The West Australian lies about Iran threat again

[The following letter was sent by Socialist Alliance member Leisha Jack to The West Australian newspaper on 14 November 2011.]

I refer to the statement in your article, in today’s West Australian (14th November 2011, page 23), that “The prospects of a nuclear-armed Iran terrify its neighbours.....”.

This is completely untrue.

According to Noam Chomsky, extensive Arab polls by the Brookings Institute recently, show that an overwhelming majority of the Arab population actually see Israel as the biggest threat to their region (80%) and the second biggest threat being the US (77%).

Many Arabs (57%) feel that it would have a positive effect on the region if Iran had nuclear weapons! Only 10% see Iran as a threat. Your comments are dangerously misleading to the West Australian public and must be immediately amended.

(See for reference the video below or Democracy Now.)


What you are writing looks a lot like the sort of propaganda used by western governments and the media, as an excuse to invade other middle eastern countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, with the “Weapons of Mass Destruction” and the “The War on Terror” etc.?

Please advise me on whether you intend to withdraw or amend this comment?

I will leave you with this quote by Nazi Officer Hermann Goering:

“The people don't want war, but they can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. This is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and for exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.”

Leisha Jack
Karrinyup