Saturday, November 29, 2008

Why is Jim Muir Back in Tehran?

I thought we had seen the back of the BBC correspondent, Jim Muir reporting from Tehran. Muir's shabby superficial reports and his constant bolstering of Khatami as a reform champion while ignoring the rest of the Iranian pro-democracy movement and the human rights abuses committed under Khatami was a disaster for the real Iranian pro-democracy and human rights campaigners as well as for the BBC's credibility.

Ayatollah BBC, the term used by Iranians to describe the British Broadcasting Corporation, was further enforced as a result of Muir's constant mild reports and over inflated adulation of Khatami.

Since Jim Muir's departure from Tehran, many were hopeful that there will be more realistic reporting and to some extent there was. Yet only the other day I came across this report on the BBC website: Women Taxi Drivers in Tehran, and as always with such reports, yes you guessed it, the inevitable comparison of Iranian women with Saudi women who are not allowed to drive and giving the Islamic Republic the credit for such acts of women emancipation. As always these silly comparisons are not like for like comparisons of course. Women in Saudi Arabia have never been allowed to drive, yet the women in Iran had many more rights and were far ahead of their counterparts in the region before the 1979 revolution, it is just that at the time such comparisons were never reported and appreciated by the likes of Jim Muir.

At a time when there is almost an undeclared martial law in Tehran, at a time when many student activists have been arrested or forced to go into hiding ahead of the regime's crack down in anticipation of the National Student Day on 7th December, at a time when there has been an unprecedented number of executions in just a few days, when the dissident secular Ayatollah Boroujerdi has been transferred to Yazd prison, when Ayatollah Montazeri's war veteran assistant, Mojtaba Lotfi has been sentenced to four years in prison, when the regime once again stopped the public commemoration of the Forouhars and so much more relevant news, Jim Muir writes about female taxis in Tehran, how pathetic!

14 comments:

Winston said...

Yes he is back in Iran and I also saw his report from Tehran. BBC is in tank with the Islamic Republic

Anonymous said...

remember this is the same jim muir who was caught faking pro-hezbollah reports from lebanon during the war that the hezbollah started with Israel. the guy is a know pro-Islamist reporter, his reports are highly biased favouring the Islamic dictatorship. Nothing that the BBC reports on the issues of Islam can be trusted.

Harry Barnes said...

Even worse, see Sky 515 -
http://www.hurryupharry.org/2008/12/01/this-is-a-story-without-comment/

Anonymous said...

The only thing more pathetic is Winston.

Winston said...

I wonder why Azarmehr still allows a sore loser like Barmakid comment here and insult his fellow bloggers. Get a life Barmakido

Azarmehr said...

Winston,
I allow Barmakid's comments to be published because its the best way to show where someone comes from and what they are about. If we censor people who are not of the same opinion as us then we give them justification that we can not match them in a debate.

Winston said...

different opinion is one thing, allowing an idiot's insults on your blog is something else. I know that you don't like him and you don't agree with his moronic views but those who dont know you and me MIGHT think you're agreeing with him by allowing his offensive comments on your blog. Thats my point. I am sure he is laughing BE RISHE MA now and I am sure he's happy to see a wedge between us. So I think you should either block his offensive comments and simply delete them.

Azarmehr said...

Winston,

When an idiot makes an insult without expressing a different opinion that in itself shows up his true nature and the poverty of his arguments.

On the contrary I think we are the ones who should be laughing beh rishe him with some of the ludicrous comments he has made before which have really tickled me. Let alone the number of times where he has simply conceded he wa stalking bollocks.

By not publishing someone's comments you only give them legitimacy. The example of if the SHah had allowed Khomeini's books to be published and read in Iran we might not have been in this mess is very appropriate here.

Anonymous said...

potkin, your comments makes wonders. A BOOK was not to make a difference my boy. that is the problem with people like you who never understood and never will after 30 years. If you think it was about Khomeini BOOK your a moron. Khomeini was given plenty opportunity to make his case in and out of iran inadvertently by Shah, same as you continue to give to those in line with khomeini. That was and is the problem.

Azarmehr said...

That was just one example. I have nothing to fear from Islamic Republic apologists. I can answer their silly points, therefore I publish them and people see the poverty of their arguments. You should take teh same approach too.

Anonymous said...

Interesting, the "poverty of his arguments." I like the way you termed that. And I suppose, by inference, that your arguments are somehow rich? HAHAHAHA

Listen to yourselves, especially you Winston. I get insulted every time I post something here... and you're always the first to do it (except this time and for the future, because I'm tired of being insulted when I make legitimate arguments).

I will say though, you never use foul language.. and that's a small thing I appreciate:) Which is more than what I can say for that other guy, what's his name...bahrame something. (And all the anonymous posters, as well as the UKreader on the newest thread).

And do you really think I enjoy driving a "wedge" between you guys, which, first of all, there is no wedge. You guys come from a similar generation with similar experiences, and apparently, views...that's something that won't allow a wedge to be driven between you all, hopefully.

I post my thoughts not to irk people, but to get them to respond with legitimacy, that way, if I get out-argued I can refine my arguments.

Instead of calling me a commie or whatever else you like to label people with, say something legitimate that would deserve a legitimate response. But if you keep name-calling, that's what you'll get in return. One would think you would have learned that by now in this stage of your life.

be salamat,
barmakid

p.s. "When an idiot makes an insult without expressing a different opinion that in itself shows up his true nature and the poverty of his arguments."

Hmmm... should I list all the times Winston has posted insults without comments? Naaaa, I won't do that:))

Anonymous said...

Not about you or your fear. A judgement call you will see your wrong call in time. Different approach try it. Mark my words. Good luck.

Bahramerad said...

Yoo Bar_Man_Kiri
The best way to remember my name is to imagin a ROD up your back-side -- then just keep pushing it up!

Anonymous said...

You see Winston, I don't get upset. I actually enjoy it (not the rod up my backside) but bahramerad making a fool out of himself.