The Associated Press’s Faustian Bargain with Hitler’s Germany

April 4 2016

In the 1930s, the Nazi government began forcing news agencies to close their offices in Germany; by the end of 1941, the Associated Press (AP) was the only one still reporting from inside the Third Reich, and it continued to do so for the rest of the war. Philip Oltermann describes how this came to be so:

The New York-based agency ceded control of its output by [agreeing] to the so-called Schriftleitergesetz (editor’s law), promising not to publish any material “calculated to weaken the strength of the Reich abroad or at home.”

This law required AP to hire reporters who also worked for the Nazi party’s propaganda division. One of the four photographers employed by the Associated Press in the 1930s, Franz Roth, was a member of the SS paramilitary unit’s propaganda division, whose photographs were personally chosen by Hitler. . . .

AP also allowed the Nazi regime to use its photo archives for its virulently anti-Semitic propaganda literature. Publications illustrated with AP photographs include the bestselling SS brochure Der Untermensch (“The Sub-Human”) and the booklet The Jews in the USA, which aimed to demonstrate the decadence of Jewish Americans with a picture of New York’s mayor, Fiorello LaGuardia, eating from a buffet with his hands.

Read more at Guardian

More about: AP, Germany, History & Ideas, Media, Nazis

Kuwait Should Be the Next Country to Make Peace with Israel

Feb. 13 2025

Like his predecessor, Donald Trump seeks to expand the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia. But there are other Arab nations that might consider taking such a step. Ahmad Charai points to Kuwait—home to the Middle East’s largest U.S. army base and desperately in need of economic reform—as a good candidate. Kuwaitis haven’t forgiven Palestinians for supporting Saddam Hussein during his 1990 invasion, but their country has been more rhetorically hostile to Israel than its Gulf neighbors:

The Abraham Accords have reshaped Middle Eastern diplomacy. . . . Kuwait, however, remains hesitant due to internal political resistance. While full normalization may not be immediately feasible, the United States should encourage Kuwait to take gradual steps toward engagement, emphasizing how participation in regional cooperation does not equate to abandoning its historical positions.

Kuwait could use its influence to push for peace in the Middle East through diplomatic channels opened by engagement rather than isolation. The economic benefits of joining the broader framework of the Abraham Accords are overwhelming. Israel’s leadership in technology, agriculture, and water management presents valuable opportunities for Kuwait to enhance its infrastructure. Trade and investment flows would diversify the economy, providing new markets and business partnerships.

Kuwaiti youth, who are increasingly looking for opportunities beyond the public sector, could benefit from collaboration with advanced industries, fostering job creation and entrepreneurial growth. The UAE and Bahrain have already demonstrated how normalization with Israel can drive economic expansion while maintaining their respective geopolitical identities.

Read more at Jerusalem Strategic Tribune

More about: Abraham Accords, Kuwait