Below is an abridged version of a Stalinesque interview done last week (9/20) by the owner of the Kuwait daily Al-Siyassa with the Prime Minister of Bahrain. This piece should be taught in schools of Journalism (and other media) as a definite no-no.
(No this is not a blind date going nowhere, although the pained facial expressions and especially the body language make it seem like one. The PM is on the left- the owner/chief editor is on the right, in case you could not guess).
Editor's preamble: Sometimes one cannot stop asking, as long as one can easily get the question in question to those in charge (Disclaimer: no, I swear I did not make this up, I could not if I tried). Here in Manama there are many questions that deserve answers, since without these said answers such questions remain unanswered and become sources of anxiety, and avenues for guesses which might solidify into part of the public perception of reality, even though they are not based on facts or evidence. Therefore I had a first question among the many questions that I presented at the beginning to His Highness the Prime Minister of The Kingdom of Bahrain, Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa.
Q: This first question which I raised to the high Bahraini official went thus: Your Highness the Prime Minister, I shall tell you what people are talking about here. And I ask you: Is it true that these days the skies over the ruling family in Bahrain are stormy and full of clouds?
Answer: Perhaps you meant with your question if there were differences between the Prime Minister and the King, so let me make it easier for you and comfort you with an answer, yes...within the ruling families in the region there are differences of opinion (this is a not too subtle dig at diffreences within Kuwait), and some people try to fan the flames of these differences. Perhaps such people will succeed or perhaps they will fail. The difference between success and failure of such efforts depends on the wisdom of the men who rule, and how they manage these matters. Such things are natural. I remeber when I was a youngster (he was one, you know) there were some differences within the ruling family, and it was encouraged and stoked by gossip mongers and people who had an interest in such things, in changing differences and elevating them into disputes. The wise ones among the family met and realized that they should not allow themselves to become victims to gossip-mongers and those with narrow interests, or victims of those who banged the drums to change differences into disputes.. They sat together, opened up their emotions to each other, and that was the end of that..................(many, many dots).
Q: Your Highness, you hear all the tales and whispers around you, and about you, surely you were exposed to fierce winds which you overcame. Did they, these fierce winds, disturb you (At least he did not call him sweetie)?......
Part of the Answer (a small part): I will be honest with you, and tell you that stories and tales that are repeated here and there reach me, some of it is softened, some not, by people who do not wish to hurt my feelings. Some of it is also exaggerated...........I do not say there are no differences, it is natural to have differences, what is unnatural is the existence of those who try to change differences into disputes. In all stable and perosperous nations there are those who try to create disputes between the First Man in the nation and the Second and Third man, and these attempts do not succeed but fail subject to the existence of some degree of wisdom among such men.......(many more dots)
ad nauseam.....
(There are three full pages, big wide newspaper pages, of this stuff. I could not translate all of it today. I do have a life of sorts. Get my drift?)
Cheers
Mohammed
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