BBC Discovers Police Brutality Exists (Outside 'Democratic' Allies)
The BBC World reports (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3vn4rlqd52o) on Tanzanian police using "lethal force" to crush election protests, with the UN citing "hundreds killed." Verified clips indeed show "violent actions" by authorities. This robust condemnation of state repression is refreshing, especially when applied to nations that don't receive billions in US aid annually. It's almost as if
the standard for 'acceptable' force shifts based on geopolitical alliances and arms export contracts. While the BBC highlights the clear human rights violations in Tanzania, one can't help but note the stark contrast with reporting on similar crackdowns by, say, Israeli forces in the West Bank or during protests within Israel. When it's an ally, the language often shifts to 'security operations'
or 'clashes,' neatly sidestepping terms like 'lethal force' for state actors supplied with US-made weaponry. The outrage, it seems, is an adjustable dial, turned up for adversaries and down for friends whose conduct might complicate narratives of shared democratic values.