All war is based on deception

But first you have to know what is true.

This is my most recent video voiceover for SouthFront which is about possible war with Iran. I have great respect for SF’s work and its people, but I should elaborate on some details.

Misinformation

Al Jazeera had an interesting report:

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Iranian ‍Foreign ‍Minister Abbas Araghchi denied that Tehran had plans to execute protesters. During this interview, Araghchi downplayed the death toll that is being reported.

“I certainly deny the numbers and figures they have said. It is an exaggeration, it is a misinformation campaign, only to find excuses, only to do another aggression against Iran,” Araghchi said, adding that the number was being exaggerated to involve Trump in the conflict.

Numbers of people killed in the unrest in Iran vary hugely, complicated by false reports. This is the nature of war of all kinds. It is based on deception.

The BBC shows footage of the massive pro-government rallies in Iran, while a British comedian swears they’re anti-government protesters and begs for ‘outside help’ against the Ayatollah

For casualty counts, the Google ‘net mostly quotes HRANA, which is a Washington-based, Washington-funded anti-Iran group

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) put the death toll at 2,615 on Wednesday. However, the Iranian government said these numbers have been exaggerated, and Iranian state TV reports put the figure at about 300. On Wednesday night, Trump’s tone softened when he said he had received assurances from Iran that the killings of protesters in Iran had stopped and that executions of detained demonstrators would not go ahead.

However, some Western commenters are quoting figures as high as 12,000— a number that comes from Saudi-funded anti-Iranian Volant Media’s Iran International.

Western “misinformation” is what were called “lies” when I was a kid.

Moral Travesty

In the end, the numbers of people killed or injured does not matter from a geopolitical perspective although each one is devastating to families and friends.

It is a moral travesty: the US and Israel are using those numbers, small or large to create a “narrative”, a poisonous confection of falsehoods:

• Iran is a repressive theocracy

• The people are rising up against their “rulers”

• The Iranian state if putting down the unrest violently.

This “narrative” is as false as the one about Maduro’s drug cartels.

The truth?

• Iran is a kind of theocracy but it has moved towards greater and greater toleration over the years.

• Iran has a democratic government.

• The protests were over economic conditions, rising prices and the like.

• To provide “evidence” that would justify a Zio-American attack, CIA/MOSSAD operatives provoked violence and murdered not only ordinary people but policemen trying to keep order, then blamed it on the police!

• This campaign used Starlink Terminals.

The CIA and Mossad had deployed Starlink terminals throughout Iran among dissident groups in order to generate propaganda images and reports that would convince Western populations that Iran was on the brink of collapse, and to coordinate activities. Western intelligence also provided cash and weapons to groups scattered across Iran with express orders to attack Iranian police and security services… Create enough chaos and then, with well placed military strikes, hopefully collapse the Iranian government. Larry Johnson

The Boomerang

Iran has seen this strategy before. They know it for what it is – it fits a pattern of deception , violent subversion and malevolent disinformation. It seems that the US and the Zionists thought they could undermine support for the IRGC and Khamenei. But their strategy boomeranged.

In fact, it increased support and created a greater national consensus that Iran needed its moderate liberal parliamentary government to mount a firmer response.

The Iranians acted swiftly cutting off Starlink, demonstrating a technological capability which the West had not anticipated.

And for the first time, they raised serious concerns in the West about shock & awe pre-emptive strikes – against US bases-- accompanied by closing off the Hormuz Strait.

This alarmed the Americans, who faced the possibility of seeing their military resources obliterated overnight with massive casualties. The newest generation of hypersonic missiles and advanced drones are deadlier, faster, more precise, amnd stealthier. Iranian technology has been developing fast.

It also alarmed the Saudis and Qataris. I don’t’ think they care about the US bases much – but their economies would be severely damaged by cutting off their ability to export oil. I am sure they lobbied Washington to “wait” — indefinitely.

In addition there was clear support for Iran from both Russia and China – at the technical and technological level. And even from North Korea, which rumor (Telegram, X) has it, has threatened to use its nuclear weapons, if the Americans or the Israelis use theirs!

Also, if the Iranians go Full Monty , you can expect them to upgrade the capabilities of the Yemenis and Hezbollah at the same time, as proxy forces.

So Trump put off the attack. “Oh”, he says “We stopped them killing people”.

A win right ? An egregious lie, of course, since it was Trump’s people in Iran killing innocent protestors and others.

But Trump hasn’t given up .. He is moving forces to the ME. That’s fine for the Iranians. It gives them more time to plan and prepare. And if push comes to shove they still have the advantage. And lots more targets.

Larry Johnson thinks Trump is bent on war.

Maybe.

But Trump is a bully. Like all bullies he is mostly talk and likes showing his strength against smaller, weaker opponents, like Venezuela or Greenland. But Iran is not small, and weak and it has strong backers. Bullies facing some one who can really fight, posture and bluster for the crowd and then back off, pretending to show mercy.

I hope I am right. But I have been wrong before.

Ichi speaks on war

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