Anti-Iranian Propaganda Ads on CNN
Omid Memarian o.memarian@roozonline.com - 2007.02.05

In an interview with Rooz, a CNN producer explained a few points about the recent broadcast of anti-Iranian advertisements in some states.
In the past few days, the American Foreign Policy Council (AFPC) has begun a one-week propaganda campaign to raise public awareness of what it calls “Iran’s nuclear threats.” As part of the campaign, the AFPC is financing the broadcast of two 30-second television advertisements on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. So far, the advertisements have been broadcasted in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
A CNN producer in Atlanta explained to Rooz, “The ads are seen on CNN, but it’s through local cable stations and we don’t have control over them. Basically the cable stations that have CNN as one of their channels are in charge of inserting certain commercials in during our breaks and I think they have bought local cable ad time this way.”
Pay attention to every sentence of these ads:
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The nuclear clock is ticking … and time is running out.
Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism - supporting attacks that have killed hundreds of Americans.
An Iranian group boasts 25,000 members who are ready to become suicide bombers in the US and Europe.
Now, in violation of the UN, Iran is developing a dangerous nuclear capability and has threatened to share it with other.
Stand up for peace. Call the White House and tell them to enforce sanctions against Iran today.
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Iran’s President denies the Holocaust, says he wants to wipe Israel off the map and has supported attacks that killed hundreds of Americans.
Iran sent thousands of children marching to their deaths to clear minefields, armed only with plastic keys to unlock the gates of heaven.
Now, in violation of the United Nations, Iran is trying to go nuclear and has threatened to share the technology with others.
Stand up for peace. Call the White House and tell them to enforce sanctions against Iran today.

Resembling the Iraq War
The AFPC’s propaganda campaign reminds many of similar developments that led to the advent of the Iraq War.
Are there serious prospects of a U.S. attack on Iran? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has declared that he is not worried about the country. Hashemi Rafsanjani referenced - indirectly- Ahmadinejad’s statement, saying that, in a meeting with the Supreme Leader, somebody raised doubts about the seriousness of threats facing Iran, but Ayatollah Khamenei responded that the threats were serious. The Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, went even further, claiming that there are possibilities for both limited and unlimited wars to be waged against Iran.
Though many observers acknowledge that the ads have been broadcasted in limited states, their continuation may point to a dangerous trend.