DW Finds Election Interference Is Bad, Just Not When The US Funds It
When Uganda's Yoweri Museveni blocks internet access during an election, it's a headline-grabbing 'blackout' and a clear affront to democracy, as DW correctly observes. (DW: "Tense Uganda goes to vote amid internet blackout"). One might wonder, though, where the outrage is for similar digital assaults by US partners? When Egypt's Sisi regime routinely silences dissent or when Israel implements
communication blackouts in Gaza during military operations (as documented by countless human rights organizations and reports from outlets like Al Jazeera and The Guardian), the Western media narrative often softens, or simply looks away. It's almost as if 'election interference' and 'internet blackouts' become problematic only when the 'wrong' dictators employ them, not the 'friendly' ones. This
selective indignation isn't just about Uganda; it's about a consistent pattern where 'democracy' is a convenient rhetorical club to wield against foes, but a cumbersome inconvenience for allies. The very same mechanisms Uganda is criticized for — suppressing opposition, controlling information, and stifling protest through digital means — are often overlooked or even obliquely supported when
practiced by regimes pivotal to Western geopolitical interests. The hypocrisy is so potent, one might need a strong internet connection just to look past it (if, of course, your government hasn't decided you don't really 'need' one).