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jsmirman

(4,507 posts)
Fri Sep 14, 2012, 11:30 PM Sep 2012

Am I crazy for suspecting this video is a Right Wing hail mary?

I'm a big believer in Occam's Razor, and so I tend to look askance at conspiracy theories, but this one seems to fit within the range of the simplest possible explanations.

There is no question that Republicans saw this election slipping away.

The people behind this video wanted death, chaos, and calamity - there is no better explanation for why it was sent directly to Muslim television outlets.

I also believe that there is no level of treason and lack of concern for consequences that the modern Republican party is not capable of.

Hell, they've made getting nothing done in Congress their number one priority, and didn't care one bit that the people of this country have been struggling and - stop me if this is crazy - needed some actual leadership and statesmanship from their government.

I hope people are pushing as hard as possible on this story and will not stop until they reveal everyone who was involved in the plan to recklessly set this video loose on the world. I'd like to know the full team behind the production, and I'd like to know exactly who they've been in contact with over the last six months.

I wouldn't be surprised at all to learn that they have connections to the power structure of that party.

42 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Am I crazy for suspecting this video is a Right Wing hail mary? (Original Post) jsmirman Sep 2012 OP
Could this be the October surprise? broiles Sep 2012 #1
This sure blows the whole 2016 movie out of the PR water. Lint Head Sep 2012 #2
I don't know that your premise is true, but I wouldn't put ANYTHING past them. lob1 Sep 2012 #3
I hesitated to give voice to this, but it's been gnawing at me jsmirman Sep 2012 #4
That would explain romney's idiotic statements regarding Libya. Stargazer09 Sep 2012 #5
They have done this before, Rachel Maddow talked about it tonight Heather MC Sep 2012 #9
I'm looking forward to catching the Maddow podcast later tonight jsmirman Sep 2012 #10
Rachel's show is a bit of a jaw dropper tonight Heather MC Sep 2012 #14
Yes, someone posted that link recently jsmirman Sep 2012 #34
The actors and crew involved should sue the "filmmakers" jsmirman Sep 2012 #6
I totally & completely agree that is exactly what is happening. JaneyVee Sep 2012 #7
Your suspicion is shared by many Jessy169 Sep 2012 #8
I certainly think the people who made and released this film hoped to influence the election Douglas Carpenter Sep 2012 #11
Good thought brush Sep 2012 #12
I am also suspicious of this, but proving it will be difficult to impossible davidpdx Sep 2012 #13
A couple more crazy ideas TexasBushwhacker Sep 2012 #15
Six possible suspects or more lofty1 Sep 2012 #16
... ..the heart of the Islamophobia industry in America. mrJJ Sep 2012 #17
Given past history, it seems highly plausible. xfundy Sep 2012 #18
I think the video is a bizarre sidebar to all of this. Bolo Boffin Sep 2012 #19
They seem more than dumb enough to be manipulated jsmirman Sep 2012 #22
Well, do you have any evidence they were manipulated or given marching orders? n/t Bolo Boffin Sep 2012 #25
If I had evidence, I would have said "I *know*" jsmirman Sep 2012 #31
I said so earlier today: DevonRex Sep 2012 #20
I agree that the Romney jsmirman Sep 2012 #21
I have a lot more to say on the subject but DevonRex Sep 2012 #28
Well jsmirman Sep 2012 #32
By the way, this could just mean that we both are crazy. jsmirman Sep 2012 #23
Ha. DevonRex Sep 2012 #29
These things we know... CoffeeCat Sep 2012 #24
Obama did not refuse to meet with Netanyahu... that is pure FUD and republican FUD at that Egnever Sep 2012 #27
It is strange that you would BELIEVE all of the hate outlets Doctor_J Sep 2012 #41
Yes you are crazy Egnever Sep 2012 #26
I don't think this is correct jsmirman Sep 2012 #33
But it was shown in Arabic in Libya this week Doctor_J Sep 2012 #40
Yes, you are crazy cthulu2016 Sep 2012 #30
Am I right that the Arabic dubbing was a very recent addition-- eridani Sep 2012 #35
I'm not sure, but that's my initial understanding jsmirman Sep 2012 #36
Hell no, you are not crazy! Hell I figured B Calm Sep 2012 #37
When in doubt, ask the question, "Who benefits" Doctor_J Sep 2012 #38
Well, it's keeping Obama tied to the WH and unable to campaign.. ananda Sep 2012 #39
Not big on conspiracy theories, but Sheldon Adelson, Koch Bros, and Rove Crossroads emulatorloo Sep 2012 #42

jsmirman

(4,507 posts)
4. I hesitated to give voice to this, but it's been gnawing at me
Fri Sep 14, 2012, 11:43 PM
Sep 2012

for days now.

Obama's turn away from the Bush Doctrine was showing real signs of positively impacting our standing in the world.

Now there are American flags burning in country after country, and our embassies are under siege.

I confess that as an American, seeing my flag burned invokes a degree of involuntary rage.

I can't imagine it's playing too well across the country.

The only counterbalance is how weary rank and file Americans are of the wars that have crippled our economy.

But if you were headed to a guaranteed loss and if you had no scruples or concern for consequences or even a marginally working conscience, might you not unleash this video bomb on the world?

Stargazer09

(2,131 posts)
5. That would explain romney's idiotic statements regarding Libya.
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:00 AM
Sep 2012

He probably thought that his press conference made him look presidential and better than Obama. The fact that he was smirking afterwards makes me wonder about his motives.

 

Heather MC

(8,084 posts)
9. They have done this before, Rachel Maddow talked about it tonight
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:09 AM
Sep 2012

and the two men who did it before just happen to be at the same event as Paul Ryan earlier today
the Right Wing have the same play book
this is what they do

jsmirman

(4,507 posts)
10. I'm looking forward to catching the Maddow podcast later tonight
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:18 AM
Sep 2012

it just makes too much sense to dismiss out of hand.

And if it's true - the callousness - my God.

 

Heather MC

(8,084 posts)
14. Rachel's show is a bit of a jaw dropper tonight
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:33 AM
Sep 2012

but from now on you can watch it live hear
http://blog.livenewschat.tv/rockinroosters/

unless you are at work or something

jsmirman

(4,507 posts)
34. Yes, someone posted that link recently
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 03:04 AM
Sep 2012

and it's a great one to have, thanks (I've bookmarked it).

I like to watch Rachel's show right before bed. It's just sort of part of my routine.

I wish msnbc uploaded the other shows, like The Ed Show, as podcasts. Msnbc's video player can be troublesome.

jsmirman

(4,507 posts)
6. The actors and crew involved should sue the "filmmakers"
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:02 AM
Sep 2012

I'd like to know what was in their contracts - at a minimum, this has to violate numerous SAG guidelines.

The unfortunate thing, though, is that these suits aren't likely to get to a discovery phase (and if these are SAG violations, I fear that might be referred to closed arbitrations) in time for the world to know who was behind this.

But if the impetus behind this movie extends well beyond Klein and Nakoula, which I suspect that it does, the world deserves to know.

Jessy169

(602 posts)
8. Your suspicion is shared by many
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:06 AM
Sep 2012

Whether they voice that suspicion or not. It is entirely logical to suspect Romney/Ryan and their reckless group of recycled Bush neocons of almost dirty trick at this point. My guess is, we're in for more very unpleasant surprises before it is all over.

Douglas Carpenter

(20,226 posts)
11. I certainly think the people who made and released this film hoped to influence the election
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:26 AM
Sep 2012

I think the timing is beyond coincidence. It would seem apparent to a lot of people that a dramatic upsurge in anti-American violence coming from the Islamic world would ostensibly be harmful to Obama and helpful to Romney. At least that would appear predictable to a lot of people. I don't doubt that part of the motive of the makers and releasers of this film was the hope that this would bring down Obama. I doubt though that the official campaign has anything to do with it. They have just completely blown it with their unpatriotic response. I doubt that even they are so stupid as not to understand how ridiculous Romney and the Republicans look with the way they responded. I can't imagine that being planned.

brush

(53,467 posts)
12. Good thought
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:29 AM
Sep 2012

I think you're on the money. And speaking of money, a good investigative reporter should follow the money trail of the making of this movie. It's seems absolutely Rovian to me.

davidpdx

(22,000 posts)
13. I am also suspicious of this, but proving it will be difficult to impossible
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:30 AM
Sep 2012

I don't think the guy behind it won't face any kinds of repercussions either.

TexasBushwhacker

(20,043 posts)
15. A couple more crazy ideas
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:36 AM
Sep 2012

1) It was funded and promoted by a war profiteer, you know, someone who misses all those no bid, cost plus contracts from the war in Iraq.

2) It was funded and promoted by "End Times" Christians that are trying to speed up Armageddon so they can be raptured. The producer is an Egyptian Coptic Christian, but originally he said he was an Israeli-American Jew. One thing extremist Muslims hate more than American is Israel.

Okay, my tin foil hat is off.

mrJJ

(886 posts)
17. ... ..the heart of the Islamophobia industry in America.
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 12:48 AM
Sep 2012

Snip

Spencer is the director of Jihad Watch, a program of David Horowitz's Freedom Center. Spencer and Geller founded Stop Islamization of America (SIOA), an affiliate of Stop Islamization of Europe and a project of their American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI). The AFDI is the sponsor of anti-Muslim advertisements on buses in Manhattan and San Francisco. Spencer and Geller describe their inflammatory activism as being "pro-Israel," although they have no doubt alienated many supporters of Israel. Sources, including a 2011 Slate article, counted the references to Geller, Spencer, and their collaborators in the writings of Norway's mass killer Anders Breivik, and found them cited over 250 times.

It was Spencer and Geller that organized the 2009 rallies around Rifqa Bary, the Muslim girl who ran away from home with the aid of her Christian proselytizers. See previous posts on this issue ( 1, 2, and 3) including the role of controversial pastor Terry Jones, who has also been reported as promoting the movie in question.

more

http://www.talk2action.org/story/2012/9/14/05433/1020/Front_Page/Media_for_Christ_Led_by_Prominent_Anti_Muslim_Agitator_Joseph_Nasralla_Produced_Incendiary_Film

xfundy

(5,105 posts)
18. Given past history, it seems highly plausible.
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 01:11 AM
Sep 2012

Of course I have no "insider knowledge," but what would prevent Rove and the Kochroaches, Pat Robertson, and the rest of the religion industry from engineering such? It's not as though any of them have any skin in the game, and they all look upon uneducated masses as nothing more than expendables who are open to proselytizing, regardless of the "religion" they're indoctrinated into.

Of course there are equals to "our" conservative religious fundamentalists on the Muslim side, as well as every other religion, willing to amass armies of idiots to get pissed off enough to kill themselves and others in service of their leaders, who promise them mansions in heaven, streets paved with gold, abundant virgins, or whatever else makes them take their minds off their miserable earthly existence in favor of death, and the bullshit rewards they're promised.

I suspect a lot of "christian" leaders are pissed off that they haven't been pushing their followers to give up their lives by killing infidels, but suspect they've been trying to catch up, as evinced by some of the "God Warriors" and even that film that had the cardboard cutout of Bush with kids swearing allegiance to that fool.

"Chevy Chase's 'Vacation Bible School'?" No, that wasn't it, but I love that idea!

Bolo Boffin

(23,796 posts)
19. I think the video is a bizarre sidebar to all of this.
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 01:14 AM
Sep 2012

If anything, the people who planned the attack on Chris Stevens took advantage of this thing randomly blowing up. Maybe they found it where it had languished online for less than a year and spread it around to incite a crowd to hide behind. But a connection between the attackers and the makers of the film? I doubt it.

The world is a weird-ass place. No need to ascribe total control to something like this. Do the makers of this movie seem smart enough to pull off such a move?

jsmirman

(4,507 posts)
31. If I had evidence, I would have said "I *know*"
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 02:51 AM
Sep 2012

I'm not sure I follow you.

There's a reason that I said "I suspect."

And to take this to its logical conclusion, when you suspect, you hope that the threads that are no doubt sticking out of this messy ball of yarn are pulled on and followed to their respective terminating points.

jsmirman

(4,507 posts)
21. I agree that the Romney
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 01:20 AM
Sep 2012

response also has me very suspicious.

If Mitt had an actual scruple, I think it would lead a very lonely, singular existence, but I'm not even saying this goes all the way up to him.

But I'd like to follow every thread of where this thing leads.

It is hard to believe the timing is purely accidental.

DevonRex

(22,541 posts)
28. I have a lot more to say on the subject but
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 01:44 AM
Sep 2012

not in a public forum. There are many more suspicious things and connections that are quite obvious.

jsmirman

(4,507 posts)
32. Well
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 02:54 AM
Sep 2012

I hope then that either you are following these connections, or are in touch with people properly positioned to follow up on these connective threads.

It's nauseating to see how casually the people we know were involved handle sending this kind of chaos out into the world - and it's even more disturbing to think that people treated as something other than crackpots could be involved in this sort of thing.

CoffeeCat

(24,411 posts)
24. These things we know...
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 01:22 AM
Sep 2012

Since it has become more and more apparent that Obama will most likely win the election, he has been rejecting the Bush Doctrine and pretty much thumbing his nose at the neocons and their march to war with Iran.

I am absolutely blown away that Obama refuses to meet with Netanyahu, who will be in the US soon. Obama is doing the Letterman show that evening. He's got all of the right-wing hate outlets hammering on him for ignoring Netanyahu, and they are tying in the Middle East violence to their negative opinions about Obama's foreign policy. They're using his refusal to meet with Netanyahu as a political point.

Can you imagine the intense pressure that Obama is under to meet with Netanyahu. We don't say no to these warmongers under any circumstances. I believe this is one of the first modern-day presidents to do so. I remember when Obama first ran for President and he met with an Israeli contingent in a hotel room--when it became apparent that he would be the Democratic nominee. Shortly after those meeting, Obama gave a speech about "our good friend Israel" and how they had his support. It was as if he met with the mafia who needed public assurances that he would do their bidding.

Well, guess what--it's looking like the President will get a second term. On his terms. He's letting them know that he won't go to war with Iran, and that he's not going to play their games.

It doesn't get much bolder than that folks. This is a man of incredible integrity. I can only imagine the forces that he's fighting. And I bet that if there are nefarious forces at play here, with regard to Libya, the Obama Administration knows about it and understands it.

 

Egnever

(21,506 posts)
27. Obama did not refuse to meet with Netanyahu... that is pure FUD and republican FUD at that
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 01:36 AM
Sep 2012

The White House denied published reports that Mr. Obama had rejected Netanyahu's request to meet with Mr. Obama in Washington next week. No such request was made or rejected, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said.

U.S. and Israeli officials confirmed Tuesday that Mr. Obama would not meet with Netanyahu when the Israeli leader goes to New York for the U.N. General Assembly later this month. Both sides cited scheduling issues and rejected suggestions that Netanyahu had been snubbed.

Some U.S. officials have bristled at what they see is Netanyahu's attempts to exploit the U.S. campaign season to push Mr. Obama into a difficult position. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a sensitive diplomatic matter.

The U.S. officials stopped short of accusing Netanyahu of taking sides in the election, but the Israeli prime minister has a longtime relationship with Republican candidate Mitt Romney and with Sheldon Adelson, a casino magnate and top donor to the Republican Party. Romney, who visited Israel in July, has repeatedly criticized Mr. Obama's handling of the nuclear issue.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57510979/white-house-no-rift-with-israel-over-iran/

 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
41. It is strange that you would BELIEVE all of the hate outlets
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 10:19 AM
Sep 2012

they lie about the president every day, and your postulate is based on another lie. Wake up.

 

Egnever

(21,506 posts)
26. Yes you are crazy
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 01:31 AM
Sep 2012

This video was published months ago long before it was clear this election was slipping away.

jsmirman

(4,507 posts)
33. I don't think this is correct
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 03:02 AM
Sep 2012

not the part about me being crazy - that's a separate debate - but it's my understanding that although the video was published in July, it was dubbed into arabic and was brought to the attention of an Egyptian Islamist television station by Morris Sadek some time around September 8th.

I think that kind of answers to your point, if it is indeed correct (and I think it is).

eridani

(51,907 posts)
35. Am I right that the Arabic dubbing was a very recent addition--
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 04:08 AM
Sep 2012

--to a movie that had been around for at least a year? How would you find out who did the dubbing?

jsmirman

(4,507 posts)
36. I'm not sure, but that's my initial understanding
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 04:18 AM
Sep 2012

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innocence_of_Muslims#Screening_and_promotion

I'm not clear as to if they are saying they are clear that the *dubbing* took place in September, but it certainly seems that Morris Sadek sent these to the Egyptian Islamist television station in September.

 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
38. When in doubt, ask the question, "Who benefits"
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 10:06 AM
Sep 2012

not far fetched at all. They are traitors, murderers, liars. They wouldn't even bat an eye.

ananda

(28,782 posts)
39. Well, it's keeping Obama tied to the WH and unable to campaign..
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 10:08 AM
Sep 2012

.. while Romney roams freely speaking to whatever mass he manages
to assemble and getting free campaign press coverage.

emulatorloo

(43,979 posts)
42. Not big on conspiracy theories, but Sheldon Adelson, Koch Bros, and Rove Crossroads
Sat Sep 15, 2012, 11:32 AM
Sep 2012

and that crazy Swift Boat millionaire from Texas don't impress me as people who have consciences.

I guess we need to follow the money and see where it takes us.

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