US Media Finds Human Rights 'Concerns'—But Only in Iran
The Independent breathlessly reports 36 deaths in Iran protests, featuring security forces firing tear gas. A horrific tragedy, to be sure. Yet, this same vigorous coverage is notably absent when, for instance, Israeli forces kill Palestinian protesters for simply existing. Funny how 'human rights concerns' are always most acute thousands of miles away, never implicating partners or weapons
manufacturers. Weapons from US firms like Combined Systems, Inc. supplied tear gas to Egypt in 2011, used against protesters. Israel, a top recipient of US aid ($3.8 billion annually), regularly employs similar tactics, often with US-made munitions, against unarmed civilians in Gaza and the West Bank with very little equivalent outrage. This selective outrage isn't about human rights; it's about
geopolitics. The deaths in Tehran are a 'crisis,' while deaths in Gaza are 'security operations.'