In recent weeks, we’ve seen a masterclass in double standards in coverage of the massive anti-government protests in Iran, and US President Donald Trump’s boorish threats to attack the country. The other ritual interruption, often used in response to statements of verifiable fact from Palestinian guests, representatives of aid agencies, and just about anyone critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza was: “But Israel would say.”
I have not witnessed any news presenter counter a guest with “Iran would say” since the protests began. Not once. It would be unthinkable and, if it did happen, there would be howls of rage from the political and media establishments.
Trump’s pretext, that he wanted to “help” the protesters, was treated earnestly. During a 15-minute discussion, the “regime” (a word only ever applied to western foes) was lambasted for its brutality, with no qualifying statements from presenter Victoria Derbyshire. And in a pitch-perfect illustration of the media’s double standard, Syed, after a thinly veiled attack on Islam, described Iranian authorities as “genocidal”. Again, nothing from Derbyshire.
Though Djalili stopped short of advocating for the US to bomb Tehran, he did want Trump to get involved, and claimed he was speaking on behalf of the Iranian people. “The people of Iran are saying … if there’s some kind of outside help, we’ll take it,” he said. “If Trump wants to do something that will help us, we’re not going to say no.”
The comedian, who hasn’t been to Iran since he was six years old in 1971, said that Iranians were rallying around Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last shah of Iran. “He represents national unity,” Djalili said to absolutely no pushback, clarifying questions, or context from the presenter.
Western media has been going right along with manufacturing more cause for war in the protests there. Playing “the left” like a fiddle, like they are going to overthrow the regime and institute something better. Even talking up the good old days of the shah.
They were attacked, on bad faith pretexts I would add, by an enemy they couldn’t fight back against. All of their neighbors got attacked, many killed, crippled, all humiliated, all under false pretexts. These protests coming on the heels of that were always going to run into the rally around the flag effect. Even without our cynical politicians throwing those protesters under the bus endorsing them and threatening the country. We all know they are stirring up shit too, that our intelligence is not not involved in protests, and in starting violence after it starts. Also that we sabotage and strangle their economics to cause hardship to their people. Another act that causes a rally to the flag effect, it just hurts working people while cementing leaders in power.
Our bad faith government is too mean spirited to run a proper empire. Too greedy, too ignorant, too arrogant, and without understanding. It’s nothing limited to this administration either, look at afghanistan and iraq, neither was ever going to work. Extracting money for their pals was their one and only goal. Every inspector general savaged the plan in afghanistan, that it was never going to work, they never built an economy for them, never built a middle class, agrarian farming freeholders, nothing to base a new government on. Instead making deals with sleazy warlords and running a game of thrones type feudal operation. Iraq was no better.
Back to Iran, Israel needs perpetual war to prevent elections and their political leadership admitting they made a mistake. To be sure they don’t think so, the prime minister thinks it’s the best thing that ever happened to them, and could well have known about it and let it happen. The woman’s brigade or whatever did see it coming and warned them and they ignored them so it’s not all conjecture. But the prime minister needs to pretend like it was a failure even if it gave him an excuse to do everything they wanted, just like 9/11 did in the US. And fascist leaders can never admit they made a mistake it seems. Any of our leaders don’t actually. From business to government to associations, no one takes responsibility anymore.
Just what the world needs more of
