IRAN (Is Not The Problem)
IRAN (Is Not The Problem) is a feature length documentary film responding to the failure of the American mass media to provide the public with relevant and accurate information about the standoff between the US and Iran, as happened before with the lead up to the invasion of Iraq.
We have heard that Iran is a nuclear menace in defiance of the international community, bent on "wiping Israel off the map", supporting terrorism, and unwilling to negotiate. This documentary disputes these claims as they are presented to us and puts them in the context of present and historical US imperialism and hypocrisy with respect to Iran. It looks at the struggle for democracy inside Iran, the consequences of the current escalation and the potential US and/or Israeli attack, and suggests some alternatives to consider.
This 79 minute documentary features Antonia Juhasz, Larry Everest, and other activists and Iranian-Americans. The goal of this movie is to promote dialog and change the debate on Iran, so please consider organizing a screening, big or small, in your area.
Produced by Aaron Newman, an independent film-maker and part of the Scary Cow film co-op in San Francisco. He is an anti-imperialism/pro-democracy activist, founder of the SF Chomsky Book Club, and a member of Hands Off Iran. There are differences of opinion between many of the voices in this film, but all agree that a war would be unjustified. Below are brief video introductions for each of the people who participated.
"If there are two words that you get out of this class, it is that"...journalists lie....
I despise the use of music during intellectual discussions! I loath "bumper music", completely unprofessional presentation(s)! The Intel agencies want us to remain as stupid as possible so why not shorten our attention spans with background noises and music to dance by
axis of evil? what is definition of evil exactly you said?
USrael is a plague upon the world.. Leave Iran alone, they have hada successful revolution, completely independent of USraeli intervention which is spawning all the propaganda against the iranians..
the only way this dictator in Iran most remove by Iranian revolution not by any out wars
i believe the Islamic regime in Iran is the cancer for not Iranian peoples but also for the world, and as soon as possible has to be removed .bye Iranian people ,bye use help of the world1but if any wars against this county happen? not only help the Iranian government to get more prover , and will be for world piece
**** off USA
And if we let Iran just alone nothing will happen.... just like North-Korea
stop lying to the world and while you at it stop persecuting the Palestinians and Catholics in Israel
This documentary is probably the most bias and ridiculous one i have seen on the website. These people are radical left wingers... I think there are trees being cut down somewhere in the world, go save them and stay out the middle east issues.
"Plain and simple: The US agenda is world domination."
This is not a phrase that should be in a documentary without being immediately justified. First, "plain and simple" is a cliche. It's like saying "let me dumb it down for you", or "bottom line ..." Why would you put a cliche right in the beginning of what is supposed to be an authoritative work? Then to say that it is the US agenda when you only show that it might be some faction's agenda, and then it's not actually world domination.
This is good. Let's just remember there are big families behind these oil companies, banks, and insurance companies that lost collateral in Iran. They are a mix of American, British, and Iranian-American. They use our politics as their doormat. John Roberts and William Rehnquist before him let them do it!
I like how none of the predictions of this video even came close to happening.
Allatoulah has recently stated he did not support the plan that would call any those things.
Regarding international power structures, and the tensions(to understate) we face today, Iran is most decidedly a major threat.
However grave a threat Iran is to regional 'peace'(if one can call it that) and/or to International stability, the primary threat is nether Iran, nor even Israel, but United States foreign policy, most particularly as it pertains to the Middle East.
I refer not only to current policy and engagements but also to past United States Middle Eastern policy. The Unites States CIA operation to remove the democratically elected prime minister of Iran and then to subsequently install the Shah during the Eisenhower administration has to be the single most inexcusable, dumbest, blunder of post-war United States Middle East foreign made. And the repercussions in no small measure are what we are now forced to witness.
Inside Iran, however, as pertains to human rights violations, Iran is a MAJOR threat to civilization, and to common decency, right down there with the Taliban, and North Korea, and Uganda, to mention a few of the worst.
Human rights is every human's business, and all humans have a duty to interfere in the internal affairs of Iran as pertains to state sponsored human rights violations. Just as ever human on this planet has the moral obligation to Interfere with the internal and external policies of the United States regarding the, now legal, state sponsored US torture of human being.
There is not much I can do. I suspect the same predicament confronts just about everyone. Still, ever opportunity that comes my way, no matter how seeming insignificant or futile, should be ceased upon. It is not easy, E-mailing the White House, etc. It's almost embracing, even humiliating, participating in grassroots efforts when one is able to find time. It is not easy because one knows it can make no difference.
But I am not absolutely convinced of that.
Commenter debates are so petty and fruitless, simply a bunch of anons who want to be heard. All I want is to read someone's CRITICAL ANALYSIS of the film, but instead I have have to sift through useless and half-informed discourse...
@Alan and Faith, yes, religion can be a problem when the believer (regardless if we're talking about Islam, Christianity, Judaism or Atheism - and I'm not mistaking including this one, I've done my homework) sets his mind into a trap: he truly thinks that his and only his point of view is the accurate representation of the Truth, everyone else is wrong and needs to be converted and/or destroyed. the same problem applies to Democracy. what, don't you think it became the US official religion?
Some fat dude from the Far East once said something like "when every human will try to find it's own path, the Earth will know peace".
@Yavanna
I've stumbled upon you a few times on this site. I congratulate you for thinking, I know it's a normal thing to do but you'll agree that not many people are doing it these days. Secondly, I would advise you not to be so belligerent, any idea can be illustrated peacefully. also, there's always an alternative. think outside the box, leave democracy and focus a little on, let's call it, biocracy.
STOP CHEMTRAILS and investigate the 9/11 SCAM, The Inside Job! Explosives were used to take down all three WTC buildings in NYC and everyone knows that.
STOP CHEMTRAILS and investigate the 9/11 SCAM, The Inside Job!
I'm not a strong supporter of Israel or Iran, but I believe Iran is a peaceful country with some inhumane laws (stoning of women) and I also think that Jews have a right to have a country of their own. USA should leave Iran alone and let them develop their own nuclear facilities and even a nuclear bomb for their own protection (from Iraq, terrorists, "western" invasion etc.). The world must become FAIR to everyone. Humans must cease to be insane animals. I also think that unfaithful women could and should be punished, but not by stoning but perhaps by a prison term or by a financial penalty or something less physical and more humane (in real Human terms, not in insane, wild human-animal terms). USA has many flaws and problems and it is not exactly a democracy, therefore it should cease being a policeman of the world and take care of its severe internal problems and respect its own people MUCH MORE.
I must say, just to have the courage to view this documentary tell me alot about all the individuals that have posted. The U.S. Goverment policies is the problem. As it relate to the illegal state of "israel",religion and the East, I do not mean the entire U.S goverment but agencies such as the CIA, State Deparment, Military, United Nations, National Intelligence Asessesment,Defense, Navy,Army intelligence etc. Most of all the corrupt & hypocrital Legislative & Executive branches who are the executers of orders and lie to the citizens. As a veteran I know who the real enemy of the citizens are, create and cause the divisions, allow corrupt institutions to function and enslave the citizens daily for a "JOB"
It isn't religion, it isn't political ideology that causes all the problems. If blame is to be directed, it should be sent towards greed and lying. The entire U.S economy is based on producing and selling weapons. You know, jobs, the economy. ergo, times are tough so lets start a war. There should be no more interest charges for digital credits, no more collecting a trillion dollars a year by the Rothschilds and Rockefellers through the federal reserve for doing absolutely nothing!
The next biggest problem is propaganda.(lying) When Jane Akra got her 450,000 dollar decision against FOX news, it was overturned by the Florida supreme court who said she was not covered under whistle blower status because it is not against the law to falsify the news.
Until there is true accountability and reasonable intelligence by the masses, humanity will continue this direction until it becomes extinct. generally speaking, people are like electricity taking the path of least resistance, blind to critical thinking. For all those who want to blame it on race, religion, gender, etc, etc, either get off your butts and do something about it, or pledge allegiance to the cockroach, because humanity's days are finished if we don't correct it.
excellent, well-done film.
Alan and others, the largest minority, may be even it is an actual majority, is not the turks, but Azeri turks. Azeri turks are a bit different form turks of Turkey. They are the same with azeris in Azerbaijan Republic, the country in the north border of Iran.
U.S. and Israel are now dogs on the lose, beware. Leave Iran alone. Except I vote for a less religious society in Iran.
@ Alan
Actually, the world isn't getting less religious. Maybe the WEST is, but that's the problem with Westerners, we interpret what is happening in our societies as the norm around the world.
In fact, in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and much of Asia, even parts of Eastern Europe, there is religious revivalism, not increased secularism. Some could say in even in the US this is happening.
For better or for worse, it's the truth. In the West, we are very secular, (again, the US is debatable) but this doesn't mean the rest of the world is.