Many journalists have an overweening pride regarding their intelligence and foresight. They consider themselves superior to not only us but the people we vote for in elections. They often quote a small cadre of so—called experts to project the future or dictate to us the only rationale course to follow. When they are wrong, as they so often are, their views go down the "memory hole" and are often forgotten by their readers—and the papers and journalists will rarely admit error.
 
Tom Friedman and the New York Times are symbols of this excess of arrogance (and obtuseness). The Saudis have proudly announced that they will fund the genocidal Hamas regime in the West Bank and the Gaza — a group of people who engage and promote the most lurid of anti—Semitic imagery and openly gloat of their plans to kill all the Jews of Israel (and beyond).

This announcement followed appeals by Condi Rice to the Saudis to forbid such funding, since it would be tantamount to supporting a terrorist regime bent on genocide. This just brings to mind that a few short years ago, Tom Friedman, who consorts with Saudi royalty, used his column to push for a supposed Saudi Peace Plan that was to ensure peace for the region.

The "Peace Plan" involved a return to the 1967 borders by Israel, a "just resolution" to the Palestinian refugee issue, and a Saudi "guarantee" that Israel's neighbors would recognize her right to exists and establish relations with her. The Times subsequently went on one of its campaigns in the editorial pages to bolster this purported Saudi Peace Plan.

Now that the Saudis have made their true intentions clear by funding genocide, would the Times and Tom Friedman care to issue a correction and a mea culpa?
 
Don't hold your breath.

Ed Lasky  2 23 06