The Strange Credulity of David Ignatius

[Valin]

The Middle East and Beyond:

Adam Garfinkle

8/31/12

 

In my running commentary on Syria over the past year and more, I have occasionally had recourse to mention, and sometimes to criticize, not just mainstream press accounts of events, but sometimes also specific commentators. One of these has been David Ignatius of the Washington Post. His column in yesterday’s paper marks a new low, however, and must not pass without further critique.

 

The subject of yesterday’s column hinges on an interview Ignatius recently conducted in Paris with Manaf Tlass, of whom I have spoken before. In the column, titled in the paper, “A Way Out of Assad’s Syria”, Ignatius allows and enables Tlass to characterize himself as a conflicted Syrian elite apostate who early on separated himself from the atrocities committed by the regime. Ignatius takes what can only be characterized as a fawning attitude toward Tlass. Not only is Tlass humanly emotional (he has to leave the room in tears at one point, Ignatius makes a point of noting), but he is also a man of “rugged good looks” that made him a “charismatic military leader.”

 

Ignatius makes Tlass out to be humble, as well. He seeks no position in a new, post-Assad Syrian leadership, we are told. All he cares about is preventing ethnic and sectarian bloodbaths between Alawis, Sunnis, Kurds, Armenians and other Syrian communities. Ignatius further pleads Tlass’s case, saying he is “wise to disavow political ambition, as his wealth, secular lifestyle and prominent background (his father was defense minister) makes him a target for a populist, Islamist opposition movement.” Presumably for this reason, Ignatius doesn’t say where in Paris the interview took place. Crazy populist Islamists might be gunning for Manaf, after all.

 

It is hard to know even where to start taking apart this incredible, absolutely huge load of crap. Let’s start with a basic Syrian reality check.

 

(Snip)

 

 

Here we see (once again) what happens when a western "journalist" parachutes into the mideast (or any other part of the world outside the DC/NY corridor in order to tell us what is "really happening" and to offer his/her deep penetrating insights.

 

 

Here we see (once again) what happens when a western "journalist" parachutes into the mideast (or any other part of the world outside the DC/NY corridor in order to tell us what is "really happening" and to offer his/her deep penetrating insights. They say...'Listen to me. I have spend two weeks on the ground and am now prepared to enlighten the world as to how we can solve this problem/crisis/issue'....whatever the problem/crisis/issue happens to be. Never mind the P/C/I goes back thousand of years, and it may be, in fact often is there are no Black and White only shades of gray, we're supposed to take them seriously because these are Journalist.

/rant