HELP -- Another Arm of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy??

[snot]

I came across a new computer game aimed at Middle Eastern markets, thought it looked unintentionally hilarious; but as I dug into it for amusing details, things got seriouser and seriouser -- and the maker of the game seems to have done an awful lot of work for extreme RW constituencies.

I wanted to make DU'er's aware of the game and its background and find out if you already have any additional knowledge or info about the company.

Here's what I've stumbled across so far (bits in quotations selected from the game or it's maker's websites -- I'm just picking up the funny or interesting bits here and there):

Check out "Arabian Lords," the new computer game "inspired by the rise of Islam during the 7th – 13th centuries" and "targeted at Middle Eastern markets": http://www.arabianlords.com/Public/main_public_master.aspx?Site_Id=2&Page_Id=101&menuID=69

“Rule a Powerful Empire in the Ancient Middle East!

“Travel back in time and become an enterprising merchant lord during the Rise of Islam. Start with one palace and expand to rule an entire city!  But beware the perils of power – as you gain prestige you must outmaneuver and defeat other rival factions.  Will you rule an empire powerful enough to fend off the invading Mongol hoards?

“Craft your beautiful Middle Eastern city!
“Send Beggars, Thieves and Vandals to sabotage your opponent!
“Hire Musicians, Poets and Bards to keep your markets thriving!

“Here’s the first round of hints and tips from the AL development team!

“Residential Districts are very important to control. Taking control of Residential Districts is the quickest way to increase your population capacity (in addition to expanding and upgrading stalls within a Residential District). And if you suddenly lose control of a District, it’s the quickest way to throw your entire mercantile empire into chaos. . . .

“While the overuse of personal security forces can drive down your popularity with the people, it’s important to use Bodyguards to patrol and protect your Districts. The City Guard is reliable, but not good enough. Maintaining your own defense force can be a big help, especially in Residential Districts.”

Arabian Lords is a creation of Breakaway Games, a Maryland-based corporation "Founded in 1998 in Hunt Valley, MD, BreakAway has nearly ten years of experience in serving dual markets. Our 100+ employees have collectively shipped hundreds of titles in strategy, action/stealth, and sports games—and developed a core competency in creating tools for modeling, simulation, and visualization. This technology has become the m?sb?™ desktop development studio, a strategy-based platform designed to enable military, homeland security, medical, and corporate customers solve real-world problems with the situational realism and experiential engagement of game-based simulation.

"Our Clients Include :
• Microsoft
• The Walt Disney Companies
• DARPA
• Joint Forces Command
• Office of the Secretary of Defense – Net Assessment
• NETC
• United States Air Force
• Institute for Defense Analysis
• Department of Justice / National Institute of Justice
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
• SAIC
• Rockwell Collins
• Northrop Grumman
• Boeing
• General Dynamics
• Lockheed Martin
• Booz Allen & Hamilton
• International Center for Non-Violent Conflict
• Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation"

Checking out the International Center for Non-Violent Conflict, we find at http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1476 :

“In a report about Bush's Freedom House speech, the Financial Times (March 30, 2006) reported that had received U.S. government funding to undertake clandestine activities in Iran. Reported the newspaper: "Few in the Washington audience on Wednesday realized that Freedom House, an independent institution founded over 60 years ago by Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady, is one of several organizations selected by the State Department to receive funding for clandestine activities inside Iran. Peter Ackerman, chairman of the board of trustees, who introduced Mr. Bush, is also the founder of a separate organization that promotes non-violent, civic disobedience as a form of resistance to repressive regimes. His International Center for Non-Violent Conflict has organized discreet 'workshops' in the Gulf emirate of Dubai to teach Iranians the lessons learned from east European movements. ... Mr. Ackerman, who is very wealthy from an earlier career as a financier, says he does not accept government money. Questioned by the FT, Freedom House confirmed it had received funding from the State Department for activities in Iran. It declined to give details but said it was not involved in Mr. Ackerman's work in Dubai."

[bonito]

1. Oh yea the propaganda is out there big time