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I was so struck by an idiotic TVNZ news item describing the West as "restrained" in its response to Iranian "provocation" that I determined to write to Media Watch on Radio New Zealand.
I doubt it will have any consequences or even response, so I share it here
Several days ago TVNZ carried a brief report that said that the west had been restrained in its responses to Iranian ‘provocations’.
Given the paucity of any sort of coverage on the Iranian situation and the lack of any contextualisation this represents, there needs to a corrective which will reflect the true situation as seen by both sides of the conflict.
I have been watching this situation develop over several months as the war rhetoric increased, and numerous actions were taken against Iran - beginning with an embargo by the UK of any financial transactions with Iran which evinced the attack on the UK embassy in Tehran and withdrawal of staff.
By Christmas/New Year (while NZ was at the beach)Iran was holding military exercises in the Gulf of Hormuz and threatened to close the Gulf if the West brought in sanctions.
During this time, predictably, as the whole war was worried about the start of a new World War there was no coverage on NZ media.
Only when Iranian rhetoric was increasing (an we started coming back from holiday) did the media start to cover the story (in a rather sketchy way).
Given the importance of this (not only for world peace but in terms of the struggle for increasingly rare resources, which lies at the base of this).
There are other stories that have had very little coverage in western media (especially in the earlier stage of the present conflict - which, of course goes back years).
In this, there is some coverage from mainstream western media but other sources like Israeli newspapers such as Haaretz can be good sources. Apart from that news outlets such as Russia Today (which, naturally have their own bias) have never dropped the ball and given voice to western critics of US/Israeli/EU policy who would otherwise never been given a voice.
I would argue that there are ALWAYS two sides to a story, and it is the role of media to reflect this and to serve the interests of truth rather than the strategic interests of either side (as Robert Fisk says, to unfailingly critique the centres of power, whoever they may be - my paraphrasing).
It has never been considered, for instance that despite the nature of the regime in Tehran, that they may have perfectly legitimate strategic interests of their own for protecting themselves.
They are surrounded by countries (notably Israel, India and Pakistan) that have nuclear weapons - one of these, Israel, is a direct threat to Iran.
The map below shows the US military bases in the area; perhaps there might be some justification to Iranian ‘paranoia’
I have listed some stories that are relevant to the narrative, but largely left out of western media (in the case of NZ media, COMPLETELY left out). In some cases there has been some discussion, but in other cases there has been a 'blackout' by mainstream sources and I have had to rely on alternative sources (such as RT, Press TV) or Israeli sources.
1. Iranian missile base destroyed. This was reported by Iranian media but when re-reported by Israeli media was taken off the Iranian website - 28 November
This was followed by a second explosion - 1 December
2. This article from Israel’s Haaretz shows how explosions, computer viruses have been used to target Iran’s nuclear project
3. US drone shot down over Iranina territory - 5 December, 2011
Information indicates that the Iranians were able to hack the drone
4. This video testifies to the strength of China’s strategic interest in Iran as well as its opposition to war against Iran
5. This article from Reuters shows the fear of war amongst ordinary Iranians
6. The US intelligence organisation Stratfor records the covert war against Iran. This article was originally on the Stratfor site but is no longer available
7. Reuters carried a story: Risk of Israel/U.S. strike on Iran has tripled: Barclays Capital
8. A US court decision in New York rules that Iran was co-responsible for 9/11.
The original decision was reported by alternative media but confirmed when western media recorded the Iranian response.
9. Russia prepared for an attack on Iran by moving its troops into southern Russia
10. A former Obama Administration strategist says US-perpetrated attack on Islamic Republic's nuclear program could spare world from very real threat.
Reported in the Israeli media but not in western media.
11. 'Turkey will never team up against Iran' - Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says that Turkey will never be a party to any foreign interference in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
12. This article appeared in December - the Secretary of Defence Panetta reassured the Israelis that the US had its own “red line” for an unilateral attack on Iran
At the end of the year it was reported that General Dempsey was visiting Israel to reassure the Israelis
13. When the Americans withdrew from Iraq the first action of the Malioki government was to send a top-level delegation to Syria and plan an expansion of military links with Iran
15. After ignoring news from Iran for weeks on end, coverage began when Iran began to hold its own military exercises and thereaten a close to the Gulf of Hormuz
16. Another example of bias in the media has been the effective blackout of Ron Paul in the Republican primaries - despite no media coverage, no corporate sponsorship he has the support of US youth. He has a consistent anti-war position.
17. Israeli media reports plans to shut down its Dimona nuclear plant should war break out
18. A story was released (5 January) that the US was sending troops to Israel for military exercises.
Covered in the Israeli media, but not in western media
Subsequently these exercises were cancelled as around 15 January Gen Dempsey was sent back to Israel for talks
U.S. army chief heads to Israel as fears over attack on Iran mount
followed by:
'No plans' for Western military action on Syria, Iran
19. In a CBS interview in December, Sec of State Panetta admitted that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons, but was developing a nuclear capability - this is, for the US, a “red line”.
This has never been widely reported in mainstream media.
Despite that, at the same time we had stories like the following -
Obama Ready to Use Military Force to Stop Nuclear Iran, Ex-Adviser Says - http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-10/obama-prepared-to-use-force-to-stop-nuclear-iran-former-adviser-ross-says.html
20. Several countries (India, China and Russia ) have withdrawn from the petrodollar to trade with Iran in their own currencies (or even - in the case of India- in gold).
These countries (and several Asian countries) have no intention of joining an oil embargo
21. On 11 January came the assassination of the Iranian nuclear scientist
There have been numerous other attacks over the past years;
“Iran's nuclear programme has suffered a series of dramatic setbacks in recent years with the assassinations of its scientists in attacks similar to the one that killed Ahmadi Roshan.
“In November 2010 Majid Shahriari, a nuclear scientist, was killed, and Fereidoon Abbasi Davani, Iran's current atomic chief, survived an attack by assailants on motorcycles. Last July Darioush Rezaeinejad, an Iranian academic whose affiliation to the country's nuclear activities is in doubt, was shot by gunmen riding on motorcycles.: (the Guardian)
22. This item from Russia Today gives a perspective on how the US media has painted a picture of an attack on Iran being almost inevitable
22 January - Britain bans Iranian Press TV
23. Various media outlets claim that there was asecret letter from Obama to Iran through the Swiss amabassador that he recognised Iran’s nuclear rights. Largely unsubstantiated.
24. This was followed up by news (23 January) that the EU were introducing an oil embargo that would have numerous exceptions and be introduced in July.
This was followed up with a threat from Iran to turn off the oil supply to the EU
25. Janaury 24 - The Chinese book two supertankers to carry Iranian oil to China
All of this highlights the fact that a lot has been left out of the story by mainstream western media. When this is done willfully (and not just through lack of reporting resources) it constitutes a form of lying.
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