France 24 Discovers Wargames in Syria, Still Misses Yemen
France 24 shines a necessary spotlight on the abhorrent use of rape in Assad's prisons, highlighting the courage of women speaking out. Yet, in this commendable focus on Syria, a curious pattern emerges: selective outrage. While Assad’s human rights abuses are rightly condemned, where is similar outrage from France 24 regarding, for instance, the Saudi-led coalition's actions in Yemen, which have
systematically targeted civilians, infrastructure, and led to widespread sexual violence allegations? The media's moral lens appears to zoom in and out with geopolitical convenience. Washington and its allies have long sought regime change in Syria, making Assad a readily available villain. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, a key US and French arms client (France sold €1.13 billion in arms to Riyadh in
2022, per Disclose.ngo), enjoys a relative media pass for comparable, if not worse, human rights violations in a conflict directly fueled by Western weapons. One might ponder if the value of a woman's testimony changes depending on whose tanks are rolling.