Fox Attacks: Iran

"Fox Attacks: Iran" is a bold effort to provide Americans with a different view of our policy toward Iran than the one Fox News keeps pushing on us. While Fox beats the drums for war, Robert Greenwald has produced documentary evidence that unmasks the 'coverage' for what it is: propaganda to get Americans ready for a Bush administration attack on yet another Middle Eastern nation. Robert has done something remarkable. He has used his extraordinary media skills to make a short video - only three minutes - to educate the American people, using the Internet as a way to connect us.

The issue here is pretty simple. The war in Iraq, which Bush misled us into, has been a disaster. It caused us, and the Iraqi people, a great deal of suffering: more than 3,700 American casualties, more than 70,000 Iraqi casualties, 2 million Iraqis displaced within Iraq by violence fear, and another 2 million Iraqis living as refugees in Syria and Jordan. It has cost our nation a great deal of money, money which could have been better used in educating our children, providing health care to every American, rebuilding our bridges and infrastructure, and helping us move toward a new green economy.

And, ironically, it has made us less safe from the very serious problem of international terrorism.

Osama bin Laden is alive and well and, according to the National Intelligence Estimate, Al Quada is growing stronger throughout the world.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban is reemerging as a powerful adversary, using terrorist skills they learned in Iraq, and the situation there is becoming more difficult. One of the reasons for the reemergence of the Taliban is, in my view, that in order to fight the war in Iraq, the Bush administration has diverted military, intelligence and reconstruction resources away from Afghanistan.

In the midst of all this, the United States, because of Bush's actions, is held in lower regard by the international community than at any time in the modern history of our country.

And, now, there are increasing rumblings that Bush and Cheney are thinking of waging an attack on Iran. They are considering the possibility of bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, and are also considering the possibility of cross-border raids into Iraqi territory.

I believe that the American people understand that with all our problems in Iraq and Afghanistan, and with our active duty military and National Guard significantly over-extended, the last thing in the world that we want is a war in Iran. That is why I introduced S. Con Res. 13 - which would express the sense of Congress that the president should not initiate military action against Iran without first obtaining authorization from Congress.

A war with Iran, combined with what's going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, would be an horrendous disaster. Here's what Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor, wrote recently: "An attack on Iran would be an act of political folly, setting in motion a progressive upheaval in world affairs."

A major military action against Iraq would almost certainly unleash a lengthy war with the Muslim world which would significantly increase the threat of attacks against the U.S. and our allies, as well as compound difficulties for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It would also strengthen President Ahmadinejad's position in Iran against the moderates there.

It would further isolate us with regard to world affairs.

It would likely dramatically increase the cost of oil, and throw the world economy into a recession.

And, if President Bush embarks on military action against Iran without consulting with Congress, it is likely to create a constitutional crisis in the United States.

Nonetheless, Fox News continues to beat the drums for war, war, war, against Iran.

Every American should watch Robert Greenwald's short video, for it shows us that the current Fox drumbeat for war is almost exactly the same as what Fox did, and most of the American media did, in the days before we invaded Iraq.

We know that most of what we were told then in that very loud and determined campaign about the dangers of Iraq turned out to be false. We need to be very, very careful that we don't follow another loud and determined campaign into another disastrous war.

Video at Greenwald's site: Fox Attacks: Iran

Video on You Tube

Comments

[realitytrumpsbull]

FOX is quality television, I don't know why you don't like their content, it's always intellectually stimulating, factually accurate,
unbiased, and it doesn't have all that glitzy, sleazy, Geraldo Rivera sensationalism like some of those OTHER channels. I'll bet if more people watched FOX, they could probably just shut off C-span and CNN, even. Matter of fact, FOX is MY favorite channel. I know nothing they broadcast is ever staged, contrived, fabricated,
inaccurate, biased, offensive, mundane, or just plain irrelevant, and they have americans' best interests at heart when planning their content.
They're not just an advertising vehicle with banal content whose only purpose is to fill dead air, or a propaganda channel without precedent, and their on-air personalities are among the most professional, ethical, honest telejournalists you could want. I think FOX is afine, fine reflection on Murdoch himself, and the ethical and professional standards he's set forth, and will doubtless carry with him to Wall Street!(wink wink nudge nudge)

[WaterRat]

Fox Battalion led by Col. Britt Hume, has volunteered to attack Iran, or, Syria, depending on the mood of the White House under C-I-C Dick Cheney,
Lt. Sean Hannity has agreed to maintain tele communications with Hume from his studio.
General Rush Limbaugh, who believes in victory at all costs, has agreed to monitor calls from the battlefront from his home in the States. He's not quite ready as yet, to put his life on the line.
Nurse Ann Coulter said she can do more good belting the Dems at home than she could in Iran, or, Syria. Although she loves a good war, she too agrees she is too young to expose herself to the rigors of desert warfare.
And finally, Hume said, after re-consideration, he will monitor the situation from his New York studio, rather than lead the troops. "I just have so much to relay to the world from the White House," he added.

[greenpagan]

We must all learn to OBEY Our Great Leader and kowtow to the Corporate-­Militarist Elite. Furthermore to prove our patriotism we must CONSUME mountains of junk in order to keep up with the Joneses (whoever they are...). We'll all be okay as long as we just WATCH TV and shut up.

[BlobbyRL]

All that evil needs to succeed is for good men to do nothing....

[splashy]

You are absolutely right.

[wars4profit]

Is Iran a "threat?"

The Pentagon spends about a trillion dollars a year. Iran spends about five billion. It's not hard to calculate that US taxpayers spend 200 times as much on warring as Iranians.

Here's a visual comparison:

(Each $ represents five billion dollars.)


----------­----------­----------­----------­-------
US military spending:

$$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$ $$$$$

Iran:

$
----------­----------­----------­----------­-------

(The above does not even include the Pentagon's junior partner in Tel Aviv, also armed to the teeth with nuclear weapons.)


Ask yourself this question: Which of the two countries in the above graph wants to commit unprovoked aggression against the other?
.

[ASurvivorInUtah]

Dear Senator Sanders I've been a fan of your for a long time, along with Russ Feingold because you both dare to speak the truth. I'd like to say that at times I feel as if I am smaller than an ant living in Utah - my voice gets shouted down and I have no meaningful exchanges with Chris Cannon or Orrin Hatch. They are too full of themselves to even consider an opposing point of view. I fear a constitutional crisis is at hand, and that we are witnessing a tragic moment in history where an overconfident frat boy swaggers his way into World War III which the rest of us have the sense to avoid. Tell me that there is hope, please because these events seem inevitable and will take a miracle to avert. Please.

[maidinlouisiana]

Why are we surprised? Didn't Fox beat the drum for the Iraq invasion? Just a simple Republican party machine!

[gullible]

National and world-wide media has led me to believe that Osama bin Laden died in December 2001. And that, along with the fact that an egoist just doesn't choose silence for a 6-year period. So, what's happening, man?

[kittycago]

you have my support and respect Senator.Your speech on the senate floor on immigration was brilliant.I posted a link to it here and hope many have read it.I hope you still have it on your website so everyone that wants a clear view of what the immigration debate is about can see the unvarnished truth.Thank You Sir.

[PigLipstick]

The corrupt Democrats rejected impeachment to save their political careers. The only legislation they have been able to pass with over six months in the majority is their own pay raise.
I've never seen a lame duck president abuse his power and show such disregard for our Republic. The only thing worse is the total lack of integrity shown by the Democrat leadership in Congress. The fact that they have openly rejected the progressive values that have sustained the Democrat party for so long is very troubling and casts doubt on any chance of a 08 victory !

[Harlock]

Sorry to say but you guys miss the point

The Apocalyptic Christians believe that Jesus will not return until the Apocalypse. Therefore further destabalizing the most volatile area in the world fits their "End Times" agenda perfectly, as do cataclysmic climate change, famine, drought, pandemic, et al.

Cheers.

[Tecumseh]

Iran will run out of oil to export in seven years if left alone to follow its current economic policies according to Roger Stern of John Hopkins U. in a paper presented to the National Science Foundation.http://www.pnas.org/cgi/reprint/0603903104v1
This was covered in the Washington Post and then ignored. Iran really does need nuclear power because it will have no oil to export. If left alone, Iran will collapse due to its economic policies. Iran will soon be a paper tiger. Why do facts never enter into national political debate?

[danejaneiro]

So we bomb Iran's so-called "nuclear sites". Then what?
What does the US military do when 250,000 Iranian soldiers storm over th4e border into Iran -- at the request of their Shiite brother, Mr. Maliki. How does the world react when the British garrison at Basra is surrounded, and threatens to be over-run. What happens when US forces are drawn out of their bases to face the Iranians, only to have the Iraqi insurgents move in from all sides? I'll tell you what: tactical nukes.
It's Bill Kristol's money shot.

[MCurie]

Excellent review of the media problem, Senator Sanders. I think, however, you are overlooking something important that you as a Senator can do, namely get together with the Dems and thinking Republicans and send a message to BushCo that you will not tolerate such a move against Iran. Only Congress can declare war. To bomb sites in Iran would be waging war. Put them on notice!! We cannot afford the lost lives, our own and Iranian, which would follow. Bush/Cheney must be stopped by Congress!