Der Standard - 17.02.2020

WORLDTRENDS

MONDAY,FEBRUARY17,2020 THE NEWYORK TIMESINTERNATIONAL WEEKLY 3

there really wasapedophileringas-
sociatedwiththe deep state,but,“I
do believethere is agroupinBrus-
sels, Belgium, that doeataborted
babies.”
Conspiracytheorizinghas seeped
from thedigitalfever swampsintolife
offlineasMr. Trumphas relentlessly
pushedgroundlesscons piracies to
reshapepoliti calnarratives tohislik-
ing. Mr.Trumphas at times elevated
andencouragedQAnon followers —
recirculatingtheir postsonTwitter,
posingwith one foraphotographin
theOvalOffice, invitingsometoa
WhiteHouse “socialmediasummit.”
QAnonbeganinOctober2017,when
apseu donymous user oftheonline
messageboard 4chanstarted writ-
ingposts underthenameQClear-
ance Patriot.The person claimed
to be ahigh-rankingofficialprivy
to top-secret information fromMr.
Trump’sinner circle. Over twoyears
andmorethan3,500 posts, Q, whose
identityhasnever beendetermined,
hasunspooledasprawlingconspira-
cynarrativethatclaims,among other
things,that Mr.Trumpwas recruited
by themilitary to runfor office to
breakup aglob alcabalof pedophiles.

Theanonymous postsmovedto

8chan, andnow live on 8kun,anew

website builtby8chan’s owner.

SomeQAnon fans arehardened

conspiracybuffswho previous-

ly believed otherfringetheories,

such as thebogus claim that the

September11terroristattacks

were an“inside job.”But many

QAnonadherents areeveryday

Americanswho have foundinQ’s

messages asourceofpartisanen-

ergy,affirmationof theirsuspicions

about powerfulinstitutionsorafeel-

ingofhavingspecialknowledge.

In onlinechatrooms,Facebook

groups andTwitter threads,QAnon

followers discussthehiddenmessag-

es andsymbols they believetobeex-

posedinQ’s posts, or “drops.”

Reddit barred aclusterofQAnon

groups fromitsplatform in2018,

after aspate ofviolentthreats from

members, andApple pulled apop-

ular QAnon appfromitsapp store.

Butother socialplatforms, including

Facebook, Twitterand YouTube, still

hostlarge amountsofQAnon con-

tent.These platformsdonot prohibit

conspiracytheoriesunlesstheir ad-

herents break otherrules,suchas

policies againsthatespeech or tar-

geted harassment.

Severaladherents describedQA-

nonas a“lifestyle”ora“religion,”

andsaidithad become theirprimary

source of politicalnews.

“It’smoreofacultthanother con-

spiracytheories,”saidJosephUs-

cinski, apolitical-science professor

at theUniversityofMiami.“QAnon

is not just an idea; it’s an ongoing

thingthatpeoplecan sort of getin-

to andfollowalongwith that keeps

them entertained.”

With itscorebeliefthat

thepresidentisheroically

battlingentrenchedevil-

doers,QAnonmaybethe

ultimatemanifestationof

Trump-inspired conspiracy

mongering. Fromthestart,

it wasinexorablybound up

with “MakeAmericaGreat

Again” communitie sonline:

TheNewYork Timesfound

last year that some 23,000 of

Mr.Trump’sTwitter follow-

ershad QAnon references in

theirprofiles.

ButQAnonhassteadily

migrated offlinetoTrump

campaign rallies,where ma-

ny supporters canbefound

with Qsigns andother para-

phernalia. In recent months,

adherents have complained

that securityofficialskeep

peoplefrom bringingtheir

gearinto therallies;the cam-

paignsaiditpermittedonly

approved signsand licensed

merchandise at itsevents.

Abiggerconcern forresearchers

whotrackconspiracytheoriesisthe

potential forviole ncebyunstable in-

dividualswho fall underits sway. In

itsintelligencebulletin identifying

QAnonasapotentialdomestic terror

threat, theF.B.I.warnedthatsocial

mediawas inspiringfollowers to

take action.

Thebulletincitedepisodesit

said involved QAnon followers. A

30-year-oldNevada man, Matthew

Wright,armed himself with an AR-

15-style rifle, ahandgun andextra

ammuniti on,and droveanarmored

truck ontoabridgenearthe Hoover

DaminJune2018.There,heengaged

in a90-minute standoff with police

officers whiledemandingthe release

of an inspector general’sreporton

thegovernmentinvestigationofHil-

lary Clinton’semail practices.

In Arizona,the leader ofalocalvet-

erans-aidgroup in Tucson,Michael

LewisArthurMeyer,39, wasarrest-

ed inJuly 2018 after occupyingatow-

er atacementplant that he insist ed

wasshelteringachild-sex-traffick-

ingring. Mr.Meyer “alleged alaw

enforcementcover-upandrefer-

enced theQAnon conspiracytheory

as he andarmed group members

searched”for thenonexistentring,

accordingtotheF.B.I.bulletin.

Afterthebulletinwas prepared,

therewere moreincidents.Antho-

ny Comello, 25,saidinaNewYork

City courtinDecemberthathis be-

lief in QAnonhadled himto murder

amob boss,Francesco Cali,who he

assertedwas part of thedeepstate

cabalworking againstMr. Trump.

Mr.Comello’s lawyer,RobertC. Got-

tlieb,saidinacourt filingthatafter

the2016election,his client’s family

“begantonoticechanges to hisper-

sonality”thatgot worse.

“Mr. Comello’ssupportfor QAnon

went beyond mere participation ina

radicalpolitical organization,” Mr.

Gottlieb wrote.“It evolved into ade-

lusionalobsession.”

Delusionsonthe Internet

Spill Into theRealWorld

Continuedfrom Page 1

tionslastSeptember.
Foreight years, officialsfrom
Egypt,Ethiopia andSudan,which
lies betweenthe two, squabbledover
thedam.Ninety-five percentofEgyp-
tianslivealongtheNileorinits del-
ta,and theriver provides nearly all
of theirwater. They worrythatif the
daminEthiopiaisfilled tooquickly,it
couldcurtailtheirwater supply.
In November,inalast-ditch ef-
fort,the talksmoved to Washington,
wherethe WhiteHouse hasbeenme-
diating. PresidentDonaldJ.Trump,
playingonhis self-imageasadeal
maker, hassuggestedthathis efforts
mightmeritaNobelPrize. TheWhite
Houseispushingfor an agreement
by theend ofthemonth,but Egyp-
tian andEthiopianofficialswarn it
willnot be easy.
In January, SeleshiBekele, Ethio-
pia’swaterminister,calledEgypt’s
claims to theNile“themost absurd
thingyou ever heard.”
Formillenniums, Egyptianswere
theunchallengedmasters oftheNile,
drawingonthe rivertobuild ancient
empiresandmodernrepublics.The
Pharaohsworshipedcrocodilesand
usedthe Nile to transportthe giant
graniteblocksfor theGreat Pyra-
midofGiza. In 1970,Egypt’s post-in-
dependenceleader, GamalAbdel
Nasser,oversawthecompletionof
theAswan HighDam, taming the
Nile’s seasonalflowsand transform-
ingEgyptianagriculture.Egypt jus-
tified itsdominance over theriver by
citingacolonial-era treatyanda1 959
agreementwithSudan.
But Ethiopiadoesnot recognize
either.Its formerleader, Mengistu
HaileMariam, proposedbuildinga
series ofdamsin1978. Egypt’spres-
identatthe time,Anwar Sadat, re-
sponded: “Weare notgoingtowait
to dieofthirst in Egypt.We’llgoto
Ethiopia anddie there.”
TheRenaissance Damspans the
Blue Nile,the Nile’s main tributary.
Ethiopia’s youngprimeminister,
Abiy Ahmed, insiststhatfears about
itsimpactare overblown.After tak-
ingoffice in 2018,heflewto Cairoto
offerreassurances.
“I swear, we willnothurt Egypt’s
water supply,” he said.
Butby last fall,anxieties were
risingagainand Mr.Abiyoffered an
ominouswarning.
“Noforcecouldprevent”the com-
pletion ofthedam,hetoldEthiopian

lawmakersinOctober,lessthantwo

weeksafter winningthe NobelPeace

Prizefor resolving hiscountry’s long

conflict with Eritrea.

If it came to it,Mr. Abiy added, he

wouldget “millions readied”for war

withEgypt.

Whilethe twonations sparover

thedam,hydrologistssay themost

pressingthreatsfacingthe Nile stem

from population growth andclimate

change.Egypt’s population increas-

es by onemillion peopleeverysix

months —aratethattheUnited

Nationspredictswillleadtowater

shortages by 2025 .Risingsea levels

also threatentonibbleatEgypt’s

low-lying coastand help push salt-

waterinland, spoiling fertil eland.

Increasinglyvolatile weatherisan-

otherrisk.

Egypthas made modest effortsto

prepare. Officialshaveimposedre-

strictionsonwater-intensivecrops

like rice andbananas.OnFridays,

clericsdeliver government-dictated

sermons stressingthevirtues ofcon-

servation.OnJudgmentDay,warned

one suchsermon,“Godwill notlook

favorably”onwater wastrels.

Butcriticism of Egypt’sown stew-

ardship of theNileisrisky.Apop

singer,Sherine, wasprosecutedin

2017 formocking theNile’sdirtywa-

ter.She waseventuallyacquitted.

Sewageflowsintothe Nileandgar-

bage clogsirrigationcanals.Succes-

sive Egyptian leadershaveindulged

in grandiose schemesthat suckle

fromtheriver,includingMr. el-Sisi,

whois building anew administrative

capitalinthe desertoutside Cairo

that expertssay willdepletetheNile

further.

Thedamhasbecomethefocus of

Egypt’swater anxieties. Themain

disputewithEthiopia ishowquickly

it shouldbefilled.Ethiopia s aysas

fewasfouryears,but Egypt, fearing

adrought during thefilli ng period,

hasarguedfor 12 ormore.

Beyond thetechnical arguments,

thedispute is driven by politics.Mr.

el-Sisi, amilitarystrongman, is sen-

sitive to suggestionsthatheissofton

Egypt’ssecurity. Mr.Abiy, whofac-

es electionsthisyear, is underpres-

surefrom ordinaryEthiopians,who

helped financethe dambybuying

government bonds. More broadly, he

needstodeliver onaprestigious proj-

ect. Ethiopiahas oneofthe world’s

fastestgrowingeconomies.Thedam

offers it achancetobecome Africa’s

biggest powerexporter.And,justas

in Egypt, theNileiscentral to the

country’ssense of itself.

In 2018,SemegnewBekele, the

dam’sproject manager, said theun-

dertaking would“eradicate ourcom-

mon enemy —poverty.”Soonafter,he

wasfound dead in hiscar,agunshot

woundtothe head.The police ruled it

asuicide.Weeks later,Mr. Abiy fired

thedam’s main contractoroveraccu-

sations of widespread corruption.

Despitethesetbacks,the Ethiopi-

anssay they areclose tofinishingthe

dam. They startedbuildingitin2011

at theheightofthe Arab Spring, and

hostilitie shavedoggedthe project

fromthestart.In2013, atelevision

broadcast showed Egypt’sleaders

—including thepresidentatthe time,

MohamedMorsi—discussing covert

tacticstoscupper thedam,including

abombattack.

TheEthiopianssay theEgyptians

treatthemwithahighhandedness

that stretches back toafailedEgyp-

tianinvasion of Ethiopiainthe 1870s.

In October, oneEthiopiannegotiator

accusedEgyptofseeking to turn his

countryintoa“hydrologicalcolony.”

Mr.el-Sisi insistshewants a

peaceful resolution, embarking on a

diplomatic offensivetowin support

from Ethiopia’sneighbors.The Nile

Museum, whichopenedinAswan in

2016 ,emphasizesEgypt’stieswith

its“Africanbrothers.” Inside,awa-

terfall symbolizes theNilewending

through10African countriesbefore

arrivinginEgypt.Yet Egypthasalso

fosteredtieswithEthiopia’sadver-

saries,shippingweapons toSouth

Sudan,accordingtoUnited Nations

investigators. InEthiopia, officials

have accusedEgyptofsponsoring

protestsand armedrebellions, accu-

sationsCairodenies.

In thetalks,Mr. el-Sisiisatadis-

advantage—the longer negotiations

take,the closer Ethiopiamoves to-

wardfinishingthe dam. Mr.Abiy’s

handis strengthenedbyEthiopia’s

growinggeostrategic muscle. In

recent years, many countries—in-

cludingChina andthe United States

—haveviedfor influence intheHorn

of Africa.Ethiopia, theregion’s most

populouscountrywithover100 mil-

lion people, is centraltothose calcu-

lations.Itscoredamajorvictoryin

thenegotiationsoverthe damwhen

it persuadedSudan,which hadtra-

diti onally sided with Egypt,to take

itsside.

TheWhite Houseand World

Bank-brokerednegotiationshaven’t

goneas Egypthad hoped,Western

diplomats say. Despitethe closeties

betweenMr. Trump andMr. el-Sisi—

whoMr. Trumponcecalled“myfa-

vorite dictato r” —Egypt hashad to

concedekey demands over theNile.

ButEthiopianministers acknowl-

edge that Mr.Trumpispressing

them to doadeal, too.

Thetwo sidesmetagain inWash-

ington onWednesday.

TheNileendsits winding6,400-ki-

lometer journey throughAfricain

Rasel-Bar, on Egypt’snorth coast,

whereit slipsintothe Mediterra-

nean.One morning,Ahmed el-Alfi,

16,stoodon itsrockybank,fishingfor

shrimp.Hedidn’tknowmuchabout

thetalks with Ethiopia, but hecould

seethe river’sproblemshimself.

“The seaisclearbut theNileis dirty,”

he said.And yet,he added,Egypthad

no option buttofight forit.

“WithouttheNile,”Mr. el-Alfisaid,

“thereis no Egypt.”

LAURABOUSHNAKFORTHE NEWYORKTIMES

Egyptiansfearthatadam andreservoirbeing builtbyEthiopiawill cuttheirwater supply.

ABitterStrugglefor Controlofthe Nile River’sWater

Continuedfrom Page 1

Simon Marksand Nada Rashwan
contributedreporting.

TOMBRENNERFORTHENEWYORKTIMES

QAnon, whichbegan in 2017 as a

conspiracy theory,has surfaced at

politicalrallies andinmerchandising.