Setting the tone for another war

In the Jan. 16 editorial “The few-minute warning,” the IDS editorial board provided invaluable support to those who desire armed conflict with Iran. By demanding that “international waterways stay clear of the malevolent designs of the Iranian government,” the authors help to portray Iran as an evil state that must be checked in whatever way possible. This kind of coverage bears an alarming resemblance to stories leading up to the occupation of Iraq. At that time, the false premise that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction was uncritically parroted throughout the mainstream media. Now, we hear Bush echoing the nuclear alarmism of five years ago — this time directed against a new target. While the authors acknowledge that Iran seems to have abandoned its nuclear weapons program, they continue to trumpet about the Iranian “threat.” By doing so, the authors may be helping pave the road to war.