Tag Archives | Iran

Is It Time For An “October Surprise?

By Danny Schechter on September 20, 2012 in News 11

Location of Strait of Hormuz in relation to Arabian Peninsula. Kleptosquirrel (CC)

The term “October Surprise” is one that always triggers speculation in political circles.

It refers to some covert initiative that a candidates take in the month before the election to try to win an election.

Even as President Obama seems to lead in the polls, and the lead is slipping, the political race faces a number of unknowns including whether and how Israel may intervene more actively to force its political agenda on our political agenda.

According to Consortium News, this has happened before in an earlier US election:

“A pressing foreign policy question of the U.S. presidential race is whether Israel might exploit this politically delicate time to bomb Iran’s nuclear sites and force President Obama to join the attack or face defeat at the polls, a predicament with similarities to one President Carter faced in 1980,” writes Robert Parry.

… Read the rest

Israel On The Offensive In Bid To Press President Obama To Attack Iran

By Danny Schechter on September 14, 2012 in News 22

New York, New York: It feels like Iran Week in the USA.

Using an exaggerated if fictive Iranian threat to create nuclear weapons as their pretext, Israeli politicians are blatantly and publicly inserting themselves in America’s Presidential elections, demanding that President Obama do their bidding by articulating so-called “red lines” to further threaten Tehran.

Until, now Israel has been content to mobilize its powerful lobby and media assets to apply pressure from the shadows, using political contributions and diplomacy of a covert type so that Tel-Aviv’s direct intervention could have plausible deniability. That is no longer the case.

The New York Times reports,

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel inserted himself into the most contentious foreign policy issue of the American presidential campaign on Tuesday, criticizing the Obama administration for refusing to set clear “red lines” on Iran’s nuclear progress that would prompt the United States to undertake a military strike.

… Read the rest

US Coup D’Etat, Monsanto, Iran War, CNN Censorship, NYPD in Israel – Breaking The Set

By Abby Martin on September 10, 2012 in News 2

Abby Martin brings up the issue of global surveillance and drone warfare and talks to NIAC Policy Director Jamal Abdi about the possibility of war with Iran. MSNBC is called out for political bias, and RT Producer Ramon Galindo speaks about the impending doom of nuclear reactors built by fault lines. She breaks down the corruption of the NYPD and asks: why are they bringing their criminal enterprise to Tel Aviv, Israel?

Moishe the Muppet Readies Israelis for War with Iran

By Disinformation on August 29, 2012 in News 3

Via RT.COM:

The Israeli military has issued a new brochure offering safety tips to civilians in case of a war – you know, just in case of a war- with Iran. That’s not surprising, but the way they’ve chosen to present the information is: They’re using the face of “Moishe Oofnik”: the Israeli version of Sesame Street‘s “Oscar the Grouch.”

Muppets on the popular show are known for teaching children numbers and the alphabet, but Moishe Oofnik has taken on a different job with this pamphlet – instructing Israelis how to react if their nation’s government launches a war against Iran.

The booklet, issued by the Israeli military, says that once air raid sirens sound, residents of the Jewish state would have between 30 seconds and three minutes to find cover before rockets hit their area. The brochure, which is being distributed across the country, also teaches Israelis how to prepare a safe room or shelter for emergency situations.

… Read the rest

Former Congresswoman Claims US Lawmakers Forced To Pledge Support to Israel

By Mallon Khan on August 24, 2012 in News 27

In June of 2011, former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney travelled to Iran to attend an International Anti-terrorism Conference. The conference, despite being also anti-western, had the support of the United Nations. McKinney sat down with Press TV to discuss the relationship between the US and Iran as well as the inner workings of the US Congress. A supporter of 9/11 truth among other alternative viewpoints, McKinney is no stranger to controversy. In this interview she drops a bomb about the close relationship between the US Congress and the State of Israel. Watch the whole interview here.

U.S. Steps Up Sanctions, Says Iran Violates International Obligations

By Danny Schechter on August 7, 2012 in News 5

Sheldon Adelson & family.

What are “international obligations? Does the United States have to uphold them along with other counties? Does Washington even know they are defined as “obligations owed by states to the international community as a whole, intended to protect and promote the basic values and common interests of all.” By this very definition, no one state can decide what’s best for all.

When the United States stepped up its sanctions on Iran last past week, it cited Iran’s failure to adhere to its “international obligations.” There was, of course, no reference to domestic politics where President Obama, under attack from adversary Mitt Romney, criticized his failure to stop Iran’s nuclear program.

Romney did so in Israel hoping to curry favor and donations from Jewish voters. Scholars like Juan Cole found the exercise distasteful for many reasons:

“There is a convention in US politics that you don’t criticize the sitting president, even if you are an opposition politician, while on foreign soil.

… Read the rest

Federal Magistrate Rules Against Al-Qaeda, Taliban and Iran in 9/11 Civil Case

By Disinformation on August 1, 2012 in News 7

Via CBS News:

Federal Magistrate Frank Maas has recommended that Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Iran be held liable for six billion dollars in a 2011 civil suit brought against them by relatives of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The assessment is symbolic in nature, as it will be impossible to collect damages. Still, at least some of the plaintiffs are pleased with the results:

Plaintiff Ellen Saracini … is happy about Manhattan Federal Magistrate Judge Frank Maas’ recommendation Monday. Her husband, Victor, was the captain of one of the planes that struck the World Trade Center.

Read the entire story at CBS News.

… Read the rest

Iran Sentences Banker Criminals To Death Penalty

By JacobSloan on August 1, 2012 in News 11

Perhaps this is one instance in which we could learn something from Ahmadinejad and company? Via the BBC:

Four people have been sentenced to death for their roles in Iran’s biggest-ever bank fraud scandal. Two other defendants received life sentences, while 33 more will spend up to 25 years in jail, the chief prosecutor was quoted as saying. The scandal involved forged documents reportedly used by an investment company to secure loans worth $2.6bn.

The case broke in September 2011 when an investment firm was accused of forging documents to obtain credit from at least seven Iranian banks over a four-year period. The money was reportedly used to buy state-owned companies under the government’s privatisation scheme.

As part of their probe, authorities froze the assets of an Iranian businessman thought to be the mastermind behind the scam. The BBC’s Sebastian Usher said the firm at the heart of the scandal had moved from a small start-up capital to being worth billions of dollars.

… Read the rest

The Ignorance of ‘Intelligence’

By Danny Schechter on July 31, 2012 in News 7

Some years ago, I met a major in American intelligence, a member of the “Red Cell Unit.”

As he explained it to me, his unit was actually charged with assessing other spy shops by offering other views, critiquing intelligence estimates and perhaps even evaluating security systems like the specialists who test airport systems by probing for their soft spots and vulnerabilities, and seeing if they can beat them.

This soldier had been sent as one more gung-ho officer into the war in Iraq only to return, like many, if not disillusioned, aware that all was not working well. He was actually involved in guarding so called HVP’s (High Value Prisoners) including Saddam Hussein himself, who he came to respect for his intelligence before his untimely demise with a rope around his neck.

Saddam’s many crimes and errors were often dwarfed by our own.

The United States today has a vast intelligence apparatus, on the ground, in the sky and even in space.… Read the rest

AC/DC Virus Unleashed On Iranian Nuclear Program

By majestic on July 24, 2012 in News 8

I so want this to be true, but really it does seem to be a stretch… From RT:

Iranian nuclear facilities have reportedly been attacked by a “music” virus, turning on lab PCs at night and blasting AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.”

Mikko Hypponen, Chief Researcher at Finnish digital security firm F-secure, publicly released a letter he received from an unnamed Iranian scientist. The researcher, who claimed to work for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), said that another virus has struck the Natanz uranium enrichment facility in central Iran and a secret underground research facility at Fordo, southwest of Tehran.

The letter’s author reported that the virus shut down equipment (made by Germany’s Siemens Corporation) and automated systems at both research centers.

Hypponen published the letter on his blog, but cautioned that there is no way for him to verify the accusations. He was able to confirm, however, that the letter did originate from the AEOI’s servers.

… Read the rest

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