WikiLeaks Cable: Hollywood Helps Fight Terrorism
Source: mediabistro
By Matthew Fleischer on December 9, 2010 1:37 PM
Yet another interesting tidbit has come out of the WikiLeaks cables. It seems officials overseas think Hollywood film and television does more to win the hearts and minds of people in the Middle East than all of our propaganda efforts. Which is pretty obvious if you think about it.
One 2009 cable reveals that officials think shows like Desperate Housewives, of all things, are preventing the radicalization of Saudi youth.
“It’s still all about the war of ideas here, and the American programming on MBC and Rotana is winning over ordinary Saudis in a way that al-Hurra and other US propaganda never could,” the cable says. “Saudis are now very interested in the outside world and everybody wants to study in the US if they can. They are fascinated by US culture in a way they never were before.”
No dispatches have yet been dug up on the effects of Jersey Shore on the radicalization of Muslim youth.
For some reason this reminds us of Howard Stern‘s idea from the start of the Iraq war. Instead of going to war with the entire Middle East, we should just carpet bomb the entire region with porn. He’s right. Sexual repression and boredom are America’s greatest enemies around the world. Who knows what angry, blue-balled teens can be persuaded to do if given the chance?
By Matthew Fleischer on December 9, 2010 1:37 PM
Yet another interesting tidbit has come out of the WikiLeaks cables. It seems officials overseas think Hollywood film and television does more to win the hearts and minds of people in the Middle East than all of our propaganda efforts. Which is pretty obvious if you think about it.One 2009 cable reveals that officials think shows like Desperate Housewives, of all things, are preventing the radicalization of Saudi youth.
“It’s still all about the war of ideas here, and the American programming on MBC and Rotana is winning over ordinary Saudis in a way that al-Hurra and other US propaganda never could,” the cable says. “Saudis are now very interested in the outside world and everybody wants to study in the US if they can. They are fascinated by US culture in a way they never were before.”
No dispatches have yet been dug up on the effects of Jersey Shore on the radicalization of Muslim youth.
For some reason this reminds us of Howard Stern‘s idea from the start of the Iraq war. Instead of going to war with the entire Middle East, we should just carpet bomb the entire region with porn. He’s right. Sexual repression and boredom are America’s greatest enemies around the world. Who knows what angry, blue-balled teens can be persuaded to do if given the chance?
Comments