War of Words

Gas at $25 a litre, anyone? One of the consequences of war against Iran

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The western world is highly propagandized. How else do the powers that be get away with supporting an ongoing genocide amidst housing and cost of living crises, unaddressed environmental catastrophes, and the ever widening gulf between the haves and have nots?

We should all be hopping mad, but nope, many believe the mainstream narrative that bombards them on all sides: online, in movies, video games and mainstream media. And those who are mad are encouraged to blame immigrants, women, boomers, Asians, Islamists or whatever identifiable group they can take their rage out on. How handy for those profiting from genocide, wars and the privatization of almost everything: it takes the blame off the system that continues to enrich them.

We’re in a battle for hearts and minds, and it’s a battle for the future.

How do we persuade people that genocide isn’t OK, or is even happening in the first place? What will it take to convince people that the rich in the west shouldn’t be hoarding the money that should go towards making the society a place where all are housed, have enough to eat and have access to medical care and education? How do we convincingly make the case that peace makes more sense than war, or that environmental restoration should take precedence over corporate profits?

As Israel continues its attack on Iran, and as Trump decides the extent of American involvement, how do we reign in Israel? How do we make them stop committing genocide in Gaza and bombing countries around them, the latest being Iran? They’re breaking international law with impunity, while we watch helplessly as the people in Gaza are bombed and starved to death by Israel.

I’m inspired by people like Professor Sayed Mohammad Marandi. He explains the situation in Iran so clearly and convincingly, and I’m sure he’s helped many to increase their understanding of the situation in Iran. Here’s a recent interview with him on Democracy Now.

I wish more people from around the world were presenting their side of things as well as he is. Someone in China who does a good job of communicating that country’s position is KJ Noh. I learn a lot from him, as you can see from this interview.

There are many excellent geopolitical analysts, and I’ve shared a few of my favourites in this post. I encourage you to check them out and see if you can find some that resonate with you.

The more people who understand the nature of the situation we find ourselves in, the better our chances of moving in a better direction. Having correct information is the first step towards finding solutions.

We have to break through the propaganda, and get to a common understanding of the global context we find ourselves in.

Let’s look at Iran. A few days before they were scheduled to negotiate for peace, Israel pre-emptively bombed Tehran and assassinated a number of prominent people, including the chief negotiator, and murdered civilians including children in the process.

According to Professor Marandi, Iran has been preparing for an attack by Israel for decades, so was prepared to strike back at Israel, and caused much damage. What if the USA gets involved and this situation escalates? According to Professor Marandi, it could cost Trump his presidency, and plunge the world into a depression, increasing gas prices to as much as $25 a litre at the pump. If Iran blocked gas exports to the west, this could be one of the consequences.

And all this because of the false claim that Iran is creating a nuclear weapon. As others have said, the accusation of nuclear weapons in Iran is the new weapons of mass destruction that justified the invasion of Iraq. We shouldn’t have fallen for it then, and we should’t fall for it now.

Are we willing to go down this path? Why? Why all this destruction, the loss of lives in other countries, and austerity in the west?

We need to come to our senses, and stop our political leadership from supporting Israel. We need stop investing in NATO and put that money where it’s needed: in our societies, environmental solutions and reparations to those who have been devastated by NATO’s reckless military operations.

And if we can ‘t convince the people who govern and influence us, how do we make them change course? We’re all being held hostage by these powers who beat the drums of war, risking everything for all of us.

This has to be a turning point for humanity. This has to be the limit of the insanity of a class that is willing to fund and support genocide and unprovoked military aggression.

How do we convince others of this? And what do we do about it?

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I love the BDS campaign and the effect it’s having on Israel’s economy.

Here's an excellent list of products from Israel: https://boycott.thewitness.news/browse/1

Here's a way to help others not in your bubble to boycott Israel: https://www.cjpme.org/stickies_2024_en

And here's where you can support Palestine by buying a keffiyeh: https://www.hirbawi.ps/