, investigations into Rohter's background paint a long and sinister tale of interference in the affairs of Latin American nations, his stories being precursors to and evidence of
Washington's interests in what it considers its back yard.

Obediently following the directives of Arquive 33 of the US Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs, which controls the US State Journalism policy, Rohter the Rottweiler has previously been unleashed in other areas of Brazil and Latin America. For instance, the Amazon.

Brazilians have long been suspicious about US designs on this vast and rich expanse of natural and mineral resources. In June 2002, Rohter wrote an article (Deep in Brazil, a Flight of Paranoid Fantasy) in which he made the outrageous statement: "Brazilians are taught from birth that the Amazon is theirs, but their government has not been capable of exercising effective sovereignty over the region".

From statements such as this, the Brazilians would do well to be paranoid.

What is he doing? Preparing public opinion for an open invasion, or a hidden one through the Armed Forces of Columbia, which the USA trains, equips and pays for and whose fascist paramilitary forces Washington controls?

Rohter's evil influence in Brazil does not end here. In a previous article, he claimed that Brazil's world-famous meat, which is of the highest quality and a strong competitor to US-produced beef, was produced by slave labour. Nonsense, but enough to seriously damage the Brazilian meat market. These stories did not however reach the international press.

In neighbouring Venezuela, Rohter wrote a string of articles attacking President Chavez, creating the conditions for the instability which led to a (failed) military coup. In Columbia, his articles justify the intervention of the US military forces and the Columbia Plan. In Guatemala, his articles attempted to ridicularise the Nobel Peace Prize-winner, Rigoberta Menchu.

Rohter's writings reflect the disdain, lack of respect and sheer contempt felt in the corridors of  Washington's institutions of power for Latin America, they reflect the intrusive approach towards international relations and crisis management which have become only too apparent in recent times.

The fact that he questions Brazil's ability to manage its resources, just as his previous writings have questioned the ability of other nations in Latin America to manage their affairs, shortly before Washington intervened, is interesting, if not sinister.

Other gems written by this guttersnipe include:

Racial Quotas in Brazil Touch Off Fierce Debate Tracking the Sale of a Kidney on a Path of Poverty and Hope Brazilian Efforts at Progress Are Mired in Political Scandal Long After Guerrilla War, Survivors Demand Justice From Brazil's Government In a Slum of Shanties on Stilts, Help Isn't Always Helpful

And other more revealing titles, such as:

For Once, Latin Americans Ask the U.S. to Butt In

and:

Chile, the Rich Kid on the Block

which begins with the lead:

It Starts to Feel Lonely Today, Chile is a hypercapitalist state at a time when Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Ecuador and Uruguay are all moving leftward and questioning free trade and open markets.

Larry Rohter may believe in his writings, Washington may believe in his writings but elsewhere, he is seen for what he is: an intrusive, undertalented, arrogant, meddling travesty of Journalism and an excellent example of the Department of State's State journalism (small j), preparing the way for a habitual show of State Terrorism, by Washington, who else?