Fox Attacks: Iran

Written By: - Date published: 11:51 pm, November 29th, 2007 - 61 comments
Categories: International, Media - Tags: ,

This looks interesting. Fox Attacks: Iran is a new short film from Robert Greenwald, director of the excellent Outfoxed. The film focuses on the parallels between Fox’s drumbeat for war with Iraq and what’s being said now about Iran. It’s also a plea to other networks not to fall in behind Fox like they did last time.

Here’s what Greenwald has to say:

I remember very clearly the daily fearmongering led by FOX as they cheered for war with Iraq. The 24/7 images, sound effects, yelling and threatening were an ever-present drumbeat for war. We had to invade, and we had to invade now.. anyone who didn’t see that was a traitor. They viciously attacked those of us who worked to get out the truth.

You’d think that with the complete failure in Iraq, those days would be behind us. Sadly, you’d be wrong. FOX wants war with Iran…

This time is different though. We’re prepared, and we have the means to alert people to what FOX is doing. Everyone has seen the terrible tragedy and the awful price paid by so many Iraqis and Americans. We know this is coming, and we can stop it.

It was about this time in the lead-up to the Iraq war when the other TV networks started following FOX’s lead. As CNN’s Christiane Amanpour says in the video, they were intimidated by FOX into cheerleading for the Iraq war.

WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN.

This is a critical moment, and we must send a message to the major television networks urging them to ask tough questions, be skeptical, and tell us what is really happening. They must not follow FOX down the road to another war.

You can sign the open letter over here.

61 comments on “Fox Attacks: Iran ”

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  1. Dean 1
    30 November 2007 at 12:00 am

    Did fox use Coldplay’s “Clocks” in their soundbites at all?

    Enquiring minds wish to know.

  2. Benodic 2
    30 November 2007 at 12:11 am

    Yay! A new troll! Here’s what I don’t get – why are all the trolls over at Kiwiblog intelligent and witty but the ones we get here all act like drunken bores? I feel like we’ve ended up with the raw end of the deal.

  3. Benodic 3
    30 November 2007 at 12:16 am

    While we’re all here why not have a dicussion about – oh, I don’t know – the topic of the post?

    I’m actually pretty surprised Fox is running with the same stupid formula. I know it’s all they know and I know it worked for them last time, but people are a little bit wiser now and they’ve kind of blown all their credibility on Iraq.

  4. Gruela 4
    30 November 2007 at 12:19 am

    Benodic

    I think you’d be surprised at how much credibility Fox still has in the U.S., especially when you get away from the coast. Incidentally, I couldn’t believe it one night, when I was flipping channels, that Fox is on free TV in NZ. I think I cried a little, when I saw that.

  5. Benodic 5
    30 November 2007 at 12:25 am

    Yeah they play it late nights on Prime. I watch it sometimes for humour value but then I’m filled with an immense sadness. The brandy helps me through the worst of it.

  6. Gruela 6
    30 November 2007 at 12:30 am

    It makes the Granny Herald look almost reasonable. Almost. But, no matter how hard they beat the war drums, it’s just not physically possible for the U.S. to invade Iran without a significant extraction from Afghanistan, (which, the more I think of it, the possible it becomes). The most likely option is surgical strikes from Israel, just as they did to Syria earlier in the year. But from what I understand, (which, I admit, never seems to be enough), Iran would be a much tougher nut to crack from the air than they were last time.

  7. Matthew Pilott 7
    30 November 2007 at 12:31 am

    Where’s Al-Jazeera when the US needs it?

  8. Dean 8
    30 November 2007 at 12:39 am

    I do apoligise, Benodic.

    I was just wondering wether this post of Tane’s had as much credibility as his last. I’m truly sorry. I shall refrain from asking for factual correctness from now.

  9. Benodic 9
    30 November 2007 at 12:43 am

    Don’t be cute Dean. You’re a troll and nobody likes you. Fuck off until you decide to add something to the debate.

  10. Gruela 10
    30 November 2007 at 12:54 am

    I second that motion, Benodic. Dean really is coming across like that snide and disparaging kid in your class at school, whom no-one liked and who was secretly hoping to get invited to parties but never was.

    So THIS is what happened to him!

  11. Lee C 11
    30 November 2007 at 7:34 am

    Typical mechanics of a despotic system – whip up fear of a shadowy bogey-man, establish yourslf as the only possible saviour, then strike, and if international law, democratic or Human Rights are made to suffer in the process, it is written off as collateral damage in the name of the greater good.
    ,
    When Fox begins to express similar outrge at the Israeli ownership of nuclear weapons, we might go towards seeing why Iran is developing its own nuclear programme.
    The US foreign policy was flawed over it illegal invasion of Iraq, and because it was flawed over Iraq, unless it fixes that flaw, it will only seek to vindicate its wrongs by compounding them.

    Is this another example of US Middle East policy jumping to Israels tunes? We shall see.
    FUnny, I always thought that Syria would be next on their shoppping list.

  12. Wayne 12
    30 November 2007 at 7:53 am

    Might be a good stocking filler for John Key?

  13. djp 13
    30 November 2007 at 8:18 am

    Ah yes the politics of fear.

    Ron Paul `08!

  14. The Double Standard 14
    30 November 2007 at 8:32 am

    “Incidentally, I couldn’t believe it one night, when I was flipping channels, that Fox is on free TV in NZ. ”

    Quick – ban it!

    Maybe we should send Winston to the USA to tell them how to run their foreign policy?

  15. Lee C 15
    30 November 2007 at 8:42 am

    Yes Wayne, It didn’t take long for someone to take a pop at (yawn) John Key over this, did it?

    Because in the face of another illegal invasion by the US, we all like to imply that John Key applauds US instigated genocide whenever we can, don’t we?.

    Saw a recent quote from Helen Clark about fireworks and why we should ban the sale of them.
    “Last night in my suburb, I felt as if I was in downtown kandahar.” she said.

    I think we should we organise a petition and ask her to give up a week’s wages as atonement to the children of Iraq for this incredibly thoughtless and flippant reference to the very serious situation in Iraq.

    Who is with me?

    What, no equally applied outrage?

    Or shall we just use the forum about US foreign policy to (yawn) score petty little points about (yawn) John Key (again) (yawn)?

  16. Matthew Pilott 16
    30 November 2007 at 8:48 am

    Kandahar is in Afghanistan Lee.

    Just in case you don’t believe me 😉

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandahar

    There is a difference between saying tat the noise of fireworks makes you feel as if you are in a low-level warzone and saying the war in Iraq is over when hundreds are dying every week. Tone down the empty rhetoric Lee, any valid points you make (and I will happily say there are many good contributions from you) are diminished by these flippant posts.

  17. The Double Standard 17
    30 November 2007 at 8:49 am

    Interesting to find that Fox is the highest rating cable news network in the USA – roughly double CNN’s ratings.

    Good thing that American citizens are still free to choose what to watch eh?

  18. r0b 18
    30 November 2007 at 8:50 am

    “(yawn) John Key (again) (yawn)”

    Been watching his new DVD?

  19. Wayne 19
    30 November 2007 at 8:51 am

    Lee you must stop being so defensive of John Key. People might start thinking you’re a tory 🙂

    What’s The Double Standard’s problem? I don’t remember anyone saying Americans shouldn’t be free to choose what they watch. He’s just making stuff up now.

  20. Lee C 20
    30 November 2007 at 9:00 am

    Sorry Pillott I stupidly used an article from ‘Investigate’ as a reference.
    Wayne I think I’ve already been ‘outed’ as a ‘tory’ by R0b just last night, because I have a tendency to try and see both sides of an issue. ANd because I hate the EFB regardless of who supports it, or fails to oppose it.
    My ‘bone’ of contention is the apparently fashionable tendency in The Standard to fixate on ‘John Key’, and it does start to grate. That is not a ‘defence’ of Key, rather a pleas for well not talking about him all the time.
    Ahhh R0b there you are, you trickster, you! quoting my rabidly partisan sentiments on The Standard for all to see what a slavering lap dog of international capitalism I really am!

    I returned the favour and posted your references to De Toqueville’s ‘Tyranny’ (with suitably biased remarks of course) and level playing field over on kiwiblog. hahahahahahaha!
    ps I found his DVD inspirational. I particularly enjoyed the Coldplay soundtrack.

  21. Lee C 21
    30 November 2007 at 9:08 am

    ps on reflection R0b is it not possible for the philosophy of ‘Tyranny of the Majority’ to be hi-jacked by an unscrupulous minority as a justification for passing laws that are undemocratic? (In the public good, as it were?)
    In the same way that ‘Third Way Politics’ can als end up with a dichotomous relationship between ‘laissez-faire capitalism’ and ‘socialism’ which inevitably leads to more restrictive law-making by a social-democratic government as a means to try and redress the tension?
    Would the EFB rank as such an example?

  22. Wayne 22
    30 November 2007 at 9:09 am

    Lee I’m not the standard I’m a guy called Wayne who works in a call centre and I’m genuinely concerned that if he’s PM he’ll try to drag us into Iran.

    I don’t see you criticising the people calling Helen Clark a lesbian lickspittle liabore feminazi over at Kiwiblog. A Very Double Standard on your part Lee.

  23. Matthew Pilott 23
    30 November 2007 at 9:15 am

    “Sorry Pilott I stupidly used an article from ‘Investigate’ as a reference.”

    That comment just brightened my morning, cheers Lee 😀

    Wayne, just let TDS get it out of his system, perhaps it’s a morning thing and later on he will post in response to actual comments, as opposed to his one-eyed view of what he imagines us ‘commies’ believe.

  24. Lee C 24
    30 November 2007 at 9:19 am

    I don’t see you criticising the people calling Helen Clark a lesbian lickspittle liabore feminazi over at Kiwiblog.

    Well if it will please you, Wayne, I’ll do so in future.

    Thanks for the mental image, all the same.

  25. r0b 25
    30 November 2007 at 9:20 am

    Lee – why such a violent reaction to being associated with your own words? Aren’t you proud of them? (For others, the relevant stuff is at the end of http://www.thestandard.org.nz/?p=776 )

  26. rjs131 26
    30 November 2007 at 9:21 am

    Is this the same ‘peace loving’ Iran that says that Israel shoudl be wiped off the map.

    I dont any one on here saying that the Iranians are innocent jsut that everyone wants to vent their spleen with an anti-israeli and anti-americans outburst.

    Should Iran have nuclear weapons? Should attempts by them to gain nuclear weapons be stopped? I dont see you criticisng the French for their extremely strong condemnation of the Iranians

  27. Camryn 27
    30 November 2007 at 9:27 am

    Matthew P – John Key didn’t say “the war is over in Iraq” in the sense that there’s no fighting/violence going on there that you imply.

    He clearly meant the invasion period where the war was nation-states (US Others) versus nation-state (Iraq) rather than the “insurgency” period following.

    http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2007/10/herald_on_iraq.html
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10469133

    Tane made a valid point on both KB and here that Labour politicians also said the war was over, but then ceased to do so once the conflict flared up into what it is now… essentially a civil war with the US now technically representing the government of Iraq. The fact that they did, though, say the war was over is a strong reminder that this Iraq mess has had two clear phases.

    Key should’ve been clearer that he meant the first war rather than the second one, but you can’t justifiably berate him for the meaning that Helen et al wish he meant rather than on actual facts. You’re just parroting spin.

  28. Matthew Pilott 28
    30 November 2007 at 9:28 am

    RJS That’s because the French are unlikely to ignore international law and convention and invade Iran on the basis of an orchaestrated litany of lies, when the real reason is very obvious and cynical.

    I do not support the Iranian regime, but think it is a good counterweight to Israeli influence. Both sides are equally atrocious as nations – Iran supporting Iraqi terrorism, and Israel with the Palestinian situation.

    The solution is not to drum up an atmosphere of fear and send in the Yanks.

    P.s where did ‘peace loving’ come from, or did you make it up to make your post seem, at a glance, more effective, when in fact it shows that you are worried about the weight of your argument and thought you’d ‘sex it up’ a bit?

    P.P.S captcha – relatively occupied – probably not talking about Palestine then 😛

  29. Matthew Pilott 29
    30 November 2007 at 9:52 am

    Camryn you don’t need to spin for JK, he’s perfectly adequate at doing it himself

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10467733

    And perhaps it was a slip but he did say that, and later tried to correct it. I think you’re reading into it too much though, I was only contrasting it with Clark’s comments about fireworks…

    Parroting spin my arse BTW, why do you need to take such a biased view of my comments, it’s really not necesary. His words were that “frankly the war in Iraq is over”. There are hundreds dying there every week, so I have just stated two facts. That is not spin. Chill.

  30. Lee C 30
    30 November 2007 at 9:57 am

    Question to those who might know – I heard of a book that is outin the USA about the influence of Israeli and hard-Chrisitan right influence on US foreign policy in teh Middle East – and it suggested that the Israeli lobby and Bush’s Evangelical movemnt are giving a lot of US dollars and getting little in return from Israel out there. Can anyone give me a link?

    This is a lazy quick link still – http://www.antiwar.com/orig/lind1.html

  31. Billy 31
    30 November 2007 at 10:14 am

    Hooray! A post about something.

    I wouldn’t be too worried about the US going into Iran. I think, secretly, Chaney realises that Iraq was the mother of all fuckups. I doubt there is anyone in the administration with the apetite to start another.

  32. Lee C 32
    30 November 2007 at 10:15 am

    It’s a nice idea to start a little paranoia-fire before an election though, as a rallying call to the otehrwise apathetic….

  33. Matthew Pilott 33
    30 November 2007 at 10:31 am

    Billy – bingo, with the added incentive not to invade, that Iran would be far harder to invade that Iraq in the first place, notwithstanding the four years of heavy combat operations that have virtually run the US army to a standstill.

    I haven’t watched Fox for years – do they still have the terror alerts on their news reel, y’know – “TERROR ALERT – ORANGE”?

  34. Liz Short 34
    30 November 2007 at 10:32 am

    Billy I’m glad that you acknowledge that Iraq
    was the mother of all fuckups.
    Will you therefore acknowledge that to NOT get involved in the aforementioned “fuckup” was
    a good policy. and furthermore any leader (or party) that WOULD have got involved in the fuckup
    needs to have their decision making abilities questioned ?

  35. Lee C 35
    30 November 2007 at 10:42 am

    Liz you are absolutely right.

    New Zealand should have absolutely no part in Iraq and if there is anything that historically Helen Clark and the Labour Government should receive plaudits for, it is their stance on Iraq.

  36. Billy 36
    30 November 2007 at 11:05 am

    Liz, I do not know who you are, why you have suddenly found your voice, and why you seem so obsessed with me. Are you in love with me?

    No need for the “gotcha” tone. I freely acknowledge that Iraq was an emourmous fuckup (in fact, I just said it). I also said so before they went in. It’s not a left-right thing. It’s a common sense thing.

    BTW, I was all for going into Afghanistan. The bad guys were there. It made sense.

    I do not know why you assume that I agree with everything the National Party says or does. I prefer thinking for myself, rather than swallowing a party line. And I haven’t voted for them since 1990.

    Now, I know it is hard, but please try to stop obsessing about me.

  37. chris 37
    30 November 2007 at 11:22 am

    Of course faux news is the staple of redbaiter and his fellow “culture warriors”, references to secular progressives, left wing media bias and the creeping socialist agendas within the education system etc etc, but if you want something that is really disturbing I can recommend LGF, The Gates of Vienna and closer to home, the favorite of Adolf and Fairfacts of No Minister, the creepy Aurora at The Midnight Sun.

    http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/

    http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/

    http://www.themidnightsun.org/

  38. Lampie 38
    30 November 2007 at 11:30 am

    Interesting to find that Fox is the highest rating cable news network in the USA – roughly double CNN’s ratings.

    Good thing that American citizens are still free to choose what to watch eh?

    Cable is free?

  39. Matthew Pilott 39
    30 November 2007 at 11:34 am

    Lampie – gold!

    Especially as Fox is free to air in NZ, apparently. Truth ain’t so pretty as imagination, eh TDS?

  40. Liz Short 40
    30 November 2007 at 11:50 am

    why you seem so obsessed with me. Are you in love with me?
    Christ now you are beginning to sound like DPF

    Two posts mentioning you and I’m obsessed.

    Billy you are gone by luchtime

  41. Billy 41
    30 November 2007 at 11:53 am

    “Two posts mentioning you and I’m obsessed.”

    I know you’re new, so I’ll let it slide, but they are comments.

    And all of your comments have been about me.

    I’m off to lunch.

  42. Robinsod 42
    30 November 2007 at 12:17 pm

    why you seem so obsessed with me. Are you in love with me?

    The dude’s stealing all my lines!

  43. PhilBest 43
    30 November 2007 at 1:01 pm

    Lee C, Iraq has been a UN mandated peacekeeping operation since May 2003. Does our government support those or not?

  44. Gruela 44
    30 November 2007 at 1:15 pm

    I think Lee got the answer a few posts back, personally.

    Fox is beating the war drums because
    (a) it’s good for ratings in their market
    (b) they know a patina of fear cast over next year’s election will help the Republican candidate.

    I think with these guys, the simple answer’s usually the right one because, well, they don’t do ‘complicated’.

    But an invasion will never happen.

  45. Lampie 45
    30 November 2007 at 1:27 pm

    Lee C, Iraq has been a UN mandated peacekeeping operation since May 2003. Does our government support those or not?

    I may have missed it somewhere as I can’t find that on the operations list from the UN http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko/
    If you do find it, post the link

  46. Lee C 46
    30 November 2007 at 10:05 pm

    Lampie “Lee C, Iraq has been a UN mandated peacekeeping operation since May 2003. Does our government support those or not?”

    I honestly do not know the answer to that. Interestingly enough, if they do, that might support the idea that ‘the war is over’.

    This might involve petitions, politicians’ wages donated to to ‘the children’ etc….

    If they don’t it might cast a shadow over New Zealand’s prior support for the UN’s lack of support for the original illegal invasion.

    hmmmm.

  47. Lampie 47
    30 November 2007 at 10:26 pm

    Lee C, Iraq has been a UN mandated peacekeeping operation since May 2003. Does our government support those or not?”

    Ummm thats Philbest’s quote

    I’m just wondering if there is a UN mandated peacekeeping operation in Iraq as I can’t find one so I’m interested so I can have a peek on the net on where that info is

  48. illuminatedtiger 48
    1 December 2007 at 1:13 am

    I see Prime TV are still showing Fox through the night. I’ve been aware for several years now that Prime TV are actually in breach of the broadcasting standards act by showing this garbage. The act spells out clearly that anything screened on TV (made here or otherwise) must give a fair and balanced (read: not Fox) view whereas it is clear Fox News does not. So theres a little project for people interested, if you ever end up watching this filth during the night write down any obvious breaches (this shouldn’t be hard) and email them through to Prime. They are obligated to act appropriately and if you feel they haven’t you can take it further.

  49. Billy the Double 49
    1 December 2007 at 1:25 am

    doesn’t give currency traders a good look
    didn’t put this on his DVD

  50. Billy the Double 50
    1 December 2007 at 1:26 am

    Fuck still the wrong thread

  51. Santi 51
    1 December 2007 at 7:54 am

    I agree. Fox is rubbish. I’d prefer to watch North Korea’s TV all night. It’s of great quality, trully independent and better than the BBC.

    That’s exactly what Kim Il Jong told the poodle Winston two weeks ago.

    I’m all for NKTV on channel 2

  52. Lee C 52
    1 December 2007 at 7:55 am

    Starting to see why they call you ‘Billy the Double’!

  53. PhilBest 53
    1 December 2007 at 3:20 pm

    While we’re on the subject of Iran and Iraq, i have a suggestion to make. Why don’t all you wise-arse Bush-haters put your talents of omniprescence to good use and make yourselves filthy rich? because if you KNOW that Iraq and the world would be better off today with Saddam still in power, and you KNOW that the Mullahs of Iran are never going to do anything hurtful with a nuke, predicting winning Lotto numbers should be a doddle for you.

  54. Robinsod 54
    1 December 2007 at 4:07 pm

    Phil – you’ve got real problems with rational debate, eh?

  55. Thomas 55
    1 December 2007 at 4:22 pm

    Phil – you’ve got real problems

  56. Santi 56
    1 December 2007 at 4:32 pm

    Thomas, you got even worse problems.

  57. Thomas 57
    1 December 2007 at 5:16 pm

    Santi
    To which Thomas are you referring?, there seems to be a few
    SO I am going to change mine to
    More soporific then a John Key DVD

  58. More soporific then a John Key DVD 58
    1 December 2007 at 5:18 pm

    Thats better
    Anyone see the march apparently 5 thousand
    marching for freedom?

  59. Pascal's bookie 59
    1 December 2007 at 5:22 pm

    Lee C

    I think this might be the book you were looking for upthread:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Israel_Lobby_and_U.S._Foreign_Policy

    The following is something else that you might find interesting:
    http://www.amconmag.com/06_30_03/feature.html

  60. thomas (formally knowed as thomas) 60
    1 December 2007 at 6:55 pm

    haha thomas my matey – lets see how u like it when JK gets medieval on your ass!

  61. PhilBest 61
    3 December 2007 at 11:49 am

    Who’s got problems with rational debate? Who’s shutting down freedom of speech in NZ, and who says that a TV channel like Fox should be banned, and talk radio regulated? Is anyone on the RIGHT calling for that sort of thing over all the leftwing propaganda media organs, which by the way, is most of them, a matter of default since far more lefties get to become journalists than rightwingers. That’s why there’s such a healthy market niche for Fox News in the US, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of Kiwis watch it as an antidote to john Campbell and his ilk.

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