A NEWS REPORT, widely reprinted today, indicates that Iran is almost ready to complete its first nuclear weapon. But the problem is that the same story has been printed many times over the past 38 years, and has always been wrong — so far. Why does the media not print the background? It’s hard to say, but printing the allegation while removing the fact that it has always been wrong before is the perfect way to steer money from taxpayers towards arms makers. You can watch our short report in video form, or scroll down for a text version.
The United States Government today said Iran was just weeks away from making a nuclear weapon. Oh dear. Has someone helped (non-white) people get nuclear technology?
Reuters faithfully sent the news around the world where it is being reproduced numerous times as we speak.
Now, in the old days, we had this thing called research. Details, context, history: these things were considered important and we did some factchecking before sending out the news.
If Reuters had done that, what would it have found?
The media told the world in April 1984, that’s 38 years ago, that Iran’s nuclear weapon would be ready in two years. Didn’t happen.
In 1995, they said Iran’s bomb would be ready in five years. Didn’t happen.
In 2003, they said it would be ready within a few years. Didn’t happen.
In 2015, they said that the key bomb-making process was just three months away. Didn’t happen.
And so on. Research is our friend.
Image at the top comes from Bank Phrom/ Unsplash