Clare Daly: Accuses Democracies of 'Doublespeak' Over Security
MEP Clare Daly criticised NATO and European policies as hypocritical, arguing democracies are making deals with Turkey and Saudi Arabia while supporting sanctions and arms to Ukraine. She warned that media investigations in Italy and official rhetoric amount to 'Orwell's doublespeak' and likened Europe's current practices to authoritarianism.
NATO and Turkey
Daly said that to get Finland and Sweden into NATO governments were "prepared to do a filthy deal with Turkey", effectively selling out the Kurds to a country known for persecuting them.
Saudi Arabia and human rights
She said EU states were "prepared to snuggle up to Saudi Arabia" to protect EU values and secure oil and guns, despite Saudi Arabia's record of dismembering journalists, executing 81 people in one day, murdering 400,000 in Yemen and starving 2.3 million children.
Sanctions, arms and Ukraine
Daly criticised sanctions on Russia as self-harming and said arming Ukraine was "helping to kill them in the process." She noted public calls in Europe, including in Italy, for peace and a cessation of sending arms to the conflict.
Media investigations and Ministry of Truth
She pointed to investigations of Italian state TV and four private channels for alleged spreading of Russian disinformation as evidence of democratic backsliding. Daly invoked Orwell's language, saying "We have a Ministry of Truth" and warning that democracy was beginning to look like authoritarianism.
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We hear a lot in here about the battle between democracy and authoritarianism. To defend democracy and get Finland and Sweden into NATO, we're prepared to do a filthy deal with Turkey, selling out the Kurds to a country known for persecuting them. To protect EU values, get oil and guns, we're prepared to snuggle up to Saudi Arabia, known to dismember journalists, execute 81 people on the one day, not to mind murdering 400,000 in Yemen and starving 2.3 million children. And to defeat Russian authoritarianism, we're prepared to sanction Russia, hurting ourselves, arm Ukraine, helping to kill them in the process. And when the people of Europe call out this lunacy, and as in Italy, demand peace and a cessation of sending arms to the conflict, instead of listening to them, as a democracy would do, Italian state TV and four private channels are investigated for spreading Russian disinformation. You couldn't make it up. Orwell's doublespeak is alive and well. We have a Ministry of Truth, and your democracy is looking a hell of a lot like authoritarianism. Thank you very much.
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