Miscommunication between Iranian Society and the West on Iran?s Nuclear Program

Washington Institute - PolicyWatch #1078 ^ | February 10, 2006 | Mehdi Khalaji

[humint]

In recent months, the growing controversy surrounding the Iranian nuclear program and Western suspicions about the military intentions of the Iranian regime has reached a crucial phase. A serious problem for the Western campaign to press the Islamic Republic about its nuclear program is that Iranian society has been indifferent or hostile to the West?s efforts. The United States in particular needs to find ways to reenergize its outreach to Iranian society.

Tehran Keeps [the Iranian] People in the Dark

Iranian state censorship on the nuclear program has strengthened in the past two years, ever since the Iranian National Security Council issued a circular banning publication of any news or analysis regarding the nuclear program outside the official media and state news agencies as a threat to national security. The Iranian people not only have no opportunity to hear or read critiques of Iranian nuclear activities, they also have no opportunity to learn accurate news about the nuclear crisis and its development in Iran, in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), or the American and European negotiations. In the absence of an independent media, state propaganda can provoke a sense of national patriotism by claiming that the West wants to push Iran backwards to the dark ages and fights with any Islamic country, such as Iran, that attempt to access advanced technology.

[humint]

Good read...

[FairOpinion]

Thanks for posting it.

Interesting article.

Of course, the Mullah's keep the people in the dark.

I hope the US keeps broadcasting the truth, so they at least find out what's really going on.

[rawcatslyentist]

How much clearer can it get? Try these words on for size!

Sura 9:5 of the “Koran,” “Slay the idolaters muslimes wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush.”

Whutdya think they mean?

Kill A Commie For Mommie
Seven Dead Monkeys Page O Tunes

[sgtbono2002]

I dont believe the Iranian people are that much in the dark.

[T.L.Sink]

Israeli intelligence says Iran will be nuclear within a year. The CIA says they'll be there in about 10. Sadly, the CIA is broken - it began with Democrat Frank Church and his 1976 Commission which neutered CIA counterintelligence. There have been other egregious failures of the CIA (remember the guy who said "slam dunk" about WMD?) In any case, it's better to err on the side of caution and assume the Israelis are right. When mullahs and imams are in control who think exactly like bin Laden and are looking forward to apocalyptic martyrdom no chance can be taken.

[humint]

I dont believe the Iranian people are that much in the dark.

Why? The government there filters the internet, monitors civilian mail, uses electronic warfare to jam alternative media to name a few techniques. All Iranian media is under state control. Journalists and editors are regularly sent to prison... Remember this?

26 January 2006

Authorities block BBC’s Farsi-language website

Reporters Without Borders today condemned the Iranian government’s censorship of the BBC’s Farsi-language website, which has been inaccessible within Iran since 18 January.

Iranians are being deprived of an independent and very popular source of news, the press freedom organisation said, condemning the government’s Internet filtering, which has been stepped up in recent months. The authorities have offered no explanation for the BBC site’s sudden inaccessibility.

[humint]

Sura 9:5 of the “Koran,”... ...Whutdya think they mean?

Is the Koran a they?

[humint]

Israeli intelligence says Iran will be nuclear within a year. The CIA says they'll be there in about 10.

These are extremely complicated estimates to make and I would imagine proximity to the threat would influence the analytical outcome. Add to that, the possibility that an overt estimate is not a real estimate but instead, disinformation, and what our intelligence thinks about Iran's nuclear weapons program becomes anyone’s guess. Recall, most of the CIA's report that included the "10 years out" estimate was classified. In fact, the estimate itself was leaked... Hmmmmm. [rubbing my chin in thought]

[sgtbono2002]

I was in a thread a couple of weeks ago and one poster who claimed to be in Iran was giving me hell for saying I didnt believe there were many Iranian dissidents who would take back their government. Now who knows where this cat was from , but he claimed he was in Iran, and the protesters were working hard.

[sgtbono2002]

I wouldnt place a lot of faith in a CIA report.

Maybe its just me , but I think we would be better off doing away with the CIA and start from scratch.