New York Times on Iran: Neo-colonialism with a liberal twist

The problem with branding Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, the newspaper argues, is that it is a “distraction” from a serious drive to strangle the Iranian regime and compel it to do Washington’s bidding. What is needed, the newspaper says, is “opening comprehensive negotiations with Tehran, backed by increasing international economic pressure.”

“Those negotiations,” the editorial continues, “need to deal with all real and alleged facets of Iran’s many dangerous behaviors: its nuclear ambitions; its sectarian meddling in Iraq; its providing of missiles to Hezbollah in Lebanon and the charges it is arming the Taliban and others in Afghanistan.”

To clearly grasp the arrogance and hypocrisy of the above lines, it is necessary to consider the alleged “dangerous behaviors” they list. A degree of critical reflection, backed by some basic factual knowledge, suffices to reveal the almost breathtaking double-standard that is the hallmark of all pronouncements on world affairs by the US political and media establishment.