[DoctorZIn]

Email Ted Koppel at Nightline!

For those who have been supporting the Iranian student movement, Ted Koppel’s Nightline broadcast was a huge disappointment. Either Ted is either incredibly ignorant, or deceitful in his misrepresentation of the facts. We could and perhaps we should parse the entire program. But I will focus on his interview with Michael Ledeen (expert in Iranian affairs).

Ted started his discussion with Michael by stating that not everyone thinks Iran is dangerous. Incredible.

He attempted to mislead the public into believing that Michael was a Bush administration insider. If you have been reading Michael's articles over the years, you would know that he has consistently tried to put the pressure on the Bush administration for not having a coherent, visible policy on Iran. He is famous for ending his articles on Iran with the plea "faster please" which directed to the state department and the administration. This is the voice of one wanting to influence the administration, not an insider directing it.

Ted attempted to call into question US charges that Iran sponsors terrorism. His reason for calling this into question was that this is the same administration that said Iraq was a sponsor of terrorism (as if there was no such evidence). He discounted anything the US intelligence community has to say.

Ted tried to deny that the protests were motivated by a desire for freedom and a secular democracy. He claimed it was all motivated over anger over proposed privatizing of some universities in Iran. It is true that the first day of the protests that was the a catalyst for the student protests, but it was merely the spark that has set off a fire within Iran. Those same students are the ones now calling for a secular democracy. Other news reports say that currently only 10% of the protesters are students.

Even when Michael pointed out Iranian internal polling that indicated that 70-90% of the population want an end to the regime, Ted dismissed that, as if anything reported anywhere is suspect.
It appeared to me that Ted felt this was an opportunity to discredit the president. He took it but looked either ignorant of deceitful.

If you are one of the millions of Americans who just witnessed this so-called report and are as angry as I am at its gross misrepresentation of the facts please email Ted Koppel and say so.

You can email them at their webpage:

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/nightline/Nightline/Nightline_email_form.html


"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail me”

[TigerLikesRooster]

International pressure is mounting on the Iranian nuke program while the protest is going unabated:

Thu Jun 19, 2:56 AM ET

Graphic of Iran's nuclear facilities. The IAEA will release a judgement Thursday on Iran's nuclear program which is expected to be weaker than the US wants as it warns Tehran is secretly trying to develop atomic weapons(AFP/Graphic)

[TigerLikesRooster]

World - AFP

Two Iranians set themselves on fire in Rome


12 minutes ago Add World - AFP to My Yahoo!


ROME (AFP) - Two Iranians set themselves on fire outside the French embassy to protest France's crackdown on the opposition People's Mujahedeen, but firefighters immediately intervened.


The two men, aged between 50 to 60, suffered burns to their legs and chest, but their injuries were not life-threatening as they were immediately doused by firefighters standing by during the demonstration in Rome.


Eight people have now either set themselves on fire or tried to in Paris, London, Bern and Rome, since French police moved against the People's Mujahedeen on Tuesday maintaining the group posed a threat to the country's security.


The French embassy had feared something could happen during Thursday's demonstration in Rome and had asked for firefighters to be on standby, a press spokesman told AFP.


Demonstrators had earlier called for the release of scores of members of the People's Muhajedeen, the main Iranian opposition group, detained by French police in the massive raid on Tuesday.


Three people carried out acts of self-immolation in Paris on Wednesday, with two similar fiery protests in London. A sixth man in the Swiss city of Bern was stopped Wednesday before he could set light to his petrol-doused clothes.


French security officials have said the People's Mujahedeen -- which is designated a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union (news - web sites) and Iran -- intended to make France its centre of operations against the Tehran government after losing its bases in Iraq (news - web sites) following the US-led victory there.

[Texas_Dawg]

The hatred and mistrust for the United States, and especially Republican Administrations, will always outweigh the potential good that America can produce, in the worldview of Ted Koppel and Friends. In their eyes, America is always to be suspected in its motives, even above suspicion for regimes like the one in Iran.

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping

[theDentist]

"...Either Ted is either incredibly ignorant, or deceitful in his misrepresentation of the facts."

He's both! But we already knew that.

[aristeides]

Once we get access to the secret files of the Iranian government, all the enablers of the mullahs' regime will be totally discredited.

[Valin]

I watched it and he more than held his own against ol helmethair.

[cookcounty]

"If you have been reading Michael's articles over the years, you would know that he has consistently tried to put the pressure on the Bush administration for not having a coherent, visible policy on Iran. He is famous for ending his articles on Iran with the plea "faster please" which directed to the state department and the administration. This is the voice of one wanting to influence the administration, not an insider directing it. "

Koppel's (and ABC's) research is sloppy at best.