Aljazeera: independent news or the new Iranian state TV?

I had always defended Aljazeera when my friends complained that its style was like the moslim version of the Fox News. A new, independent and critical media was a welcome change in the Middle East, a region where state news agencies had dominated the media for years.

However, I was disillusioned in the days following the controversial Iranian elections. It started with a video, which characterized the protesters as vandals "who had caused considerable damage to public properties". Next, the Aljazeera Youtube channel featured an interview with a former American security advisor, who articulated great doubt that the US government could do anything to influence the protests. Nonetheless, the video was entitled "US has intelligence agents working in Iran", which in fact echoes the propaganda that is announced almost daily by the Iranian state TV.

Overall, Aljazeera has done little to provide a balanced view of the events in Iran. In the last weeks the news agency has focused mostly on the political aspects of the events, which has been a good excuse not to mention the Basij's brutal attacks, the arrest of hundreds of reformers, students and journalists, as well as the false and absurd "confessions" of people on state TV who were supposedly possessed by foreign media, especially BBC and VOA. This has been the reason why Aljazeera is currently the only foreign news agency who can report all around Tehran. If you are not convinced, watch this ridiculous report to see it for yourself.

Is it the blind anti-Americanism of Aljazeera that explains its royalty to Ahmadinejad? Or is its love for Hamas and Hezbollah, which have been generously funded during the Ahmadinejad administration?

I will Boycott Aljazeera!

Iranians encouraged to spy on their families by the state TV

Although this is an old video (posted last year on Youtube), I wouldn't be surprised to see more of these adds in the weeks and months to come.

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DEATH TO THE DICTATOR!

Propaganda

This year's Israeli annual attack features a massive and unprecedented pr campaign, which appears especially to target the western audience. The Israeli government has obviously learned its lessons from previous wars, and is planning to win the heart and mind of every single one of us.

While the list of its criminal actions in Gaza are growing by day, the Israeli military uploads fun little videos of its heroic and humane activities on Youtube. On its special page, you can watch how soldiers admit wounded children for health care, and how the brave pilots eliminate Hamas terrorists, and the terrorists only, using precision bombardments.

Also, the army's English website features a banner, showing female Israeli soldiers in nice and peaceful poses (check also this interesting story on Haaretz). Gabriel, one of the Jews sans frontieres, is quite correct to note that "Israel is the only country in the Middle East where the government uses feminine sexuality to market mass murder".

Gaza attacks

If you don't want people to call you a terrorist, try wearing an army uniform.

The society, Iranian style

Once upon a time, an American discovers that the Western media news coverage of Iran is not reliable. He decides to make a journey to Iran in order to get to know the country from Inside. In the U.S., he had heard a lot about the influence of Islam on Iranian lifestyle and politics. So decides to start his field trip by visiting a large mosque in Tehran.

Stepping inside the mosque, he is surprised to see that there is no sign of any ritual prayer. Instead, people are sitting all around the area, eating chicken and rice. Obviously, it’s a feast of some sort…. The American is very surprised and starts a conversation with a young man who is standing in a corner.

American: “Excuse me…. What’s going on in here? I thought a mosque was a place for people to pray, but everyone’s eating here!”

Young man: “That’s true. But you don’t see much praying in here. If you wanna see people pray, you should go to Tehran University. They have large prayers, especially on Fridays.”

The American is now even more confused:

“at the university?! Isn’t that supposed to be a place for students, academics and intellectuals?”

Young man: “Yes, normally. But the students and intellectuals are all in prison nowadays, so….”

The American can’t believe what he’s hearing:

“In prison?! That’s the place for thieves and criminals, so where do you keep your criminals?!”

The young man looks at the American and shakes his head in disbelief: “who the hell do you think is running the country then?!”

Just a few days ago, senator Barack Obama did, in his quest for the US presidency, what every candidate is supposed to do: sucking up to the Israel lobby, AIPAC.

Here are some interesting statements that Obama made during his speech:



"Israel should preserve its identity as a Jewish"

"Jerusalem should remain undivided as the capital of Israel"

"Iran is the greatest threat to Israel, more than Iraq has even been"

"As an 11 year old, I understood the Zionist wish to live in own territories"

"I will ensure Israel’s military advantage in the region"

"I will always support the Israel right to defend itself in the UN"*

"I will isolate Hamas"

"The recent Israeli military action in Syria was justified"**

"We should never force Israel to negotiate with anyone"

"We will sanction Iran"

"I will keep the threat of military action against Iran on the table"

From a candidate who preaches change, these lines sound too absurd and too familiar

Yes, we can…. Go to hell!

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* Veto every resolution condemning Israel’s actions and policies against Palestinians.

** So how come that was justified and the war in Iraq wasn’t?