Dispatches from an Un-American

On MSNBC, there's a transcript of an interview by Andrea Mitchell of an anonymous career CIA officer (CIA insider says U.S. fighting wrong war). It contains the following exchange that everyone should read and savour:

Mitchell: Well, you say in your book that the reality is that there is a large and growing among the world's 1.3 billion Muslims against America, not because of a misunderstanding of America but because they understand our policies very well.
Anonymous: That's exactly right. I certainly believe that, and I think the substantial amount of polling that's been done by the Pew Trust and by other very reputable pollsters in the Islamic world indicate that most of the Islamic world believes they know exactly what we're up to, and that's to deny the Palestinians a country, to make sure that oil flows at prices that may seem outrageous to the American consumer, but are not market prices in the Islamist's eyes, supporting Russia against Chechnya. I think very coolly bin Laden has focused them on substance rather than rhetoric. And his rhetoric is only powerful because that is the case. He's focused them on U.S. policies.
Mitchell: You're saying that no amount of public diplomacy will reach the Muslim world and change their minds because they hate everything that we stand for.

Re-read the last question and let it sink in. It's not the infantile phrase "they hate everything that we stand for" -- more fitting to a 9-year old school child than a professional journalist -- which is so stunning. Rather, it's the self-indulgent, willful ignorance and pathetic simple mindedness that is displayed so innocently in the question. And this is precisely the problem.

As the anonymous CIA officer clearly states in his answer (and what the interviewer apparently disbelievingly imputes in the question), the Muslim world in general, and the insurgents in Iraq in particular, know precisely what the policies of the USA are. As for the latter, they know without a hint of doubt that the USA deposed of Saddam only because doing so was in the USA's interest. In other words, had it been in the interest of the USA to keep Saddam in power, he would still be nurtured and supported, precisely as he was when this was indeed the case. Call it cynicism, but don't mistake it as a "misunderstanding of America".

It is always a mistake to project one's preconceived ideas and misperceptions on others, but it is fatal when these are the result of ignorance. The Muslim world is anything but ignorant, and this is in stark contrast to the American public who is only too willing to believe the "hate freedom" rhetoric of this administration.

Fortunately, there are still a few Americans left (in both meanings of the word) who are prepared to see it, but it won't make any difference. It's possible that the anonymous CIA officer makes his "bold claims" only to scare the public into -- finally -- endorsing the Right Thing, irrespective of whether that appears to make the "turrsts" "win". But I have little hope that it would work, even if it were true.