Cost-free heroics
Immoderation, excess and self-interest are never good counselors. The same can be said about the anti-American hysteria that has swept a section of the Greek media. First, we must note that reporting is more than just expressing, stirring up and reproducing people’s views. It also entails the responsibility of shaping public opinion. This is anything but a simple task. The government and the opposition, which represent nearly 90 percent of the public mandate, have shaped Greece’s official position on Iraq in accordance with national interests. The preachers of blind anti-Americanism must – before anything else – condemn the official Greek position for being blatantly cynical and amoralistic. Following that, they must do everything to reverse it – a more feasible goal, in fact, than the reversal of Washington’s policy which they, supposedly, have been aiming at. Paradoxically, taunting and cursing the sole superpower requires no special courage, nor does it hold any repercussions for the «valorous» protesters. On the other hand, the domestic peaceniks’ lashing out against the official Greek position does take courage and requires responsibility. This is perhaps why these people prefer to come across as unyielding America-bashers only. Their stance, however, may not be pointless, evasive, self-interested and prejudiced. This is because it threatens to undermine Greece’s say in the postwar geopolitical decisions, which official state policy has sought to safeguard. To put it simply, when the national interest dictates cool-headed and pragmatic decisions, it is easily undermined by impulsive, irresponsible and uncritical reactions – especially when these come from within.
