M. Reza Behnam

Journalism has often been called the first rough draft of history. If at all true, then American press coverage of Iran, which began in earnest 70 years ago, has never gotten past the incomplete, uninformed and inaccurate first draft version. Both Iranians and Americans have been victims of a distorted draft; distortions that have basically … Continue reading “Iran Interrupted: Mossadegh, the Shah, Khomeini, and the US Press”

Most mornings as I prepare for my run, I tune in to BBC news. Of late, the newscaster has presented, in sober British-fashion, the number of Palestinians killed the night before by the Israeli army in its near-nightly raids on homes and refugee camps in the occupied Palestinian Territories. When I canvass American news sites … Continue reading “Deconstructing Israel’s Propaganda Machine”

Benjamin Netanyahu and his assortment of Jewish supremacists, homophobes, and far-right religious zealots were sworn in on December 29. His new government has exposed Israel for what it has always been – an undemocratic, illiberal, ethno-religious state constructed on stolen Palestinian land. The coalition of extremists that Prime Minister Netanyahu has assembled to solidify power … Continue reading “Israel Faces a Reckoning”

"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." ~ James Baldwin No system of power maintains itself forever and the fight for freedom knows no borders. Ideas such as these are uniting Black Americans and Palestinians. Admittedly, their experiences are distinct. Through the presentation of parallels, however, the … Continue reading “Race and Violence in America and Israel”

"And what sort of lives do these people, who pose as being moral, lead themselves? My dear fellow, you forget that we are in the native land of the hypocrite." ~ Oscar Wilde In a recent TV interview, President Joseph Biden was asked if he believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a killer. In a display … Continue reading “The Native Land of the Hypocrite”

The assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was in the words of former CIA director, John Brennan, an "act of state-sponsored terrorism and a flagrant violation of international law." This is one of many such acts carried out by Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency. It is yet another example of Israel’s malign behavior in … Continue reading “Israel: Shopping for Friends in the Middle East”

The United Nations has designated June 20 World Refugee Day. Like other designated international days, the goal is to raise global awareness and to foster a sense of responsibility for the approximately 70 million people driven from their homes due to war, violence and persecution. On June 20, the world will focus on the expanding … Continue reading “Palestinians: Forever Refugees”

For 70 years, the United States and much of the world community have ignored the ongoing Al-Nakba-Arabic for "Catastrophe" – of the Palestinian people at the hands of one of the last remaining colonial powers, Israel. The establishment of Israel in 1948 meant the loss of civil society for the Palestinians. The Zionist plan for … Continue reading “No End to the Palestinian Catastrophe”

The Middle East, oil-rich but water-poor, with about six percent of the world’s population, has only one percent of the earth’s renewable water resources. Fourteen Middle East and North African (MENA) countries are among the 33 most water-stressed in the world. Climate change, drought and population growth have increased the demand for water in this … Continue reading “The Politics of Water and Peace in the Middle East”

Some ideas take on a character akin to sacred texts whose validity is rarely questioned. One such belief is that the Islamic Republic of Iran is the biggest threat to the Middle East and the United States. The threat narrative has become required foreign policy catechism in Washington, D.C. Menacing stereotypes and bellicose rhetoric are … Continue reading “Dispelling the Iranian Terrorism Myth”