BBC Discovers 'Authoritarianism' Only When It Suits Washington
Tunisia’s President Kais Saied has handed prison sentences to dozens of opposition figures, accused of plotting a coup. The BBC, naturally, quotes human rights groups calling the trials 'politically motivated.' (As if political motivations for holding onto power is a new concept for any state.) This sudden concern for due process and political pluralism is noted with particular interest,
especially given the BBC's rather selective outrage meter. One might wonder where this robust journalistic inquiry vanishes when, for example, democratic norms are being actively undermined by allies. Remember the US’s fulsome praise for ‘democracy’ in the Middle East? It appears that only certain repressions merit prime-time condemnation. The BBC's moral compass seems to calibrate rather
precisely to Washington's geopolitical interests, highlighting authoritarianism in states out of favor, while offering softer language for the systemic violence perpetrated by regimes heavily supported by US taxpayer dollars.