Iranian and Afghan elections: Compare and contrast

Iran's tenth presidential election was held on 12 June 2009.

Afghanistan's second presidential election under its Western-imposed Post-Taliban constitution was held on 20 August 2009.

Compare and contrast:

Iran - There was little by way of build up to the elections in the Western MSM and what there was did not have that unmistakable air of Establishment orchestration to it. Before the polls closed (pace Ukraine's Yushchenko and Georgia's Saakashvili), the principle Iranian challenger, Mir-Hossain Mousavi, claimed victory. The morning after the election, Iran's official news agency announced that, with 2/3 the votes counted, the incumbent Ahmadinejad had won with 63% of the votes cast. All hell broke loose in both the Western MSM and on the Steets of Tehran.

Throughout the following 6 weeks, during what had clearly been pre-planned and orchestrated to become yet another US-friendly 'colour revolution' to follow those of Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan - The 'Twitter' tool having been polished and honed in the meantime - Western media were as one in sustained shrill condemnation of the elections. The parallels with those earlier events were uncanny, except that this time it failed. Three months later and all is quiet with not a shred of the evidence we were assured at the time was overwhelming having been produced - But never mind. The consolation prize is that 'FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS' is now firmly embedded in western public conciousness, thanks to our supine and ghastly MSM.

Afganistan - There was a big build up in the Western MSM. On the whole it's tone was grave and a little subdued, with the forebodings of Western officialdom palpable: it was to be "a laudable democratic process", "this embryonic democracy deserved our support and assistance" and similar - ad nauseam (The air of Establishment orchestration this time foetid and quite unmissable). Then the elections took place and MSM commentary very quickly subsided into embarrassed, self-concious silence. Two months later and still we have no definitive official result - though corrupt western-backed Karzai and his drug-trafficking war-lord henchmen have clearly stolen it again.

Then a couple of days ago, one Peter Galbraith, the man in charge of the UN election monitoring operation, courageously breaks ranks, declares the elections to have been grossly fraudulent and is - naturally and totally predictably - sacked for his honesty.

And all the while our mendacious 'leaders', in the fashion of squabbling parrots, STILL continue to insist that our military presence in that benighted country has a noble purpose, when anyone with half a brain can see the thoroughly sordid, self-serving nature of its true purpose staring them in the face.

We are being systematically lied to and, as with the naked emperor, the lie is so big, in your face and screamingly bloody obvious, that nobody will even admit to noticing it - let alone doing anything about it.

NEWSPEAK.... or 'Freedom NEXT Time'.

I have not bought a newspaper for nearly 7 years. Similarly, I no longer tune into mainstream television or radio news programs for anything other than to monitor the preoccupations, biases and agenda's du jour of their respective editors and journalists. I nevertheless know that I am far, far better informed about current affairs and the epoch-defining issues of the age than at any time in my entire life.

How so?

My 'profile' describes something of the process that led to this 'boycott', the reasons for which can be summarised quite simply: The mainstream media is the home of 'professional journalism' and 'professional journalism' is, by definition, dominated by 'Official Sources'. That may seem paradoxical if you are a simple soul who believes in the basic good intentions of government, politicians and the establishment elites. But, in reality there is no paradox, just a highly developed system designed to ensure self-censorship (some would say 'wilful blindness') by 'professional' journalists - often unwitting and always vehemently denied - if they are to become 'successful' and perhaps eligible for an editorship or the Gong that will crown their 'success'.

Speaking truth to (or about) power, in other words, is dangerous.

Media Lens is an organisation dedicated to this issue. It is one of very few that I am prepared to support financially and their latest Media Alert - SELECTIVE VISION: IRAN, ISRAEL AND NUCLEAR ARMS is a MUST READ for insight into the insidiousness of MSM reporting bias on Israel, Iran and the Nuclear proliferation issue.

Likewise, this video of a talk by John Pilger is a cogent explanation of just how appallingly subservient, sanctimonious and self-satisfied Western news reporting has become. It was given as a promotional talk for his book 'Freedom Next Time' which I heartily recommend. In fact I defy any UK citizen to read (and honestly digest) its first chapter about the treatment of the Chagos Islanders by successive governments of both political parties and still profess pride in their 'Britishness'. The fundamental question must be: "Precisely how did (and do) the Chagos Islanders differ from the Falkland Islanders?" - The answer is very difficult and painful to arrive at honestly.