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‘Bloody Saturday’ at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

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Re: ‘Bloody Saturday’ at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

#51

Post by 01100011 »

hoseyor wrote: post #34
hermitcrab wrote: post #2

The USA appears to be destroying much of the 'soft power' that it spent decades building. And it cost a tiny amount compared to the 'hard power' of the military. As an outsider, it seems very short sighted. The BBC is also cutting jobs in the BBC World Service, which seems similarly short sighted. But I don't think the cuts are as far reaching as the US ones: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpql1vvdn58o

What I find the most interesting is that to me at least it seems like there has been some strange inversion over the course of my adult life, where the same people that used to lament things like the COA VOA propaganda, warfare, instigating and stoking and orchestrating coups, subverting democratic elections, etc. are exactly the ones doing and supporting all those things they used to decry. I get the sense that I’ve…

This. I was surprised to see the outrage over USAID, which up until now I had considered an arm of the CIA. Of course you are downvoted, because right now the progressive thing is to support these institutions and not question them. But this attitude used to be the domain of the left and so was seen differently. Now that the right is saying it, we have to downvote you.

Edit:

Some pre-2025 links:

https://foreignpolicy.com/2014/04/03/cuban-twitter-and-other...

https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AA2RFE4CPSKBZ78P

https://mronline.org/2008/09/23/usaid-key-weapon-in-dirty-wa... (from a socialist magazine, so take w/ a grain of salt)

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2004/11/coup-connection...

Please do not be blinded by your well deserved distaste for trump. People calling for the ending of USAID are not all MAGA.

Re: ‘Bloody Saturday’ at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

#52

Post by cassepipe »

grandempire wrote: post #8
hermitcrab wrote: post #2

The USA appears to be destroying much of the 'soft power' that it spent decades building. And it cost a tiny amount compared to the 'hard power' of the military. As an outsider, it seems very short sighted. The BBC is also cutting jobs in the BBC World Service, which seems similarly short sighted. But I don't think the cuts are as far reaching as the US ones: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpql1vvdn58o

What characteristics distinguish “soft power” from propaganda and why is it good? Is it just good in a Niestczhean kind of way in that serves American interests?

Have you ever tried to be nice to people instead of threatening them to get what you want ? That's the idea

Re: ‘Bloody Saturday’ at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

#53

Post by LeanderK »

netbioserror wrote: post #32
LeanderK wrote: post #10

As someone from europe, I am baffled by the ability to just fire everyone on the spot. Are there no job-protections for federal employees? This makes agencies really dependent on the political climate, right? Can he really just fire everyone? Isn't there even a 3 months notice or something? A separate, connected thought is that I wonder why you would choose being a federal employee then. Here, the government promises…

Article II of the Constitution exists and you can read it anytime: https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-2/ In short: Job protection for executive employees defeats the entire point of an executive that is accountable to the people. Major magistrate positions are subject to Senate approval before being vested authority, but they are appointed and serve at the behest of the president, who literally em…

I am having trouble understanding the document. Where is it stated? I can not exactly follow your argument. I am not sure why being accountable to the people necessitates having not any job protection?

I would have expected this to be codified (What is accountability for a federal employee). I mean regulatory bodies should also be accountable but also shielded from political influence, right?

Re: ‘Bloody Saturday’ at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

#54

Post by cassepipe »

mantas wrote: post #50
leptons wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

America provides copious amounts of aid all over the world. That's soft power. It's not "propaganda", it actually helps people survive.

A lot of those money went to pushing US cultural wars themes worldwide. And many parts of the world don’t exactly share modern US (or democrats party voters) values. Then US soft power is closer to waging cultural war. Not exactly USAID, but similar topic. In my country US ambassador openly pushed for law that more than half of population is against for cultural reasons. That feels more like attempt of soft coloniali…

Well the difference between pushing for something and forcing is exactly the difference between soft power/influence and colonialism. Sure people may have different values but people can change and even in your country some people may find refreshing or even life saving to know that different perspectives exist. As you said maybe half of the population is against it... Maybe the other half is ok with it ?

Re: ‘Bloody Saturday’ at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

#55

Post by salawat »

snovv_crash wrote: post #25
lkrubner wrote: post #7

Here in the USA we currently have a regime that is focused on destroying all forms of American power: they are destroying our economic power, they are destroying our cultural power, they are destroying our military power. They are destroying the idea called "America." They have gone to war against each of our traditions and values. Some critics ascribe this to rational motives, such critics claim that the goal here i…

Don't attribute to malice that which can be attributed to incompetence.

Unrepentant incompetence, especially in the presence of a counter/restoring force being actively ignored is indistinguishable from malice.

The U.S. is not unanimous in this dismantling effort, great controversy has been and continues to be brewed, which to any competent leader should signal a slower, more cautious approach. We see no such thing.

Hanlon's razor does not apply in such a circumstance. It only serves to ease the process of bloodletting by acting as a thought terminating cliche.

Re: ‘Bloody Saturday’ at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

#56

Post by cassepipe »

whatever1 wrote: post #39
grandempire wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That makes sense. But then this kind of journalism/talk radio, would not be included.

They even burnt the card of elon musk who was a great asset in the storytelling of US of how innovation is rewarded better here than anywhere else. Now he looks like a nazi pos, only damages the US image.

I am afraid he looks like one because he is one. The modern Henry Ford.

Re: ‘Bloody Saturday’ at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

#57

Post by horns4lyfe »

thescriptkiddie wrote: post #48

it's very funny that these guys don't seem to understand anymore that programs like VoA are their thing. they think they're "owning the left" by cutting the budget for right-wing propaganda.

They’re cutting the budget for neocon power. Trump et al are not neocons, that’s been the democrats bag since Obama took it over

Re: ‘Bloody Saturday’ at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

#58

Post by coldtea »

addicted wrote: post #27
grandempire wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What characteristics distinguish “soft power” from propaganda and why is it good? Is it just good in a Niestczhean kind of way in that serves American interests?

Soft power is simply the capability to persuade others without coercion. So it’s usually a much less destructive tool to achieve the same goal when the alternative is “hard” power. Whether you build the soft power ethically or unethically (and false propaganda could be one of the many unethical ways to build soft power) is upto the country in question. And whether that soft power is deployed for “good” or “bad” purpo…

>Soft power is simply the capability to persuade others without coercion. So it’s usually a much less destructive tool to achieve the same goal when the alternative is “hard” power.

Powerful countries don't use soft power to bring good, they use it to serve their interests - when the target country's interests and its people's inclinations are not favorable to them.

Re: ‘Bloody Saturday’ at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

#59

Post by coldtea »

mike_d wrote: post #35
grandempire wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What characteristics distinguish “soft power” from propaganda and why is it good? Is it just good in a Niestczhean kind of way in that serves American interests?

Propaganda is a message. Soft power is a means. For example, Voice of America publishes "Learning English" radio/tv broadcasts, podcasts, and news articles. They are produced with a limited vocabulary (I think a few thousand words), shorter sentences, and are spoken slower. They often match up with native language reporting of current events so you can listen to both for context clues. Having people all over the worl…

>VoA does not broadcast propaganda, they hold themselves to a very high standard of reporting only the truth.

Seriously?

Re: ‘Bloody Saturday’ at Voice of America and other U.S.-funded networks

#60

Post by coldtea »

cassepipe wrote: post #52
grandempire wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What characteristics distinguish “soft power” from propaganda and why is it good? Is it just good in a Niestczhean kind of way in that serves American interests?

Have you ever tried to be nice to people instead of threatening them to get what you want ? That's the idea

Doesn't work if what you want is against their interests. Hence "soft power" and, if that fails, "bombing for democracy".
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