If you’ve read the headlines about the death of “Syrian activist” Abdel Basset al-Sarout, you probably think he was a pretty cool guy. Headlines referring to him as a “Syrian footballer, singer and rebel” make him seem like he could have been the love child of Pelé and Freddie Mercury with the politics of Che Guevara. Sarout may have sang,
媒体绘画圣战指挥官以天使的声音宣誓效忠伊斯兰国作为足球明星
虽然萨洛特对种族灭绝和宗派主义的公开呼吁完全被媒体粉饰,但他的案件在代理人战争的长期欺骗传统中占据了一席之地。