Alarmist corporate media coverage of the “threat” from Iran is everywhere, thanks to a Senate appearance yesterday by Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
But Clapper said very little in his remarks that would justify the propagandistic coverage we’re seeing. His main point was that Iran could launch attacks if it felt threatened. It is hard to see how this is particularly surprising. Clapper pointed to the alleged Iranian plot to kill the Saudi ambassador in Washington D.C. as evidence that Iran seems more eager to assert itself, perhaps even inside the United States. But there were many people who raised serious questions about that rather implausible scenario (which involved hiring a Mexican drug gang to carry out the assassination).
As the Wall Street Journal reported (one of the few corporate outlets I saw pushing back against the official alarmism):
There is still widespread doubt that an alleged plot to kill the Saudi ambassador was authorized at the highest levels in Tehran, said Karim Sadjadpour, a Middle East analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
“If that’s the only data point, I think it’s a stretch to conclude that the regime is now looking to commit acts of terror on U.S. soil,” he said.
That kind of caution was in short supply on the network newscasts. NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams (1/31/12) announced:
Iran’s threat. Not just the nuclear program. Tonight, U.S. intelligence warns Iran may be prepared to strike on American soil.
Williams called Clapper’s testimony a “chilling new assessment about the scope of the threat from Iran.” As correspondent Andrea Mitchell explained, “Experts warn that the U.S. is even more vulnerable than Israel if Iran retaliates or launches a pre-emptive bomb plot…. Soft U.S. targets like embassies throughout the Persian Gulf, and 90,000 American troops in Afghanistan, next door to Iran.”
It wasn’t until the end of Mitchell’s report that any notes of caution were sounded:
Still, intelligence officials told the Senate today they don’t think Iran has taken the final step, deciding to build a bomb. But Israel does think Iran has crossed that red line, and U.S. officials say if attacked, Iran would not hesitate to retaliate against both Israel and the U.S.
So Iran is a substantial threat, though then again it might not even be developing the weapons the U.S. and Israel claim are in the works. And really, the “threat” seems mostly that Iran might be ready to respond to an attack on its country—something virtually any country in the world would do.
But for sheer propaganda value, ABC World News‘ January 31 broadcast would be tough to top.
First, start with alarming graphic:
Then Pentagon correspondent Martha Raddatz announced, “The saber rattling from Iran has been constant.”
Match that with threatening B-roll footage from the enemy country. Weapons on display at a military parade, for instance:
Iran “may be more ready than ever to launch terror attacks in the United States,” Raddatz explained. Cue footage of apparently menacing soldiers:
Don’t forget to show the enemy county’s leader (or, rather, a close approximation) meeting with other Official Enemies. Like this:
And why not one more, while reminding viewers that such figures “have little love for the U.S.”:
It’s important to remember, amidst all this hoopla, that it is U.S. military officials and the president who have regularly threatened that “no options” are “off the table” in dealing with Iran. That is code for using nuclear weapons—and Barack Obama’s latest repetition of that apocalyptic threat got a standing ovation from Congress.
It is hard to argue honestly that the real escalation is coming from the Iranian side. But that’s what propaganda is for.
This reporting is so incredibly important, thank you! Even here in the UK the BBC is banging the war drum, despite the fact they take no advertisement, they are still so establishment oriented. With this country in particular the UK still stings from losing its Anglo-Iranian Oil monopoly, and even The Independent I’ve found to be publishing propagandist errors that support war with this country. Keep up the great work, it’s very important and might be the one chance that we have to avert another war catastrophe.
There are times when I miss having a TV.
Then again …
I have to imagine this propaganda parade was accompanied by copious campaign ads.
The facts never had a chance.
Indeed –thanks to Peter Hart….this was an excellent encapsulation of the insane drive to yet another “war of choice”…fomented by neoconservatives in the govt in collusion with its BFF, Israel.
Flynt & Hillary Leverett wrote a deep analysis which can be found at Boston Review or here on Aletho: http://alethonews.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/washingtons-iran-debate-and-the-soft-side-of-regime-change/
It seems as if we are all going to be forced to watch another devastating ‘train wreck”….hopefully there are enough people of courage who are aware and working to steer us thru this dangerous impasse.
Thanks for the excellent post.
To respond to another comment though: I wouldn’t describe this as fomented by the neoconservatives.
What becomes so clear under Obama’s presidency is the general drive from both big business parties to secure American Hegemony. The fact that the president who was supposed to be the return of FDR for American liberals so vehemently supports this should be case and point.
Growing Threat From USrael!
This is what fascism looks like. It’s bipartisan. It’s good for the corporations.
The Green Party is the progressive alternative. The Green Party doesn’t accept corporate money and represents the 99%.
5% of the vote will get the Green Party matching Federal funds.
Your Green vote sends a message to the corporate parties that forcing us into yet another disastrous war, and selling us out to corporate interest will cost them votes.
And this message is sent even if the Green you vote for loses.
VOTE GREEN!
I support Venezuela and to some extent Cuba in their problems with US “interests”, as well as most other South American countries that have been exploited by the US â┚¬Ã‚¦ but not Iran. Yes, the US overthrew their President in the 50’s â┚¬Ã‚¦ and installed the Shah â┚¬Ã‚¦ but what they have now is not good for anyone, and they are certainly trying for nuclear weapons. I don’t think Castro and Chavez do themselves any favors being seen with Ahmadinejad â┚¬Ã‚¦ but I suppose I understand why they want to thumb their noses at the US having been murder targets by our country.
With the current policies of the US – instead of these foreign countries getting better we just seem to be getting worse. How can this change and how can we turn this around?
Generating anxiety sells and in the corporate media world, that’s all that counts
ABC’s report on January 31 that Iran is a menace to US security is obviously a matter of the news media not doing its job by critically questioning the official claims of the present administration in Washington. The function of the media is to strive for the facts and providing reality based information and not pretending to inform by ignoring other vital information from other official sources outside the present regime in D.C. The media need to be much more than a parrot to any sitting administration. The public suffers a lack of knowledge that can make war a real possibility. Truth is our best weapon against the dire circumstances of war. It has been true for so long that the prime minister of Israel has far greater influence over American foreign policy in the Middle East than over the policies within his own government. There is far more debate in the Israeli parliament than in the Congress of the United States. Are we headed for another no-win conflict another cul-de sac in the Middle East? We are defeating our own real purpose for peace in the Middle East by only pretending to be on the side of freedom and justice for all in the Middle East. In the words of John Jay in Federalist Papers that seem to me to be extremely relevant even today:.”… the safety of the people of America against foreign force depends not only on their fore bearing to give just causes of war to other nations, but also on their placing and continuing themselves in such a situation as not to invite hostility or insult; for it need not be observed that there are pretended as well as just causes of war.
Alan8, I can’t vote for Ralph Nader (I wish I had when he was running,) and I’ve lost all hope in the Democratic Party and the President, so I will be voting for the Green Party.
Every time I read comments in blogs that progressive voters don’t have a choice but to vote Democratic (and some weirdly say they might vote Republican,) I remind them that that they can vote for the Green Party.
I’m sorry I wasted my vote on Obama!
In order to be good propaganda it must have enough truth in it for the average person to suspend his doubts. This junk dose not make the cut.
I think the part of the problem is that the news is not defining US interests completely, as it did not when we ramped up to the Iraq war. There is no critical thinking or even a critical thinking demo in the media anymore if there ever was. We have to start to get it through our heads this is not a democracy, it is hardly a republic, it is a complex system where many systems work together for their survival and growth competing against other systems where the uglier economic prospects look the more the systems must compete and fight each other.
So, look at the two opposing systems here, Iran and the US in isolation. Is Iran’s government really such a great system for Iranians, Americans, Palestinians, Lebanese, Israelis, Syrians, â┚¬Ã‚¦. honestly, look at it and tell me you think Iran’s system is better or even meets the basic human rights minimal standards in the world?
The longer these systems keep fighting, keep the whole world locked in an inefficient fear based relationship the more resources are wasted, the longer it takes to address global warming, the more people are oppressed and enslaved by their cultures, the slower world progress moves â┚¬Ã‚¦ so tell me there is some kind of value in Iran’s government standing up to the world and building nuclear weapons so an abusive ugly elite can militarize the whole region and make a strategic military offensive against Isreal to inflame the Muslim world â┚¬Ã‚¦ keeping back the whole world’s progress for a delusional religious game of idiocy – profitable to Ahmadinejad personally and his elite oppressors of Iran?
And on the other side of the scale â┚¬Ã‚¦ what balances?
Demonizing yet another leader of an oil-rich country to justify war, drones, occupation and economic strangulation in order to effect regime change–how can we call our nation an adherent of Christianity while we consider Christ to be the “Prince of Peace” and “Thou shalt not kill” (minus any footnotes for exceptions), “turn the other cheek” and “do unto others…” as part of that creed? Propaganda is necessary for the war-mongers to continue to profit from these lies.
Its CORPORATISM……………..stupid!
As despicable as the Iran theocratic regime is (and there are some echoes of it in the agendas of extremist “Christian” groups here) they may be insane but are not stupid. Any strike, nuke or otherwise, against Israel or the US or our “allies” (whomever they are this year) will met with such an extreme retaliation that not much will be left of the once noble Persia. And not via a ground war which we haven’t won in Iraq or Afghanistan, but by air. Everything and everyone destroyed. Simple mass destruction, not occupation, of their Nation.
On the other hand here and in Israel we have people who are not insane but are stupid and advocate a pre-emptive strike. Then the balloon goes up for good. We should at least wait for Gingrich to establish a Moon colony so our species might survive.
As despicable as the Iran theocratic regime is (and there are some echoes of it in the agendas of extremist “Christian” groups here) they may be insane but are not stupid. Any strike, nuke or otherwise, against Israel or the US or our “allies” (whomever they are this year) will met with such an extreme retaliation that not much will be left of the once noble Persia. And not via a ground war which we haven’t won in Iraq or Afghanistan, but by air. Everything and everyone destroyed. Simple mass destruction, not occupation, of their Nation.
On the other hand here and in Israel we have people who are not insane but are stupid and advocate a pre-emptive strike. Then the balloon goes up for good. We should at least wait for Gingrich to establish a Moon colony so our species might survive.
DANGER TO THE U.S. FROM IRAN?? There is but one danger to the U.S. It is the intimidation our legislators get from an Israeli lobby that has bribed them. Israel foments war with Iran. Our complicity means thousands of our military could be slaughtered in Iranian retaliation against our Middle East bases and our carriers floating in waters where they do not belong. – George Beres
When will the US wake up and stop letting Israel provoke us into another Middle East War? When will we stop sending billions of dollars to Israel when it uses us and behaves irresponsibly, then blames it on everyone else in the Middle East. Yes, I know that Iran is not perfect and they may possibly want nuclear weapons. Wouldn’t you if one of your neighbors was saber rattling and actually had over 400 to rattle with?
One thing an empire needs is enemies. An out external empire reaches literally to every corner of the earth. While our Republic shrinks in time an we are bombarded with the CMSM propaganda machine 24/7 very few even ask the questions an instead numbly take it in or ignores it while they decide at the end of the month whether to eat or not that evening.
There are a lot of intelligent and aware people out there. George Beres has put the finger on the core of the problem. Our foreign policy is being “made in Israel” which has never seen a war of aggression it didn’t like, to the great detriment of America and its people as we are sucked into it. When will our politicians be brave enough to say “the emperor has no clothes” and point the finger at the root cause of our problems and take the necessary action to de-fund this dangerous client country?
This is all so pathetic. What if the main focus of the story was that the US’ Secretary of Defense said that Iran is not “developing nuclear weapons”, while at the same time the media charted the litany of embargoes, sanctions, assassinations, economic strangulations, and other acts of war that the US and its allies have levied against a country that is, by Panetta’s literal words, in compliance with the Nuclear Non_Proliferation Treaty (NNPT)? What if such Iranain compliance was noted against a backdrop of Israel’s own 300 nuclear bomb arsenal, which doesn’t even include the number of nuclear -tipped Jericho Missiles that Israel threatened to use in 1973, when its Army lost the initial phases of the Yom Kippur War. That some of these US/NATO sanctions have squelched international transactions through the Iranian Central Bank (depositing oil purchase money there is now verboten) and caused the Iranian currency to fall by half is lost to the audience. And the media show little curiosity about the source or morality of the assassination of the five young Iranian scientists, never even posing the question about the legality of such acts against the scientists of a country in compliance with the NNPT. Between corporate and AIPAC pressures, you can forget about The Lamesteam Media’s reporting fairly and accurately on all matters Mideast.
I keep getting so dispirited by this apparent drumbeat for war. We need to get and keep the truth out there to block what is going on…
Brux, you don’t have to like Iran’s government to know that things will be worse for the people of the region if US intervention accelerates. Compare Iraq, Vietnam, or any of several dozen smaller interventions since WWII. You don’t have to support the Ayatollah to want to defend Iran against US imperialism. Liebknecht: “The main enemy is at home!”
Iran isn’t, according to any actually presented knowledge, pursuing nuclear weapons, despite the obvious incentives they’ve been given. As far as them militarizing the region? You must be joking.
Remember the Gulf of Tonkin! We were attacked! And we will be attacked again and again, until we stop provoking other sovereign states, no doubt. The Ugly American is very unAmerican. Where is HUAC when we really need it??
Count how many bloggers above are on Americas side on this controversy.I guess even having a lib president does not change your landscape.The blame America blood runs too deep to your liberal core.Syria…Iran …North Korea…PLO,Iraq ,Afghanistan,Cuba all have a friend in you lot.Now be honest:how many own an American Flag?How bout you Pace?If it were not so sad it would be funny.Truly stupid people who can’t see the forest for the trees.
@michael e: Yep. As everybody knows, if you don’t own an American flag, then you’re stupid. That’s the way it works. Better go tell Stephen Hawking he’s a moron.
So true John, so true. Thanks for the nice and very accurate account of our resident troll, Pace: if you haver an American flag, dude, you better not burn it, or else. The mark of a true chump is witless, kneejerk patriotism, which every Bagger reflexively displays.
John and Tim let me rephrase my question to you.Be damned the flag.Use you voices.Send a paragraph explaining what makes America and her constitution unique and exceptional among nations.
Today we had a lib supreme court judge in Egypt telling the world press she believes there are better constitutions than ours to follow.This is a woman who took an oath on that document.Who is payed to interpret it.But who obviously does not believe in it, and would like to change it.
Well get to writing.You both should easily be able to write a book.Your silence or snarky returns will only prove you are part of that small clique that has an ax to grind with America.
And by the way ….you attitude that people that fly the flag are chumps,witless and “baggers’ is truly moronic.
@michael e: So lemme get this straight: For reasons that you don’t really explain, you want me to write a paragraph explaining what’s great about the US and the constitution? And my failure to complete this assignment will result in you writing in “snarky” and “ax to grind with America” on my report card? Sorry, doc. It don’t work that way. You think I have an axe to grind, put forth evidence and arguments showing it. But playing this stupid little game of yours is completely beside the point. And I don’t really have any confidence on your ability to grade my work, either. So I’ll pass; thanks, anyway.
I admittedly have an axe to grind with the kind of idiot who would assume that anybody who does not own an American flag is stupid or wants to blame America. Hence my Stephen Hawking comment. The central argument of your earlier post is that if you don’t own an American flag, then you’re stupid or otherwise unworthy of consideration. Hawking is the smartest person on the planet and he does not own an American flag. Therefore, your central argument is shown as fallacious. It was a rhetorical techinique and it seems that you either missed the point or chose to respond by giving out a non-sequitir homework assignment.
That’s right, John. like a good little bagger, put on a tricorn hat, cross yor heart, and say the Pledge every morning when you wake up. Always have nothing but effusive praise for our great leaders, and when they really trash the Constitution and sully this country’s good name, just say, “Well, big daddy (and mommy) know best–I better do my homework!”
I think I’ll send Ruth Bader Ginsburg a bouquet–a real American expressing an opinion, based upon close and considered observations–no wonder the Right-wing authoritarians hate her. She stepped out of line!
Gentleman you were openly accused of being warped and twisted in your strange attitude against all things American.You were given the stage to answer that charge, and give us all a heads up to what it is you see good in this country.Just to prove that you have not been mischaracterized(by me).You were stumped by the question, and answered in a defensive way.Really no better than your president and his wife(Im finally for the first time in my life proud of my country).You and your lib friends live the mantra “I aint got no stinking flag” .And you mock those who do….and i would suppose those who died for it just as well.Sad and twisted,though I know you see it as being smarter than everyone else.of course this all has nothing to do with a bit of material.It has to do with a lack of understanding of your own country and its contributions to the belief in freedom.
I have no problem with Ruth Bader expressing an opinion.I just don’t want her taking an oath or interpreting a constitution she does not fully believe in.
And what is with the Stephen Hawking tie ins?The smartest man on earth?I do suppose he proved you can do badly in school (he did,)suffer from a horrific illness,and still help to enlighten the world.What an amazing life he has led.But the smartest man on the planet?In what sense?Physics?Im troubled by such open pronouncements.And to tie him in as a Brit not owning an American flag- proving his distaste for us is confusing.
@michael e: So my refusal to participate in your ridiculous teacher-pupil role-playing, and submit my work for your evaluation proves conclusively that I’m “warped and twisted” and that I “lack understanding of [my] own country and its contributions to the belief in freeddom”? That’s the way it works, huh? Very well…
You must write a short essay detailing how you are not a member of NAMBLA, and how you disagree with that organization’s goals, objectives, and policies. This assignment is due tomorrow, and your failure to submit acceptable work will prove that you are a confirmed NAMBLA member. And I’d be sweating this one if I were you: spelling, grammar, and puctuation count. Like this taste of your own medicine? Or do you see the problem and the reasons for my refusal to participate in your little distractive exercise?
I explained– quite clearly, I think– the Stephen Hawking tie-in. You’re still not getting it. I don’t allege he has a distaste for the US. But since he’s English and not an owner of an American flag, he is– by your faulty logic– stupid and unworthy of consideration. Get it yet? The underlying merit of an argument has little or nothing to do with the patriotism of the person espousing it. You seem incapable of understanding this very simple point.
And check your facts, doc: Hawking was always a good– although not exceptional– student.
Michael e, unfortunately, appears to be something of an intellectually and morally broken man, who imagines that the first duty of a citizen is to get behind the nation’s leaders’ war-mongering. His failure to provide evidence of any kind for the assertions he wholeheartedly endorses from the Dear Leader is whitewashed with insinuations about the naysayers being ‘against’ America (whatever that means. He seems not to notice that there are classes in the US, and that not everyone in it has the same interests. But such fine details are airbrushed with good doses of platitude and self-righteousness. In the mind of the state-worshiper, ‘loving my country’ apparently includes sending its sons to fight and die in stupid wars at every available opportunity. Go figure).
Michael e, just give up. Knock it the f**k off already, please, because you’re not fooling anyone.