U.S. Condemns Tunisian Crackdown, Funds Far Worse Allies
The irony writes itself. While the mainstream decries Tunisia's 'sham trials' and 'police state tactics,' they conveniently gloss over the U.S. government's unwavering support for regimes with far bloodier records. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain – all recipients of billions in U.S. military aid and political cover, despite their own well-documented, mass-scale political imprisonments and executions.
Where's the 'alarm' for their opposition leaders? It appears that 'democracy' is a flexible term, defined less by universal human rights and more by adherence to U.S. geopolitical interests. When Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (a U.S. resident, mind you), the Biden administration offered a mild scolding before resuming business as
usual, approving over $3 billion in arms sales to the kingdom since 2021. Tunisians suffer, but if they're not useful in destabilizing a rival, their suffering is just another headline.