Global Research

As the US moves to yet another war footing in the Persian Gulf, echoes of Iraq still ring in our ears. We are subjected to the same footage of IAEA inspectors trundling along in search of elusive WMDs, and the US media spins their lies and propaganda every hour of every day.

But it’s high time for Iran to adopt a page from their playbook.

Conveniently coinciding with US and NATO ambitions, the current mainstream media mantra is: “Iran is trying to produce a nuclear bomb. We need to stop them.” This is the lynchpin for US and NATO aggression. Iran needs to nail that lie once and for all. Perhaps it can do that by communicating directly with the American public, rather than through the Washington lie machine.

Mass media is the swinging watch of hypnotism. American elites know this – they created it. They use it time and again to beat home their talking points, their justifications, rationalizations and ultimately, explanations for their actions. We see little of this out of Iran. World opinion is being shaped by their enemy.

Sun Tzu, the ancient warrior and philosopher, were he sitting in a room with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, would counsel: “When confronting an enemy, make their strengths your strengths.”

Perhaps the American addiction to television can be utilised. Iran needs to seize upon this social phenomenon. The situation boils down to this: the US government and its media-industrial military complex seem sure that Iran is trying to create “The Bomb”; Iran is insisting it isn’t. One is wrong and one is right. The US is itching to go to war and/or bomb Iran, per the 2000 PNAC agenda. Iran has invited IAEA inspectors to their nuclear sites for years on numerous occasions, with many inspections performed; ironically, by the very organization the US had a hand in creating. They have signed no less than three agreements to not develop nuclear weapons. Not one report has come back confirming Iran is developing a nuclear weapons program. Even Leon Panetta, US Secretary of Defense, recently replied on Face the Nation: “Are they trying to develop a nuclear weapon? No.”

When faced with a situation in which one or both parties might be lying, the first step is to review the background, or track record, of the parties in contention. The second step to consider is motive. Who stands to gain what from a lie?

When looking into the history of the US governments’ actions, it is proven time and again they lie, cheat, steal, bribe and kill to get what they want, which is control of countries, regions, commodities, trade and natural resources. Iran, while no angel in the long view of history, has not waged war in over a hundred years. It is reasonably self-sufficient in terms of coveting its neighbors’ resources. Regarding motives; the US wants control of the Middle East. Geopolitically, controlling the ME is critical to the long view of impending hostilities with China and Russia.

Iran needs to capitalize on Americans’ slave-like devotion to television by creating a weekly show in which world-renowned academics explain the details of nuclear power. Think ‘Nuclear Power for Dummies”. Press TV, an Iranian station making inroads into Europe and America could air the show. Russia Today would come on board, as they now have US viewership via Dish Network, a leading satellite company. Cameras should follow every inspector to every nook and cranny of every nuclear facility in Iran, including the new one in Qom.

Like any top shelf television event, there would be an expert panel that renders complicated things simple, for example: the legitimate entitlements to civilian nuclear under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, how uranium enrichment is an essential, normal process in harnessing civilian nuclear energy; how this enrichment is figuratively a million miles away from the enrichment required for weaponising nuclear materials.

Many questions exist that are critical to determining exactly what Iran has in mind with its nuclear facilities. Experts could explain to the uninformed peoples, and give absolute proof that Iran is not seeking to build ‘The Bomb’. Iran can launch a world-class TV program with a global marketing campaign to let the world know they are honest and want to share that fact with every citizen on the planet. Ultimately, money is god for media corporations, and some will allow it to air ‘for the right price’.

Let the American people see that Iran is trying to provide electricity for its citizens. Let them know Iran is willing to sell cheap electricity into African countries. Let Americans realize that a byproduct of their nuclear ambitions is to provide medically usable materials to help fight cancer in their country. Let them know Iran would never nuke Israel or anyone as it would undoubtedly spell their own nuclear destruction. MAD is never more apropos. The key in this television series should be to sway the American public away from war, by showing them the truth – that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons.

The wind needs to be taken out of the warmongering sails of Congress and the Obama administration. No wind, no movement of the ships of war. The cost to undertake a global television weekly event would be far cheaper than even the shortest war. If a television show produced by Iran can combat the warped media onslaught of propaganda spewing from US mainstream media, then Iran owes it to its citizens to try everything they can to lower the level of hostilities, and so avoid war. Lives are at the stake, and perhaps even the very future of our planet.

So bring the truth on – massively. Iran could turn the normally debilitating hypnotism of mass media into a wake-up call to the American public. Lights, camera, action…

Mike Winter is a published poet and writer based in southern Illinois, USA.

He can be contacted at [email protected]