We know that before the US goes to war, it prepares the ground in the media and the public by spreading lies about why war is necessary because otherwise the country may be attacked on its shores by the Greatest Threat to World Peace Since Hitler’s Germany. That has happened over and over again (remember the slogans before the great Iraq adventure such that if we did not fight them in Basra, we would have to fight them in Buffalo?) and despite the lies being subsequently exposed, the public seems to only too willing to buy them.
Mehdi Hasan documents the five assertions that the Trump administration is currently spreading about Iran and for each one explains why they are lies.
Lie #1: Iran Is Building a Nuclear Weapon
Lie #2: Iran Violated the Nuclear Deal
Lie #3: Iran Is the Leading State Sponsor of Terror
Lie #4: Iran Working with Al Qaeda
Lie #5: War on Iran Would Be Easy
I can add another one, and that is that the people of Iran will welcome the US invasion and greet them as liberators.
Journalists interviewing administration official who spread these lies need to be aware of the facts and immediately challenge them. But the problem is that the media also loves war for two reasons: it is wonderful for ratings and because they are also part of the military-industrial corporate network.
Iranian nuclear power gives them independence from oil. When they don’t have to consume or sell as much, they can charge a higher price. Iran is doing exactly the US claims the right to do -- act in its own interests -- which is something the US has always opposed other countries doing.
I’m sure it infuriates Trump the Chump that pushing the UK to hold the Iranian tanker hostage has backfired and put Iran in a stronger position than when this all began. So much for “the art of the deal”.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/the-iranian-oil-tanker-row-has-left-everyone-with-a-win-%E2%80%93-except-bungling-john-bolton-and-the-us-hawks/ar-AAFThTv
The previous time it was Venezuela. The first time it was North-Korea; a few months later Donald the Clown started peace talks. Thus far he has acted like a barking dog who doesn’t bite. He lacks the attention span for something as complicated as a war. So with him the five or six assertions are not a sufficient reason.
I have no doubt Donald the Clown is capable of starting a war, but he will decide so whimsically, when he feels it flatters his ego.
> Lie #4: Iran Working with Al Qaeda
Which… Iran is the only officially Shia country in the world, I have a hard time believing they’d work with Sunni extremists. Although I suppose it would be a little naïve to assume Donald Trump and his fanbase know the difference between Shia and Sunni Islam.
@ 3 ColeYote
I have a hard time believing they’d work with Sunni extremists.
Yes this one is like the extremely secular Saddam Hussein supporting Al Qaeda. Yah, right.
I think we have to assume that a lot of people in the West, especially in the USA just do not know enough enough about the rest of the world to understand the insanity of these lies.