Top Things you Think You Know about Iran that are not True

I was surfing the internet when I came across this "Informed Comment" at

www.juancole.com...

I read through and figured that it probably will not turn around any misguided blindly Pro-Israel folks overnight, but was something fresh and new to discuss.

Whenever I turn on the news, all they do is talk about handling "Iran's nuclear weapons program". All they say is that Iran is a threat to world peace and is going to kill us all unless we pre-emptively nuke them first. Professor Cole seems to have picked the top ten myths about Iran and pieced together some compelling responses.

I didn't see this posted anywhere, but if someone "beat me to it", feel free to delete.

reply to post by MegaCurious



From the source in the OP. There are lots of good links there, and I would also read it from there, as to click, and read the links.

Belief: Iran is aggressive and has threatened to attack Israel, its neighbors or the US

Reality: Iran has not launched an aggressive war modern history (unlike the US or Israel), and its leaders have a doctrine of "no first strike." This is true of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as well as of Revolutionary Guards commanders.

Belief: Iran is a militarized society bristling with dangerous weapons and a growing threat to world peace.

Reality: Iran's military budget is a little over $6 billion annually. Sweden, Singapore and Greece all have larger military budgets. Moreover, Iran is a country of 70 million, so that its per capita spending on defense is tiny compared to these others, since they are much smaller countries with regard to population. Iran spends less per capita on its military than any other country in the Persian Gulf region with the exception of the United Arab Emirates.


Belief: Iran has threatened to attack Israel militarily and to "wipe it off the map."

Reality: No Iranian leader in the executive has threatened an aggressive act of war on Israel, since this would contradict the doctrine of 'no first strike' to which the country has adhered. The Iranian president has explicitly said that Iran is not a threat to any country, including Israel.

Belief: But didn't President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threaten to 'wipe Israel off the map?'

Reality: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did quote Ayatollah Khomeini to the effect that "this Occupation regime over Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time" (in rezhim-e eshghalgar-i Qods bayad as safheh-e ruzgar mahv shavad). This was not a pledge to roll tanks and invade or to launch missiles, however. It is the expression of a hope that the regime will collapse, just as the Soviet Union did. It is not a threat to kill anyone at all.

Belief: But aren't Iranians Holocaust deniers?

Actuality: Some are, some aren't. Former president Mohammad Khatami has castigated Ahmadinejad for questioning the full extent of the Holocaust, which he called "the crime of Nazism." Many educated Iranians in the regime are perfectly aware of the horrors of the Holocaust. In any case, despite what propagandists imply, neither Holocaust denial (as wicked as that is) nor calling Israel names is the same thing as pledging to attack it militarily.

[edit on 1-10-2009 by sanchoearlyjones]

you no what, Iran is executing pornstars and i would bomb them for that

reply to post by sanchoearlyjones


All I really need to know about Iran is that they held a bunch of Americans hostages for a year or so. In my mind, they have had it coming every since.

[edit on 1-10-2009 by TacoBellMakesGas]

reply to post by MegaCurious


Dont forget that they kill homosexuals, supply hezbollah and Hamas with money, which blows that theroy that they havent started a war right out of the water... As a matter of fact Isreal has only attacked when it has been threatned yes to include Hamas/gaza war and the Hezbollah/lebeanon war... So umm check your facts first.

Originally posted by TacoBellMakesGas
reply to post by sanchoearlyjones

 

All I really need to know about Iran is that they held a bunch of Americans hostages for a year or so. In my mind, they have had it coming every since.

[edit on 1-10-2009 by TacoBellMakesGas]

Are fn serious they had it coming you say ?

Grow up. Go and hide under your flag .Its people like you and comments like that which gives the people of your country a bad name .

Edit to say that some goose gave this guy a star .

save your stupid comments for facebook myspace or any other site that will let you make childish remarks.


[edit on 1/10/2009 by ocker]

reply to post by ocker


You know if President Carter had even one testicle he would have invaded that country for not immediately giving our people back. Instead, he decided to try to negotiate, while our fellow Americans suffered for a year under the hands of a bunch of lunatics.

Iran is so peace loving that all of its neighbors are terrified by the prospect of them acquiring Nukes.

CAIRO — As the West raises the pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, Arab governments, especially the small, oil-rich nations in the Persian Gulf, are growing increasingly anxious. But they are concerned not only with the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran but also with the more immediate threat that Iran will destabilize the region if the West presses too hard, according to diplomats, regional analysts and former government officials.

snip

Writing in the pan-Arab newspaper Al Quds Al Arabi, for instance, the editor, Abdel-Beri Atwan, said that with recent developments “the Arab regimes, and the gulf ones in particular, will find themselves part of a new alliance against Iran alongside Israel.”

The head of a prominent research center in Dubai said that it might even be better if the West — or Israel — staged a military strike on Iran, rather than letting it emerge as a nuclear power. That kind of talk from Arabs was nearly unheard of before the revelation of the second enrichment plant, and while still rare, it reflects growing alarm.

www.nytimes.com...

Wow, even the Arab nations want Israel to hit Iran, openly in their news papers. Shouldn't all you Iran defenders take a second look?

reply to post by ocker


As you refer to the US as not your country, I would like to inquire where are you from. It may enlighten us as to your point of view.

reply to post by finemanm


I could have swore that I read somewhere the SAUDI ARABIA offered airspace for Isreal to bomb these targets... Kinda of like what happened when Isreal bombed Iraqs nuke plant in the 80s(?) Saudi and Jordan allowed Isreal to do it by using there Airspace... So dont think those nations wont let it happen again.

reply to post by poedxsoldiervet


Iran is everyone's problem. Its not a east vs. west issue or a Judeo/Christian vs. Muslim issue. Iran wants to dominate the middle east with their nuclear program. Everyone, even Obama, understand that fact. Yet just because Israel is on the list of countries that are against Iran, you have a bunch of people supporting that rouge nation.

reply to post by finemanm


I dont see Isreal as the a rogue nation... They havent called for any country to be wiped off the map, I dont like what there doing to innocent people in Gaza and maybe they should take the power from HAMAS by loosling up the choke hold they have on them. But remeber this, all the territory they have now is there they fought by wars they diddnt start... and they should not give them up at all... thats like us giving um the land we won from Mexico durning that war....

My opinion about Iran is that if the oil rich Arab countries are so concerned about Iran, then they can damn well attack Iran their ownselves, instead of expecting Israel or the US to do it for them. Not that I want Iran to be attacked, but.......just saying, if this is so important to them, then have at it.

reply to post by poedxsoldiervet


I think you mis-read my post. The Rouge nation is Iran, and the only reason anyone supports it today is because Israel happens to be one of many nations opposed to Iran.

The anti-Israel group on this website would support the anti-Christ if Israel said he was developing nukes.

[edit on 1-10-2009 by finemanm]

The corporate media have been given their orders to throw the focus back on to Iran.

Here is a recap of what they are trying to make you forget.

1. Last Spring, Rose Gottemoeller, an assistant secretary of state and Washington's chief nuclear arms negotiator, asked Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel refused.

2. The United Nations passed a resolution calling on Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to submit to inspections. Israel refused.

3. The IAEA asked Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to submit to inspections. Israel refused.

4. Iran's formal notification to the IAEA of the planned construction of the backup fuel-rod facility underscores that Iran is playing by the rules of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which Iran has signed.

5. Iran allows IAEA inspections of all its facilities.

6. Contrary to face-saving claims, it appears that the US and Israel were both caught off guard by Iran's announcement. The reasoning is simple. Had the US or Israel announced the existence of he new facility before Iran's notified the IAEA, it would have put Iran on the defensive. As it is now, the US and Israel seem to be playing catch up, casting doubt on the veracity of Israel's claims to "know" that Iran is a nuclear threat.

7. The IAEA and all 16 United States Intelligence Agencies are unanimous in agreement that Iran is not building and does not possess nuclear weapons.

8. In 1986, Mordachai Vanunu blew the whistle and provided photographs showing Israel's clandestine nuclear weapons factory underneath the reactor at Dimona.

9. Israel made the same accusations against Iraq that it is making against Iran, leading up to Israel's bombing of the power station at Osirik. Following the invasion of 2003, international experts examined the ruins of the power station at Osirik and found no evidence of a clandestine weapons factory in the rubble.

10. The United Nations has just released the Goldstone Report, a scathing report which accuses Israel of 37 specific war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza earlier this year. Israel has denounced the report as "Anti-Semitic (even though Judge Goldstone is himself Jewish), and the United States will block the report from being referred to the War Crimes Tribunal at the Hague, thereby making the US Government an accessory after-the-fact.

reply to post by finemanm


your right i did my apology

Originally posted by TacoBellMakesGas
reply to post by ocker

 

You know if President Carter had even one testicle he would have invaded that country for not immediately giving our people back. Instead, he decided to try to negotiate, while our fellow Americans suffered for a year under the hands of a bunch of lunatics.

Yea that gives you the right to invade their country

So now you want to invade them because they have nuclear capabilities as well.

Tell me why these Americans were captured .

No ill tell you they were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981, after a group of Islamist students and militants took over the American embassy in support of the Iranian Revolution.

Instead, he decided to try to negotiate

No a attempt to rescue them was made.....

It was called Operation Eagle Claw, on April 24, 1980, which resulted in a failure, the crash of two aircraft and the deaths of eight American servicemen and one Iranian civilian was the result.

nearly 30 years on and you want to retaliate on the people of Iran whom have done nothing to you. The people who caused this awful deprivation of human life would be long gone and the majority of Iranians would be none the wiser.

reply to post by ocker


I know all about it. I spent a year of my life watching it on the news every night. I think we should have not just tried to rescue them, which failed, unfortunately, but we should have went and took what was ours and shown them why it is not a good idea to mess with America. And yes, they still have a little discipline coming their way.

Some history.

It was the US and UK who overthrew the democratic government of Iran in 1953 to support UK oil interests. This planted the seeds for the resentment against the west that culminated in the Iranian revolution against the Shah in 1979. The Shah was a brutal dictator, but he supported the west who used Iranian territory to build listening posts to eavesdrop on Russia during the cold war.

In 1979 the Iranian people rose up and defeated a cruel dictator who tortured and murdered his people and who was propped up by the west. Can you blame them for being a tad suspicious about the west's motives given this background?


From Wikipedia -

"The 1953 Iranian coup d’état (refered to as 28 Mordad 1332 in Iran) deposed the democratically-elected government of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammed Mosaddeq.The coup has been called "a critical event in post-war world history", the first covert operation by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) against a foreign government, and is thought to have contributed to the 1979 overthrow of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi and his replacement with the anti-Western Islamic Republic.

In 1951, Mosaddeq, backed by his nationalist supporters in the Iranian parliament, nationalized the British government-owned Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), so that Iran could profit from its vast oil reserves previously controlled exclusively by the AIOC. Britain accused Mosaddeq of violating the legal rights of the AIOC — the UK's single largest overseas investment — and mobilized a worldwide boycott of Iran's oil, pressuring Iran economically.

Since 1913, the oil industry in Iran had been controlled exclusively by the British government-controlled Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. The ejection of the British staff of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC) from the now nationalized refineries in Iran triggered the Abadan Crisis, bringing the UK and Iran close to war.Britain accused Mosaddeq of violating the legal rights of the AIOC and mobilized a worldwide boycott of Iran's oil that plunged Iran into financial crisis. The British government tried to enlist the United States in planning a coup, but President Harry S. Truman refused. His successor, Dwight D. Eisenhower, however, allowed the CIA to embark on its first covert operation against a foreign government.

The United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) overthrew the government of the popular Prime Minister Mosaddeq at the request of, and with minor support from the British government. In what the CIA called Operation Ajax, the US enabled Mohammed Reza Pahlevi to become an all-powerful monarch, who went on to rule Iran for 26 years until he was overthrown in 1979."

Originally posted by finemanm
reply to post by ocker

 

As you refer to the US as not your country, I would like to inquire where are you from. It may enlighten us as to your point of view.

Hi finemanm

I am in Australia don't know how that will enlighten anything .

thanks