Iran divides East and West- on green movement and on nuclear fears!

(See What We See News and Archive)

Based on monitoring of media with close ties to certain Asian powers, the editorial here takes the view, that Iran is one of the many issues which divide east and west:


Editorial by Marc Aupiais

Since taking on my role as a news editor, largely to fill the gap we at Scripturelink had in our search engine's coverage of certain specialty issues, I have always attempted to broaden my mind. For this reason I subscribe to the press releases of governments all over the world, in the languages these nations' governments speak in. In addition to this, as South Africa is certainly more connected with the East than the West, at least politically, I am privileged enough to be allowed to watch on my television, what many in the western world consider nothing but propaganda. Given that I have an in depth knowledge of issues, however, I am usually not fazed by this.

While western nations have been condemning the response to the Iranian authorities to the so-called "Green" movement, which claims that recent elections were rigged, the media voices of Eastern powers: China, and Russia, have been presenting a very different perspective.

Both have portrayed protests recently in which about 300 people were arrested as "Violent" "anti-government" protests: in RT (Russian) and CCTV 9 (China Central Television international) that is. The Russian broadcaster quotes the Iranian government to say how many people died, saying that 8 had died, unlike opposition figures cited by western media, which claim that 15 died. Rather than seeing the protests as by one political movement against another, or as against an administration, or "regime", these services both portrayed the recent protests as violent and anti-governmental. While the western observers saw the violence as largely caused by both sides, this is not the impression created by these eastern services with relatively close ties to the state.

RT today broadcast an interview with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, in which Russia seems to further cement their seeming support for the Iranian administration. While Sanctions are directly credited with ending Apartheid in South Africa, and many other disputes, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister insisted that sanctions are historically inadequate as means to insure compliance with laws and systems. The Deputy Foreign Minister was not talking about recent protests, but rather about Iran's alleged nuclear program.

The Deputy Foreign Minister went on to explain, that his nation "treasures" its ties to Iran, and its relationship to the Iranian government.

Russian RT television gave a lot of airtime, as did Chinese state television- to accusations by the Iranian administration, that protests were western inspired, as there was no quotations on the other end, this seems to be a lot more airtime afforded to the Iranian administration than they did to conflicting views. No quotation was made, while I was watching, of the Green movement behind the protests.

Before Copenhagen, watching RT, I knew that there was no chance that the East would bow to any legally binding deal on so-called "Man-Made Climate Change", Russian media for one, was only broadcasting views contrary to those of persons supporting the theory that climate change is man-made.

The reason I watch these stations, is because I believe them to be voices for the strict administrations they represent. These countries are certainly players on the world stage.

That both of these media bodies seem to be subtly if not openly on one side over the Iranian protests, and as Western support for the Green movement has been condemned by Eastern media- it certainly seems firstly that Iran has some backing for their fight against the Green movement. It also would seem that Iran may well enjoy the same impunity as far as its alleged nuclear ambitions are concerned, as Israel enjoys for other reasons from the West. It may be noted, that Israel does not officially have any nuclear weapons.

America's choice to reach out to Iran earlier this year, before the election, may have unwittingly caused Russia to fear for its own territory, and may even be now hampering American efforts, once again spurred on by claims of fears of weapons of mass destruction.

That America has no problem with a seemingly rigged election in Afghanistan, under a "moderate" regime, which none the less allows wives to be denied food if they do not please their husbands' sexual desires suggests the same partisan approach by the West which I have noted before, which certainly does not help create the impression that America is doing as they do for the good of the whole world. That human rights abuses in China, and in South America, Iraq, Afghanistan, can be ignored, but those in Iran warrant attention, alas after a delay in which Obama alienated many western observers means that America certainly can no longer claim to be the World Police, but only one of the many centres of power in the world, aiming for its own benefit, or that of one or other ideology.

The first question western observers should be asking is: if the green movement gets into power, will they continue Iran's alleged nuclear projects, or will they choose a more peaceful approach. This movement is not a classical western movement, and even these often hide behind nuclear weapons. From my impression of a broad spectrum of views, I would estimate it highly likely that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, just as I estimate it likely that the Apartheid era, South African government had nuclear weapons, and likely that Israel currently does.

I also estimate it as highly likely that the Iranian elections recently were either flawed, or fraudulent. I also am more inclined to believe that the protesters portray a more accurate view of what is happening in Iran- than the Iranian state media. However, having been taught of the alleged witch trials carried out in South Africa, by ANC activists in late apartheid, allegedly to make South Africa ungovernable- I read about this from different sources as required reading in the law cause I am currently doing, and as such I also know that it is unwise to trust the views of a movement simply because its opponent may well be bad or oppressive.

On this note, neither of these Eastern media voices seemed to care for the views of the protesters. I would suspect, that in the minefield of global politics, that Russia and China both are supporting the Iranian administration, and that America should be very careful as it along with European powers seeks to insure that Iran does not gain nuclear capability, as it does not look as though they have Russian support in this initiative.

In accordance with journalist integrity, I will note my personal bias, in that I am more western in my personal views, especially on this matter. What I am noting, is that Iran does seemingly have strong supporters on the global scene, supporters which America has yet to buy with mistranslated Russian on ignition keys, and mouse speeches in China, where on Christmas day, yet another Human Rights activist was sent to jail, this time for eleven years- for writing and petitioning with a document, of which, according to Vatican connected service AsiaNews, the entire text has previously been signed in diplomatic documents by the Chinese representation. AsiaNews also alleges that 300 others who signed the document also desired to be tried, but were not. Under the current administration in America, I do not see in the future any more success in negotiating alliance with the East over issues such as Iran.

As always I welcome your views and input, do you think that America and others will be able to bypass world politics, and actually get a hold of Iran, in order to force enrichment of uranium to go through Europe, or will they not be able to pass this politically hard impasse?