Rapid Response Media Alert: Targeting Iran – The BBC Propaganda Begins

[bigfish]

MEDIA LENS: Correcting for the distorted vision of the corporate media
January 21, 2005

Iran – The Last Hurrah

Writing in The New Yorker magazine this month, the renowned investigative journalist Seymour Hersh reported US plans for an attack on Iran. A former high-level intelligence official told Hersh:

“This is a war against terrorism, and Iraq is just one campaign. The Bush Administration is looking at this as a huge war zone. Next, we’re going to have the Iranian campaign. We’ve declared war and the bad guys, wherever they are, are the enemy. This is the last hurrah – we’ve got four years, and want to come out of this saying we won the war on terrorism.” (Seymour M. Hersh, ‘The coming wars’‚ The New Yorker, January 17, 2005)

<huge cut and paste snip: editor>
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[Johnny Canuck3]

On Sept 11, 2001, we entered a time of war, like it or not.

I don't see why anyone should be surprised that Afghanistan and Iraq wouldn't be the only theatres of war.

 

[hipipol]

Time of War?

Attacked by a bunch of failed revolutionaries reduced to living in run down shacks in Afghanistan? A WAR????
How snivellingly spineless are the Yanks?
Fuck it guy, the US PAID for the IRA to attack us over a 20 years period, we DID not attack Belgium as a result( Cos they weren't involved, just like Iraq wasn't with 9/11)
NB It has just been pointed out to me that Canada would in fact be a better target as they had NOTHING to do with the 1000s of deaths caused by Noraid et als funding, but they happen to be near and speak the same language as the Great Butthole
Go back to your comic book collection, seems to be subtle enough to keep you happy, Wanna Be yanky

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Attacked by a bunch of failed revolutionaries reduced to living in run down shacks in Afghanistan? A WAR????
How snivellingly spineless are the Yanks?
Fuck it guy, the US PAID for the IRA to attack us over a 20 years period, we DID not attack Belgium as a result( Cos they weren't involved, just like Iraq wasn't with 9/11)
NB It has just been pointed out to me that Canada would in fact be a better target as they had NOTHING to do with the 1000s of deaths caused by Noraid et als funding, but they happen to be near and speak the same language as the Great Butthole
Go back to your comic book collection, seems to be subtle enough to keep you happy, Wanna Be yanky

Play nice, now.

I don't think the US paid the IRA, I think that various Irish Americans donated money etc to them.

And hey, I just pointed out that this was a time of war. There may be lots of injustice to go around, but this is where we are.

 

[layabout]

Play nice, now.

I don't think the US paid the IRA, I think that various Irish Americans donated money etc to them.

And hey, I just pointed out that this was a time of war. There may be lots of injustice to go around, but this is where we are.

Did the Afghan government fund the 911 terrorists then?

 

[hipipol]

US Courts JC

Refused to extradite convicted murders because their crimes were "political"
Fuck it mate, cant have both ways
Not until the US President was asked to get involved was any action taken to close down the fund raising or wepaons purchases on behalf of terrorist organisations
I had great sympathy for the US after 9/11, you know you saw my posts at the time, a lot of people on here were crowing about it, I found it appalling and tragic
However, the response of the US to this attack by a bunch of crazies in a cave- most of whom were from their best mates in the Gulf, Saudi, was to invade Afghanistan, kill loads of the worng people, lock lots up with no trial and no evidence, then invade Iraq, which even Bush admitted have NOTHING to do with 9/11.
If a bad thing happens to you, people feel sympathy.
If you then go out and kill loads of folks who had fuck all to do with it, well the world is entittled to think you've flipped out, you are crazy, fucked up, whatever way you want to put it, all sympathy has gone.
This "War" as you call it is being driven by the US, its greed for oil, its blatant self importance and messianinc self obsession with the the total rightness of everything they do
They put a TANK PARK ON THE RUINS OF BABYLON!!!!!!!! They have destroyed the evidence of the roots of all civilisation by pouring hundreds of tons of gravel all over the site.
Who are the Barbarians here?

Please note, having spent HUNDREDS of years decrying the horrors of the Britsh Empire is seems they are still worse than that they despised. Its is a country where everyone knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Its the only country I have ever heard of where even the politicians revel is displays of their stupidity and ignorance, it is utterly appalling

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Did the Afghan government fund the 911 terrorists then?

I think most people would concede that there's a closer link between 911 and Afghanistan, than there is with Iraq.

 

[The Oracle]

Your better off arguing with the telly

You will never be able to reason with a Bush-Bot, they have their own warped moral compass that prevents them from seeing anything then their own twisted point of view.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Refused to extradite convicted murders because their crimes were "political"
Fuck it mate, cant have both ways

Canadian courts won't extradite US criminals back to the US if there's a chance that the criminal will face the death penalty back home.

Also, failing to extradite is different from funding terrorists, which is what you originally charged the US with.

 

[Loki]

There's no way the US could justify an invasion of Iran. Blair supported Bush in his Iraq invasion but there's no way he could support an invasion of Iran - and Bush couldn't pull it off without a major ally.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

They put a TANK PARK ON THE RUINS OF BABYLON!!!!!!!! They have destroyed the evidence of the roots of all civilisation by pouring hundreds of tons of gravel all over the site.
Who are the Barbarians here?

You'll recall that after the fall of the Baathists, there was widespread looting, including the looting of antiquities from Baghdad museums.

The US army says they were worried about looting at Babylon, so they put a base around it. As it turns out, there has been some damage and destruction, but my bet is it's a lot less than there would have been if the looting mob had been allowed to descend there unmolested.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

There's no way the US could justify an invasion of Iran. Blair supported Bush in his Iraq invasion but there's no way he could support an invasion of Iran - and Bush couldn't pull it off without a major ally.

Nukes.

Sure he could, but Blair will follow him there.

 

[editor]

Bigfish: for the last fucking time: these boards are not some sort of second hand newswire, neither are massive cut and paste odysseys permitted.

 

[Dante]

I am unaware of any link between the US government and the IRA. perhaps a link? or source?

Bush has been going on about Iran and North Korea for a while, but until he can get the troops out of Iraq he can't do much (according to a Reagon Aide on the Westminster Hour). A lot of the future bush foregin policy will come down to the result in the Iraq election.

Not sure i agree with looters going to destroy Babylon. there wasnt really much there of worth. certainly no TV's/Stereos etc. The US forces gave their reason for the destruction as that it was a strategic position, so if they didnt take it they Baathists would have. All in all, i'm not sure that that really rubs off. they had decades to fortify archealogical ruins but didnt. still thats for another thread. so is the 911 hijackers mostly coming from Saudi...

 

[bigfish]

Bigfish: for the last fucking time: these boards are not some sort of second hand newswire, neither are massive cut and paste odysseys permitted.

Yes, but do you have an opinion on the BBC's coverage? Will you be writing to them about their plummeting credibility as a news gathering organization? What do you think about their rapid transformation into a mere propaganda sewer for super-rich barbarians? Does the growing disaffection with the BBC's performance by sections of the urban "community" disturb you at all?

 

[Rentonite]

why are you suprised?
Afganistan on one side, Iraq on the other, a classic pincer movement.
IMHO we have needed to bring freedom to Iran since the hostage crisis.

Iran was such a progressive muslim country and then they fell in to a dark pit and have endured suffering ever since.
The ayotolla Komeni was worse than hitler in his draconian fundementalist Islamic dictatorship.
Millions have now been born and grow up only knowing such degredation.
freedom is comeing for them.
Its been part of the plan all a long

You dont see that?

Please tell me this is not the first time you have thought about this.........
Damn dont be so nieve.
Before the war on Terror is over all the "We hate America" Arab countrys will have new governments.

Iran had been the biggest purveyer of terrorist ever.
They make the explosives the tools train people,
everything.
It is Iran that controlls the bekka valley
It is Iran that supports Syria
Where do you think OBL is? IRAN!

Camon ! you gotta be kidding me that you havent thought of this.......

Well let hope for the best

 

[pbman]

You will never be able to reason with a Bush-Bot, they have their own warped moral compass that prevents them from seeing anything then their own twisted point of view.

Go sit in the corner then, this is a place for arguing and disscusing.

 

[Loki]

Nukes.

Sure he could, but Blair will follow him there.

Blair simply couldn't follow Bush there; it would be political suicide considering the Iraq WMD fiasco. Iran has no aggressive intentions to any other nation I'm aware of (OK there are disputes about the Caspian situation but they're hardly going to lead to war)..

I'm willing to wager a modest £20 (that's about 45 Canadian dollars) that there will be no Bush invasion of Iran. Loser pays to the server fund, natch. Up for it?

 

[ernestolynch]

Yes, but do you have an opinion on the BBC's coverage? Will you be writing to them about their plummeting credibility as a news gathering organization? What do you think about their rapid transformation into a mere propaganda sewer for super-rich barbarians? Does the growing disaffection with the BBC's performance by sections of the urban "community" disturb you at all?

The BBC is the state-run media and as such reflects the thinking of the state and crown.

However they (the BBC) do like to present themselves as some kind of 'independent'/'neutral'/'even-handed' news agency, and like to refer to the tyranny of 'state-run-media' in countries that are on the PNAC hit-list eg Cuba and Belarus.

 

[editor]

Does the growing disaffection with the BBC's performance by sections of the urban "community" disturb you at all?

The way you constantly ignore the courtesies of the Posting FAQ disturbs me.

Why do you think that the rules don't apply to you?

 

[maomao]

Go sit in the corner then, this is a place for arguing and disscusing.

Well are you going to argue then? Or has the free republic not issued you with your infoganda pack on this topic yet?

 

[nino_savatte]

On Sept 11, 2001, we entered a time of war, like it or not.

I don't see why anyone should be surprised that Afghanistan and Iraq wouldn't be the only theatres of war.

The war is in your head. The war has been invented to preserve and consolidate the position of the dominant hegemony (I know you don't either understand or believe such things).

You can't have a war on a word or an idea.

 

[nino_savatte]

I think most people would concede that there's a closer link between 911 and Afghanistan, than there is with Iraq.

Wrong and what you are doing here is perpetuating, nay, continuing to breathe life into a corpse - long after it died: there is no link between Afghanistan and 9/11; if you believe that, then you believe that OBL and Saddam Hussein were blood brothers.

 

[nino_savatte]

You will never be able to reason with a Bush-Bot, they have their own warped moral compass that prevents them from seeing anything then their own twisted point of view.

Quite and JC is one of the worst, given the fact that he is Canadian (sic). He's Urban's answer to David Frum.

 

[nino_savatte]

Go sit in the corner then, this is a place for arguing and disscusing.

And you would know all about that would you?

 

[nino_savatte]

why are you suprised?
Afganistan on one side, Iraq on the other, a classic pincer movement.
IMHO we have needed to bring freedom to Iran since the hostage crisis.

Iran was such a progressive muslim country and then they fell in to a dark pit and have endured suffering ever since.
The ayotolla Komeni was worse than hitler in his draconian fundementalist Islamic dictatorship.
Millions have now been born and grow up only knowing such degredation.
freedom is comeing for them.
Its been part of the plan all a long

You dont see that?

Please tell me this is not the first time you have thought about this.........
Damn dont be so nieve.
Before the war on Terror is over all the "We hate America" Arab countrys will have new governments.

Iran had been the biggest purveyer of terrorist ever.
They make the explosives the tools train people,
everything.
It is Iran that controlls the bekka valley
It is Iran that supports Syria
Where do you think OBL is? IRAN!

Camon ! you gotta be kidding me that you havent thought of this.......

Well let hope for the best

Fuck me, another one who has nbo understanding of history. I suppose history is something of an inconvenience to the likes of you - non? Unless that history is written to suit your agenda of course.

Tell me, Renty, was the Shah a democratic ruler?

 

[Rentonite]

Fuck me, another one who has nbo understanding of history. I suppose history is something of an inconvenience to the likes of you - non? Unless that history is written to suit your agenda of course.

Tell me, Renty, was the Shah a democratic ruler?

Twenty six years ago The Shah was their monarc
he wasnt perfect but he was better than the Ayotollas's
Thats what Iranians have told me.

I am shure you know better than them whats best for their country.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

We've already been seeing lots of anti-Iran propaganda - dangerous rogue state, theocrats, nukes, badthings. (Whatever you actually think of Iran in this case is irrelevant - it's still propaganda, put out there for a reason, in this case to provide a justification for any future strike.)

As I've said before, I don't think an actual Iraq-style invasion of Iran is physically possible, regardless of what the neo-cons think. As well as that, even if they did have available troops, the US public's tolerance for casualties has been greatly reduced. And a year ago, I would have said "this is most likely brinkmanship". But now, with experience of the sheer ideologically-based insanity of some sections of the US administration, combined with the fact that they've just won an election, I can see an attack taking place - cruise missiles probably, once they've actually built some new ones since they were running out, probably special forces as well. Hersh's idea that the top neo-cons actually still believe that there would be domestic regime change if they attacked the country, regardless of what happened in Iraq, sounds very credible at this stage.

A strike's not imminent at the moment as far as I can see, but if we start getting more specific details of an imminent Iranian threat, and names of potential targets start popping up (e.g. an actual facility gets mentioned) then I'd watch out for one.

 

[nino_savatte]

Twenty six years ago The Shah was their monarc
he wasnt perfect but he was better than the Ayotollas's
Thats what Iranians have told me.

I am shure you know better than them whats best for their country.

You understand nothing and this is evidenced by your reply. The Shah was a brutal dictator but he was the US's brutal dictator and ally. Do you know how he came to power? I'll bet that doesn't concern you either.

Your last sentence is fairly typical of those who can't deal with the truth and will seek, instead, to devalue that truth by claiming that all I'm doing is 'bitching'.

On yer bike.

 

[Kaka Tim]

Before the war on Terror is over all the "We hate America" Arab countrys will have new governments.

Iran had been the biggest purveyer of terrorist ever.
They make the explosives the tools train people,
everything.
It is Iran that controlls the bekka valley
It is Iran that supports Syria
Where do you think OBL is? IRAN!

Half the worlds nation states are currently, or have been in the past, enagaged in promoting terrorism outside their own borders - and Iran is nothing like as accomplished in this strategy as its chief exponent - the USA (do we have to bring up central america again?).

"Before the war on Terror is over all the "We hate America" Arab countrys will have new governments."

Is this from the first draft of Bush's acceptance speech?

Dangerouslly deluded, ignorant bollocks - and I suspect Bush and the neo-cons will be defenestrated by the old school real politik crowd if he seriously thinks of launching a war against Iran. The neo cons may control the white house, but they dont control wall street.

'Where do you think OBL is? IRAN!'

Have you just invented this out of your fevered imagination or is this the latest nonsense coming out of the pentagon?
I dont know weather to laugh or cry.