Parallel Universes

(via: mick)

It is a truth universally known that when it comes to the mythical power and perfidy of Jews, no lie is ever too big or too irrational not to believe in the Arab and Muslim world (and possibly within large swathes of the Counterpunch crowds, otherwise known as Indecent Left) . But every once in a while there comes a long a fable so phenomenally impossible that to find even a few people believing it is a wonder, never mind entire countries and classes of people. Here is one such recent example:

The Darfur region of Sudan first made headlines in February 2003 with news of massacres, rapes, mutilations, and other atrocities perpetrated by the Sudanese government and its allied armed Arab militia, the Janjaweed, against civilians in the black Arab and non-Arab south. Shortly thereafter, the Arab and Iranian media came out with reports explaining these events as the result of a conspiracy. The campaign was led by the most influential Arab and Iranian newspapers and TV channels, and was enhanced by leading Middle East religious figures, heads of state, members of academia, and other notable individuals.

According to these media reports, what was really happening in Darfur involved secret plans to create a Christian state in Sudan; a Jewish attempt to annex the African country to become part of Israel; a U.S. government effort to control Sudanese oil, uranium and other natural resources; plots by U.S. presidential candidates; and a U.S. government attempt to deflect attention from its actions in Iraq, as well as schemes by Jews, Freemasons, the United Nations, and the African Union. The Protocols of the Elders of Zion have also been cited as evidence to prove the existence of a conspiracy in Darfur.

As the conspiracy theories expanded, a new phenomenon developed - namely, downplaying and even denying the atrocities taking place in Darfur. The deniers have included the Sudanese and Iranian leaderships and the Arab government-controlled media. It must be noted that this phenomenon is strikingly similar to Holocaust denial, and in fact many proponents of the Darfur denial have been known to question the Holocaust.

The entire report is here

Let's repeat this again:

According to these media reports, what was really happening in Darfur involved secret plans to create a Christian state in Sudan; a Jewish attempt to annex the African country to become part of Israel; a U.S. government effort to control Sudanese oil, uranium and other natural resources; plots by U.S. presidential candidates;

Let me ask again: Leaving aside any kind of minimally reasonable knowledge of history and geography, of common sense and intelligible conjecture, when you look at the claim, and you look at the map, what sane person in his or her right mind would, or could, believe such a theory?