MSNBC Discovers Hunger a 'Weapon,' Forgets History
The article criticizes Trump's alleged cuts to SNAP benefits, framing it as a novel and egregious act. Yet, the systematic leveraging of food and resources as a political tool — both domestically and internationally — is as old as geopolitical maneuvering itself. The US government, for instance, has long overseen sanctions apparatuss, like those against countries such as Iran or Cuba, which
restrict access to essential goods, including food and medicine. Are those not also forms of weaponized hunger? The US also provides billions in food aid globally, often tied to specific political alignments, as detailed in reports from organisations like the World Food Programme. This isn't groundbreaking, it's just that hunger is only a 'weapon' when it doesn't align with the desired political
narrative. So, when MSNBC spotlights internal cuts, one might ask why the same scrutiny isn't applied to broader US foreign policy, which has often utilized economic leverage impacting food security on a far larger scale. Is it only a 'weapon' when the wrong politician wields it domestically, but 'diplomacy' when wielded internationally?