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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.
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Thank you, Senator Sanders! Keep up the good fight.
Here's hoping the rest of the traditional media have learned their lesson and will not parrot the right-wing propaganda. And here's also hoping that if they do the American people rise up en mass and hit the streets. We must show the world that we do not support this madness.
Earthlings Unite!
As a canadian, the image I used to have of the United states has changed a lot in recent years following 9/11. It went from admiration to fear in just a few years.
It is really hard for me to understand how the good people of your country country can tolerate these crazies who run it without revolting.
Isnt there a limit to how much the good people of your country can be fooled.
I am afraid I am withnessing the beginning of the end of the american dream and the alternative is quite frightening indeed.
And they want to attack Iran !!!!!!
Incredible but it would really not surprise me.
"Isn't there a limit to how much the good people of your country can be fooled?"
Apparently not. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have us in their steel clench with Fox News as their propaganda arm. It happenned to Germany, Russia, many other places. Now it is happenning in the United States.
OTOH, your government is helping Bush to combine Mexico, the US, and Canada into a single country.
What are *YOU* doing about that?
I use to think Canadians were a pretty smart people...b
As a Canadian, I'd like to say that we are not allowed to have the Fox channel on the basic cable system. How's that for freedom? - no wonder we have people like spaceknife sticking up for IRAN !!
Twoton, you are not missing much. Frankly, I'd like to see our government ban the Faux News Network and exile Rupert Murdoch tried for treason.
As a fellow Canadian, I only wish I could apologize for the previous post, but as you see, we have our lunatic fringe up here too, and thanks to our "socialist paradise", they too have free will and the right to echo whatever butt-ignorant editorial nonsense they've absorbed. (lovely phrase, socialist paradise; Never actually seen such a thing on the ground up here, but don't worry - our current, admittedly-shaky leadership is working to change that as well. I'm guessing they do receive Fox News.)
I should probably also point out that I'm old enough to have grown up during the depths of the Cold War. As a pre-adolescent during the Cuban Missile Crisis, I saw firsthand how deadly-serious a propoganda-driven missunderstanding could get. Fortunately, the United States was blessed with a president and cabinet who had read history and understood the dangers inherent in the solutions pushed by top-level advisors who wanted to fight, invade, even nuke their way through that confrontation. Clearly no such safeguards exist today. There really is nothing new in history, including our failure to learn from it. The current mess could be considered a nuclear-tipped variation on the world-conquering schemes of the McKinley administration at the beginning of the last century (anyone remember The Maine?) Back then, wars of invasion and conquest were launched in the Caribbean and the Phillippines, all breathlessly cheerleaded (many would say provoked) by the powerful newspapers of Hearst Media. Does any of this sound familiar? Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Not "allowed"? Please explain...
I mean if it's just a matter where your cable provider draws certain lines in regard to marketability, then the reason you don't get Fox is because the ratings don't constitute it being part of basic. I can't help but notice you say Fox, and not Fox News (two different channels).
I haven't watched TV for years, and refuse to get "cablevision", but I do love my fast internet. Try telling a cable provider you just want internet. I got it, but I suspect if I hooked up to a TV, the basic 13 would be there. I'm certainly paying enough.
Spaceknife, as an American, I have one question.
When all this blows up and people being fighting in the streets, can I come live with you?
I for one, envy Canadians.
Well Byronape,The way politics are going here, It might not be much better soon if we dont wake up.
We have bush clones emerging here too ,they use the same tactics,wrap up in religion too and incredibly, it seems to work for them too.
Really discouraging indeed.
I for 2 agree with you.
I agree with your assessment, and I believe the majority of us are aghast at what has happened to our country.
This administration and Fox News and others have manipulated the people in this country with FEAR. They have even manipulated the congress. We are counting the days and pray that no other madness will occur, but things happen on a daily basis. It is unbelievable that there is any talk of attacking Iran. We have people in our government who are out of control.
Funny. I watch FOX News and I really do not remember them promoting war on Iran.
I think maybe this is overreacting. As if a cable network could influence foreign policy.
Influence, no. Echo, yes.
In "hippie" circles, you must be regarded as the renegade.
Fox News is not calling for war against Iran. This is a rediculous assessment of their coverage. Fox News is, however, showing that Iran is not backing down on it's threat to wipe Israel off of the map and to build nuclear bombs. I salute Fox News for not turning a blind eye and covering the dangers Iran poses.
Fuck Israel. They've got a well equipped army and nuclear weapons as well. They can take care of themselves.
If not... Nothing is forever.
Can the world use oil that has a half life?
Not backing down?
If you believe that Iran is threatening to wipe Israel off the map, it is because FOX news wants you to believe that.
Yes, they are enemies, but it is not true at all. Israel has plenty of enemies.
The rhetoric on the land that is now Israel not remaining a Zionist state has been around for over a quarter of a century.
And, if you believe that Iran has ever threatened to build nuclear weapons, why don't you say where you heard that - from FOX news?
Iran not only denies they want nuclear weapons, Iran has proposed a nuclear-we
In case you haven't read the real reports on Iran's nuclear activities, they are only charged with continuing to enrich uranium for nuclear fuel, which is allowed by the NPT.
There's not much about that on FOX news.
Yes, we all love Bernie, and abhor the war party media, whomever they are.
Here's a theory...
Ahmidinijad is not telling the truth.
This might come as a surprise to you, but some world leaders... LIE!!! I'm not a nuclear physicist, but I know there are at least 3 ways to enrich uranium: The first way gives both weapons grade and civilian grade. the second way gives only civilian use, and the third way (Iran's way) gives ONLY weapons grade. So... Maybe we should use a bit more discernment when we listen to Iran's nuke policy. This is Iran who bought the tools and tech from A.Q. Khan whose stated goal was to provide the "Islamic Bomb".
Note:
My previous statement doesn't let President Bush off the hook for trying to incite another proxy war on behalf of his Saudi masters. Just like we should compare the words vs. the actions of our President; we should do the same with foreign Presidents.
The United States doesn't hold an exclusive patent on Propaganda or telling half truths.
The PM of Iran expresses wishful thinking, no doubt, but he and the others leading Iran are also realists, thank God, because being in reality they know well what would happen to them if they tried to wipe Israel off the face of the world. And, if they did get a nuke or two, it sure as hell would not be used on Israel. They want to live.
But Fox News and the others want to spread this lie, because they and all of their cronies want to get a real conflagration going with Iran, as they perceive this in the long term interest of an expanded Israel. All potential problems for them need to be wiped off the face of the earth.
What we need to do here in the U. S. is to isolate AIPAC as the tool of a foreign government, which it is, and have it registered as such. And then let's see how many of our congressional reps will let themselves be bought, at great cost to all the rest of us.
Ah ha! Spoken like a true Fixed news viewer. Not only have Iran said that it is not attempting to make weapons (only peaceful energy use like we have, and which they by all accounts desperately need), their most important leader (and its not the pres.) has issued a fatwa that says in no uncertain terms that nuclear weapons are an abomination and incompatible with Islam.
http://www
Fox News is a travesty. They have no credibility, and do not tell the truth. They do the administration's bidding. We will not let them influence further disasters in the Middle East.
What threat to wipe Israel off the map? A taken out of context single sentence from a long speech that has been used to beat us over the head for too long, especially by Fox "News". I only wish you Foxies would watch other reports as well and gain a wider perspective. Iran poses no dangers, they have not attacked anyone. The danger is in your Fox addled mind.
If the mideast erupted into a huge confligration, it would make the written speeches that bush empty-headedly read seem like prophecy to future generations. Otherwise, they are empty-headed rhetoric. Remember that history will read the speeches he read as his words. There will be no ah... ah ...ah's in the script. History will incorrectly assume that he was capable of speaking in full, coherent sentences. If they can incite enough inescapable (as Iraq) violence, bush the stumble bum will be bush the visionary. They had a great power and money grabbing plan when they went in. Now,for their exit will come their messianic legacy as they engulf the planet in violence, greed and hatred. Truth has no thread in their cloth. If we didn't incite the violence, we wouldn't have to fight it. It is our fault.
The United States did not incite violence..
So how was the invasion of Iraq responding to violence, and not inciting it?
I'm glad you still find time to laugh when more than half a million Iraqis have died as a result of our not inciting violence in their country. I'm sure they're as thrilled as you are.
Is that "drill" like following the Reich Wing drill"? Or like the red-assed babboon type drill. If you recall, we did that when it became clear that genocide was in the works. When we do it, ... no one dares stand up to us. Now, ... there's a banana for you!
Not one American soldier or marine has been killed in Kosovo and none need to die in Iraq. Profit and distraction are the goals in Iraq.
God Bless you Bernie as one of the truthful voices in our Government left..!
Bush is determined to attack Iran and he and Cheney believe they must do it before they leave office, as they fear a Democrat will not if elected..
This will trigger a ruinous war for us as it will not be only Iran that we end up fighting
but will include other nations that will come in on Iran's side..
We could very easily face a huge strategic defeat even and I won't go into the details but those who believe America is invincible are misguided seriously misguided.
This episode in American history (however long it lasts) (America, that is)is indicative of the basic foreign policies of this country...
Remember Clinton bombed (questionably, very illegal)Iraq for all of his presidency
No access to third, fourth etc. parties...
except:
IMPEACHMENT, even an earnest attempt is better than nothing...
That's what we have now...NOTH
sierra
I agree, Senator Sanders, please run for President.
We don't need to be careful. We need to be outraged. And we need to impeach
America should lose all preemptive wars less they become an evil, bad habit.
Barry Leonardini
Bush has no qualms about creating a constitutional crisis because he knows congress has no qualms about not doing anything about it if he does. He has suffered no consequences for anything he has done in over six years of mind-numbingly destructive leadership.
My fear is that with a little over a year left in office, and a burning desire to make Iran the adminstration's swan song of foreign policy idiocy, they will simply charge ahead and essentially light the fuse on their way out the door, leaving the next administration with an unstoppable sequence of world events in motion and they, the former adminstration, with no chance of facing any consequences.
Has there ever been a case in history where a former president was held to account, in a meaningful way, for his actions while in office?
Brutus and a few of his friends took care of Julius Ceasar quite efficiently.
"And to the Republic For Which It Stands" By Brad Linaweaver, the creator of "Sliders", is a short story in the Harry Turtledove anthology "Alternate Generals"
You never know. In Linaweaver's story Julius Caesar is thinking on March 14th and is planning on defending the Republic.
Brad Linaweaver," We need every possible source of alternative energy, from bio-diesel to wind to solar to geothermal to nuclear to orbiting solar power collectors. However much this costs, it will be cheap compared to the trillions of dollars the American taxpayer has been spending to keep foreign oil flowing into our country."
Who cares? Life is a will to power and only the strong rule. Bomb Iran before it is too late.
Well said senator.
I'm not sure a few min video is any match for decades long brain washing tv programs for our brainless crowd. Nevertheless, every attempt by progressive and educators should hopefully make a difference.
After the video, you are given about 10 phone numbers and addresses of advertisers. Call them. They give suggestions as to what to say.
Bernie Sanders for President.
We need a peace candidate.
I'd vote for him.
We have one, Kucinch!
Not sure when the human race is going to catch on, since we've been warring for centuries, but are we truly no further advanced in "getting it" than those who've come before us.
PEACE is the only answer for the future of this world.
PEACE PEACE PEACE.....
Kucinich is the voice of PEACEFUL CHANGE.
Compassion truly leads to PEACE.....
We sure do . . . everything he says is true . . . the Taliban are stronger in Afghanistan because the bushies went after Iraqi oil . . . our military is stretched beyond its capabilities . . . and the neo-cons are trying to create another war . . . they are totally insane as well as liars . . . it is time they were impeached . . . it is more than time that Fox News was muzzled.
Thank you Senator . . . thank you very much . . . these guys have to be impeached please do what you can in the Senate to make this a reality.
This country has been infested by
years of neglect of what the elite can do to elevate themselves into more money and power.
Like a house invaded with termites, the cure had better come immediately or the house will not stand.
Bush and the shadow president Cheney MUST be impeached immediately before they take us into a truly disastrous global war. This lunacy must come to an end.
How is it a country of 300 million can not control a small number of tyrants ruining this nation?
I agree....
In the age of nuclear weapons, either we talk to each other or we all die!
sierra
I agree but also know that of the 300,000,000, only a fraction of them pay attention, many get their info from Fox, and the rest have enough of what they need to turn a blind eye. It needs to be fashionable to march and protest or it will never happen. We have to literally go to Washington and demand impeachment. I believe there is group who is positioning themselves to be there around the time Congress re-convenes. I am not sure it will be the major uprising that is necessary. The election itself is a distraction as even Kucinich must divide his time between impeachment and selling his policies. We have to do or there won't be any doing.
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