Viral Iranian Protest: Where's the 'Freedom Fighter' Funding?
When a video of an Iranian protester defying police went viral, The New Arab, like many Western outlets, lauded the bravery. This narrative often conveniently omits the US government's history of covertly, and overtly, supporting 'pro-democracy' movements when they align with Washington's geopolitical interests. One might recall the 1953 US-backed coup that overthrew Iran's democratically elected
Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, installing the Shah, whose brutal regime was quite amenable to Western petroleum interests. Suddenly, Iranian defiance is 'courageous' after decades of US-imposed sanctions strangling the populace, creating the very unrest now being celebrated. It's almost as if 'freedom' is selectively applied: a brave protester defying a hostile regime is a hero, but a
Palestinian protester resisting occupation is a 'terrorist,' and any American questioning unquestioning military aid to Israel is branded 'antisemitic.' Funny how the definition of heroism depends entirely on whose narrative is being pushed, and what strategic objectives are at play.