Gideon Rachman’s amusing piece in the FT today about conspiracy theories brings to mind the little visited but nevertheless glorious section of the US State Department website given over entirely to conspiracy theories and misinformation.
Our friends at Foggy Bottom have graciously spent hours diligently rebutting a veritable galaxy of theories, ranging from old favourites (President Bush was behind 9/11!) to various newer theories that may come as a shock to you (the US created AIDS as a bioweapon!).
Top marks for innovative public diplomacy. But it does rather overlook the obvious point: if you think that the US is behind an evil global conspiracy, why on earth are you going to change your mind on the basis of a press release from the State Department?
(Conversely, anyone who’s read Bob Woodward or Ron Suskind’s books lately would find it completely incredible that the US could muster sufficient inter-agency cooperation to conspire to make a cup of tea, never mind take over the world.)
PS. Note that there’s no rebuttal on the site of the CIA bumping off JFK. Or any denial that aliens landed at Roswell. Coincidence? You decide…
