June 14th, 2013 → 8:23 am @ // No Comments

    “Be it thy course to busy giddy minds
    With foreign quarrels.” – Henry IV, Part II

Why is it that any time a Middle Eastern country experiences popular dissent, their leaders blame it on foreigners?  Syria, Egypt, Iran, now even Turkey.  Turkey?  How Erdogan can justify blaming his current troubles on foreign influence is beyond me.  Stop evading responsibility and accountability guys, and look inward.


4 Comments → “Those Darn F’erigners”


  1. Chris Clark

    10 years ago

    So much easier to blame outsiders and label dissenters as non-patriotic. Sadly, this is refrain replayed all too often throughout history.

    Reply

    • Lea

      10 years ago

      I know. It’s even happened here to distract attention, but still, do these leaders really think anyone buys it??

      Reply

      • Chris Clark

        10 years ago

        Just my guess, but I expect the leaders figure playing the blame game will only fool the same ~1/3 of the folks that they could fool with almost any excuse anyway. That said, I think they’re probably hoping that creating enough furor about outside groups will get a larger percentage of dissenters to keep their heads down and mouths shut–thus implying more support and agreement than actually exists.

        Then again, I may be overly pessimistic as I tend to be rather less than wholly trusting of authority figures.

        Reply

        • Lea

          10 years ago

          Interesting point that it may be more about pressuring dissenters than convincing anybody. As an economist I have to think about the tradeoff to this policy, and I feel like it’s a loss of international respect. But maybe Erdogan (et. al.) don’t care. I mean, if you’re going to crack down on your own people, the international community is going to condemn you no matter who you try to blame it on. It’s all just so frustrating! I was kind of hoping it was a one-time thing with Erdogan in Turkey, but if anything he seems to be returning to the foreigners are to blame thing more and more in recent days…

          Reply

Leave a Reply → Lea