Comments on: How the corporate media alienate Iran: Prof. Mojtahedzadeh http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2009/04/07/how-the-corporate-media-alienate-iran-prof-mojtahedzadeh/ News, critical analysis, and opinion commentary Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:59:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jeremy R. Hammond http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2009/04/07/how-the-corporate-media-alienate-iran-prof-mojtahedzadeh/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Jeremy R. Hammond Fri, 10 Apr 2009 04:47:24 +0000 http://foreignpolicyjournal.com/?p=252#comment-10 You're arguing against a strawman. Prof. Mojtahedzadeh didn't argue that Jews "pull the strings", which would mean direct control. He argued that Israel has a strong influenced on U.S. policy. That's an incontrovertibly observable fact. He supports it with a few examples -- the neocon influence in the Bush administration, Bush's willingness to grant Israel extra leeway to violate international law, etc. -- but certainly could have given others. Take the instance when the Security Council passed a resolution calling for a cease-fire during Israel's Operation Cast Lead. The U.S. had managed to block the effort for a while, giving Israel more time to destroy Gaza. But it couldn't hold off the rest of the world forever. When it came down to it, nor could they cast a veto. By then, such a vote would have been politically unacceptable. Rice was set to vote in favor of the resolution. But Olmert called up Bush and complained. So Bush called Rice and instructed her at the last minute to abstain from the vote. In that instance, Israel actually did "pull the strings" with regard to a U.S. position in the U.N. Security Council. Examples of mere influence certainly abound. Although I don't agree that this is due to the "Israeli lobby" so much as its just that perceived U.S. interests, as defined by policymakers in Washington, happen to coincide often with Israeli perceived interests. You’re arguing against a strawman. Prof. Mojtahedzadeh didn’t argue that Jews “pull the strings”, which would mean direct control. He argued that Israel has a strong influenced on U.S. policy. That’s an incontrovertibly observable fact. He supports it with a few examples — the neocon influence in the Bush administration, Bush’s willingness to grant Israel extra leeway to violate international law, etc. — but certainly could have given others. Take the instance when the Security Council passed a resolution calling for a cease-fire during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead. The U.S. had managed to block the effort for a while, giving Israel more time to destroy Gaza. But it couldn’t hold off the rest of the world forever. When it came down to it, nor could they cast a veto. By then, such a vote would have been politically unacceptable. Rice was set to vote in favor of the resolution. But Olmert called up Bush and complained. So Bush called Rice and instructed her at the last minute to abstain from the vote. In that instance, Israel actually did “pull the strings” with regard to a U.S. position in the U.N. Security Council. Examples of mere influence certainly abound. Although I don’t agree that this is due to the “Israeli lobby” so much as its just that perceived U.S. interests, as defined by policymakers in Washington, happen to coincide often with Israeli perceived interests.

]]> By: Paul Coleman http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2009/04/07/how-the-corporate-media-alienate-iran-prof-mojtahedzadeh/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Paul Coleman Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:50:10 +0000 http://foreignpolicyjournal.com/?p=252#comment-9 Can you say paranoid? This guy is obsessed with Jews. Yeah right, 14 million people out of 7 billion on the planet pull the strings of the Western governments and press. If he is representative if Iranian thinking, we all better hope these nuts never get the bomb. Can you say paranoid? This guy is obsessed with Jews. Yeah right, 14 million people out of 7 billion on the planet pull the strings of the Western governments and press. If he is representative if Iranian thinking, we all better hope these nuts never get the bomb.

]]> By: Dian Van Deuren. http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2009/04/07/how-the-corporate-media-alienate-iran-prof-mojtahedzadeh/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Dian Van Deuren. Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:21:24 +0000 http://foreignpolicyjournal.com/?p=252#comment-7 Its all about oil. The US wants to control the world's oil. They used 911 as an excuse to bomb Iraq. Read PNAC (Project for a New American Century) & you'll see what I mean. Its all about oil.
The US wants to control the world’s oil.
They used 911 as an excuse to bomb Iraq.
Read PNAC (Project for a New American Century) & you’ll see what I mean.

]]> By: MH http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2009/04/07/how-the-corporate-media-alienate-iran-prof-mojtahedzadeh/comment-page-1/#comment-2 MH Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:04:48 +0000 http://foreignpolicyjournal.com/?p=252#comment-2 This was one of the best articles I have read on all matters that concern Iran-U.S. relations; Israel's Iranophobia, Arab hostility towards Iran and the medias continuous demonization of Iran. Dr. Mojtahedzadeh also responded to many of the questions that I have had for example why Iran is not responding to all of the Arab hostility towards her. Thank you for this very informative and excellent article. I hope that this article can be published and distributed widely in other journals to educate the masses and U.S. government officials. This was one of the best articles I have read on all matters that concern Iran-U.S. relations; Israel’s Iranophobia, Arab hostility towards Iran and the medias continuous demonization of Iran. Dr. Mojtahedzadeh also responded to many of the questions that I have had for example why Iran is not responding to all of the Arab hostility towards her.

Thank you for this very informative and excellent article. I hope that this article can be published and distributed widely in other journals to educate the masses and U.S. government officials.

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