Savage: "[W]hen you're dealing with Arabs, there are no friends"
On the October 20 edition of his nationally syndicated radio show, Michael Savage asserted that "when you're dealing with Arabs, there are no friends. They're old rug traders going back a thousand years in that part of the world." He then added: "Right now, one side is your friend; the other side is your enemy. The next day, they're both stabbing you in the back and picking your pockets."
As Media Matters for America has extensively documented, Savage has previously described Arabs as "non-humans" and "racist, fascist bigots"; advocated "kill[ing] 100 million" Muslims; and claimed that there is no difference between "radical Islam and the rest of Islam over there."
According to Talkers magazine, The Savage Nation is played on over 300 radio stations and reaches more than eight million listeners each week, making it the third most-listened to radio talk show in the nation behind only The Rush Limbaugh Show and The Sean Hannity Show.
From the October 20 edition of The Savage Nation:
SAVAGE: But when it comes to the war, they [the Bush administration] mismanaged this thing, not from the war perspective, but from the pacification -- they've gone too mild, and they thought that the people are our friends, but what they don't know is when you're dealing with Arabs, there are no friends. They're old rug traders going back a thousand years in that part of the world. Right now, one side is your friend; the other side is your enemy. The next day, they're both stabbing you in the back and picking your pockets. But I guess they don't teach you that at Yale. They teach you that all cultures have something to offer the world.
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Let's just kill everyone. We can start with your audience and go from there. And please, use your real name.
The Saudis are practically sitting on the Bush family tree. They enjoy holding hands and making googly eyes at each other.
Puddinhead George has lots of Arab friends. Didn't they practically bankroll most of his ill-fated forays into the oil business, just to curry favor with Pappy Bush?
Besides a good interview with Arianna Huffington (I really DO read it for the articles!), I read an excellent article "Islam in the Crucible" by Joseph Braude, described as follows:
"Prodded by U.S.-backed government officials, many religious leaders in Middle Eastern Arab countries are trying to persuade the next generation of Muslim youth not to adopt an ideology of martyrdom and anti-American warfare. The author of "The New Iraq" gives a firsthand account of the struggle to reclaim Islam from the terrorists who hijacked the religion and discusses how this effort could impact global security."
Fanaticism can spread like wildfire, moderation must be cultivated. Savage does nothing but blow on the flames. He is no help to genuine U.S. security interests.
but in this instance, much as it causes me to retch, i kind of agree with savage, with a caveat: arab leaders, not the average guy in the street.
actually, this is nothing new, it's been going on for a couple of thousand years, between east and west. with the introduction of the democratic form of gov't in the west, it just appears worse than it did back then. perhaps, if the arab countries ever democratize, they'll be more trustworthy as partners/allies, but until than, as the saying goes "hold your friends closer".
ok, i need to go clean the slime off now.
This lack of trustworthiness can be applied to many leaders and politicians, not just Arabs. The business environment, especially large corporations, also provide fertile ground for "Machiavellism." Just about anyone who as ever earned a paycheck can probably attest to witnessing an example of this.
Great point. The Prince reigns.
The saying recommends holding your enemies closer.
I am not sure what you mean. Let me say it is never helpful to generalize. I think that with any leader you deal with its best to have diplomacy but verify any agreements. Arab leaders are no different than other leaders. They are responding as best they know how to geopolitics and their own country's politics. I have read several times how Arab leaders pump up the anti-American rhetoric as a way of uniting their base, wiping out dissent, and staying in power. Think God, gays and guns here. You cant lump the leader of Jordan in with the leaders of Iran. Iran by the way is Persian, not Arab. Sistani, supreme cleric in Iraq, is against Persian influence in Iraq. Now toss in the people of the Maghgreb/North Africa region, with a wholly different history. I guess my point is that Americans in general are wholly ignorant of any of the history and politics of the region. Hence the motivations of the leaders. Myself included, but I am trying to catch up. Learned today that Iran/Persia has been a check on Bagdad's influence for centuries. Two different people's, 2 different languages, 2 different plans for ascendence to world stage, yet same religion (Shia-thinking Najaf and Qom).
If speaking in such general terms (as does the guy cited here) is a mark of ignorance...
If the "sweeping generalization" is what ignorant people do...
Then this guy wins the prize as today's biggest IGNORAMUS.
But you know what else?
This business, of distinguishing between just who it is in the Arab (or Muslim) world who's preaching hatred and violence (TERROR!) against Americans or anybody else... just who it is who's financing and directing TERROR as a manifestation of that hatred (or as a weapon/tool of politics... that's what it is, you know)...
This question of making that distinction, there couldn't be a more important question to ask, with regard to our defense against any terror attack... there isn't a better time to ask this question, than now...
There wasn't a better time than immediately following the attacks of September 11, 2001, to ask just exactly who it is who finances and directs terror attacks, either simply as a manifestation of hatred or as a weapon/tool of politics (that's what it is, you know).
And there couldn't be a more ignorant answer to that question, than the answer given by the IGNORAMUS cited here:
"They're old rug traders going back a thousand years in that part of the world. Right now, one side is your friend; the other side is your enemy. The next day, they're both stabbing you in the back and picking your pockets."
...I have a flat-out easy to answer question to be asked of anyone who speaks of the matter so ignorantly as that:
Never mind "Arabs" or "Muslims" (or least of all "rug traders") or whatever ignorant generality you'd just love to sling around...
What about the Saudi Arabian "royal family"?
You know, the president's "good friends" and business partners... you know, the one's who bombed us on 9-11, the one's the president covered up for, by suppressing (under the phony guise of National Security) the Conclusions and Findings Section, Part Four (all 28 pages worth!) of the Joint Congressional Inquiry...
What about the Saudi Arabian "royal family"?
Forget speaking so generally of "Arabs" and "Muslims" (and "rug traders"!)...
There was never a better time be so specific as to who are and are not the sponsors of terror (political or otherwise) in the Arab world, as immediately following 9-11...
It's still a good time, and good question.
Where do you all stand, IGNORAMI and all others, sound of mind or not... paid "media" hack or not...
For or against terror?
For or against those who sponsor terror, for political reasons or not...
Never mind "rug traders", what about the president's "good friends" and business partners, the Saudi "royal family"...
What about them?
Are we going to start asking the right questions about terror as a weapon of hatred and a tool of politics, and insist on specific answers (such as those contained in the Report of the JCI, which says nothing I know of about "rug traders" or even Iraqis)...
Are we ever going to get JUSTICE for the attacks of September 11, 2001, or not?
That's the true beginning to defending ourselves against any future terror attack: Getting JUSTICE (and inflicting PUNISHMENT) for any past terror attack.
"Rug traders" have about as much to do with terror and 9-11, as Iraqis did.
It doesn't get any more blatantly racist than that.
Savage calling Arabs fascists and bigots. Pot, meet kettle.
THANK YOU. njguy93@yahoo.com
That's what he should be telling his listeners. Why are we trying to help them if he fells this way? If what he says is true, then not one American life should have been put in jeopardy.
I'm waiting for Dr. Weiner to join our side in trying to end this war.
But, since we're there for the oil, what happens to the A-rabs who get in the way is of no importance.
This fraud will say whatever it takes to get ratings and keep his name in the headlines. (Whichever name he decides to use.)
THANK YOU. njguy93@yahoo.com
the "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." But taking it to the other extreme "The enemy of my enemy is my enemy." hardly seems productive either. Savage is just that a savage and not at all noble.
big American corporations. Raise your hand if your company ever told you you were doing a terrific job one week, then fired you the next.
Employer went through hard times. High cost of oil cited. Demanded give backs. Workers caved in. After a year of low wages, company held a meeting and said hard times are behind us. Go buy that new car. Good times ahead. The next weekend, we got special delivery letters delivered to our houses on Sunday night saying we had no jobs, don't come in to work on Monday.
See? Savage is just a little confused.
Although I'm not sure how it's pronounced. Is it "Weener" or is it "Whiner". I emailed him about it but the raving loon doesn't have the stones to answer.
I can only imagine he gets hundreds a day. You are nothing out of the norm for daliy emails, so why answer? I would not, no time.
Its not like the insane Wiener investigates and studies anything to do his show. How much time does it take to make up hatefilled insane screeds? He has the easiest gig in the country.
Truer words were never spoken...he basically just gets on the air and rambles and rants and goes off on tangents. His thoughts are disjointed and he really is crazy. I listen to him on my drive home just out of boredom, although I can only take him for so long, thenI just have to shut the radio off. Sometimes his producer shuts him off for me...I hear an awlful lot of dead air over the course of a couple of weeks....always when he is especially ranting and raving.
No friends amongst the arabs? Not even the ones who risk their lives to provide us with intelligence?
tells you the state of mind i was in, actually, kinda, sorta agreeing with mr. savage, ne' weiner.
ok, a fact that those who argued against me seem to have overlooked: the bulk of arab governments are not representative democracies, unlike the bulk of western & eastern european gov'ts. therefore, they needn't concern themselves, too much, with what the guy on the street thinks, they aren't going to be up for re-election. last time i checked, dictators don't run for office.
the only thing that might concern them is the possibility of being overthrown, in a coup or revolution. like saddam, they just "disappear" those people. if that isn't feasible, they either buy them off, or banish them, whatever works.
as i said, and i stand by it, they point whichever way the wind blows. whoever is buying their oil, selling them arms, or lending them legitimacy is their bud of the moment.
perhaps, should those gov'ts ever become real democracies, they will become more dependable, as friends and allies.
The problem in the middle east is that these groups and 'goverments' are there because of outside influences.
If we do not directly insert them, we support one group or another. And all this for our goals. We supported Osama and his mujahedeen in the war against the Russians (how would savage spin that today?), the Taliban or Saddam to name those that were used and disposed by our goverments. The ogligarchy in Saudi Arabia or multiple dictatorships around the Gulf to name a few that are still supported. It was not the evil they committed that turned us against them, contrary to what we claim today. As they were doing these horrid acts we looked the other way or even supported them. I am reminded of the mafia's way of using people as long as they are needed and then disposing of them. Only the mafia cannot make the disposing look like a good deed.
The people in the middle east (and it goes for more then just the muslims) only have their religion to cling to as the one constant left in a region resembling a gigantic chessboard.
Maybe we should stop screwing around in other peoples lives and they won't hate us for killing them. But not by the same corrupt oppertunists that have supported the same goverments they claim to now be liberating.