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05/11/2010
The invention of lying
Not telling the truth needs plenty of courage, and nerveby Sami Moubayed
Barack Obama says that hope needs audacity – boldness or daring – to be achieved. That is so true. Criticism of government, however, also needs audacity – especially in the Middle East – and for that matter, so does praise of governments, since the line becomes very blurred between apple-polishing, and true or genuine respect for what an Arab leader is doing. Saying the truth needs plenty of audacity, given how painful the truth is at times, and lying with a straight face, also needs plenty of courage – and nerve!
These thoughts rumbled through my mind as I recently watched the comedy film, “The Invention of Lying.” The story takes place in an imagined city where nobody has ever told a lie; where the concepts of fiction and speculation do not exist. Bankrupt and jobless, the lead character, Mark, goes to the bank to withdraw his last $300, only to find that the computer system is down. When asked by the teller how much was in his account, he suddenly gets an epiphany and blurts: “$800!”
The teller takes his word, handing him the required amount, when suddenly, the system switches back on. The teller assumes that the customer is telling the truth while the system has made a mistake. Using the money obtained by not telling the truth, Mark goes on to corrupt the neighborhood, and then, the entire city. Lying after all, can get people very far.
Israeli President Shimon Peres probably got a similar epiphany last month when he had the audacity – with a completely straight face – to accuse Syria of transferring Scud missiles to Israel. That story has vibrated throughout the Western press, ripping through the US media like forest fire. Sensible analysts digested the story with a grain of salt, however, given the 1001 reasons for it to be nothing but a fabrication.
Let us get the facts straight: Scuds are bulky, 11-12.5 meters long, with a launching pad that reaches up to 14 meters. They can easily be spotted by satellite, and photographed, when being transported – theoretically – through the Syrian-Lebanese border. Where are the photographs?
Scuds have a 50-500 meter margin of error, which is not good for Hizbullah, given that its fighters are accustomed to high precision in their targets. The Scuds reportedly in Hizbullah’s possession have a range of 500 km. This is completely useless for the Lebanese commandos given that all Israeli cities are within a 15-200 km range of Hizbullah missiles.
There are weapons already in Hizbullah’s possession that are, by far, more useful than Scuds. One for example, is al-Nour, a 6-meter long Iranian-made missile developed off a Chinese model, which was used to hit an Israeli warship during the summer war of 2006. That missile, it must be noted, has a range of 200 km while Fateh 110, a solid fuel rocket with similar range, weighs only half a ton whereas Scuds weigh one ton.
Mark – the lead character in “The Invention of Lying” – decided to distort the truth so he can shake off the numerous setbacks in his professional, emotional, and sex life. Peres – in “The Invention of Scuds” decided to distort the truth so he can shake off the numerous setbacks in the political and military life of his nation.
Six months ago, a UN-mandated report accused Israel of war crimes in the Gaza Strip. Now relations are at rock bottom with the US over the Israeli government’s decision to build 1,600 settlements in occupied Jerusalem, and to oversee a mass deportation of around 75,000 Palestinians from the West Bank.
The Israeli Premiere Benjamin Netanyahu is clearly not interested in peace and is telling Obama – in so many different ways – to refrain from making any creative suggestions regarding a comprehensive peace process in the Middle East.
The Israelis are furious with Syria for having dismantled all bonds imposed on it by the Bush White House and returned to the region’s stage central. Less than five years ago, the Israelis were betting on regime change in Damascus! They are equally unhappy with Hizbullah getting the upper hand in Beirut politics, especially after the Harriri cabinet promised to “protect and embrace” the arms of Hizbullah.
Perhaps, a mega-lie, like that of the Scuds, can help save Israel from the mess that surrounds it, justifying – perhaps – a new war in the Middle East.
It takes audacity to lie with a poker face, and audacity to come out and tell the Israelis: “You have been not saying the truth!” Perhaps it is time for President Obama to re-visit the audacity he gave us in 2004.
