How do I know this? Because it has become illegal to independently report anything from the region. In fact, in the first months of 2026, new restrictions were implemented everywhere.
And in the US, Carr the FCC Chair just threatened to block broadcast license renewals for channels that do not show what Trump claims is reality. He does not have that power and there is a ton of precedent about political bs like this in the courts, but he did threaten it anyways. https://x.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/2032855414233047172?s=20
True, but most of the countries aren't supposed to be at war with anyone, unless of course this is WWIII... Just joking, WWIII started the moment the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) was signed back in 2001 and it hasn't even slowed down since. https://www.congress.gov/107/plaws/publ40/PLAW-107publ40.pdf
I saved this excerpt in the past few months as it seems accurate
One of the unfortunate successes of our masters’ strategy is how well they understood the return on investment from capturing the most expensive real estate in the world—the American mind. They have captured it lock, stock, and barrel. As a result, many citizens who would be appalled by the violence of a simple mugging scarcely bat an eye at the horrific violence inflicted on mostly poor people around the world by the military-industrial complex in the name of protecting American interests. They have succeeded in persuading a beguiled citizenry to accept empire at the cost of infrastructure, education, healthcare—virtually every standard of living—as being in the citizens’own best interest. It boggles the mind.
Of course they do. They are a totalitarian theocracy. They had existing laws and last October cranked them up massively, but that's not really the point. They are not the ones alleged to be spreading democracy's light onto the world.
Damn it. It dawned on me right after I hit the submit button on that comment, they really did increase the penalties in October. That means that both sides have instituted a complete black out on independent news.
For all any of us can be certain, there may not even be a war going on. Just some pyrotechnics and false flags to fool the locals while the rest of us divide into our preordained pigeon holes to argue amongst ourselves vociferously. I guess they don't call it a "theater of war" for nothing....
I follow several reputable channels on Telegram and Iran has no problem showing the damage to their civilian infrastructure while the Israeli Axis powers are hiding theirs. Operational security dictates Iran won't show military damage, which makes sense. This kind of propaganda works favorably for Iran, because we are bombing illegitimate targets. They are also showing the crimes Israel is committing in Lebanon, battle damage from the GCC, as well as whatever they can get from Israel. The Israeli Axis will show nothing, and not for operational reasons, they do not want the world to see what a pounding they are taking. There are simply too many phones for them to control them all, information still gets out--the principal of samizdat. You have to learn to comb through many sources, then analyze, and ask the question, "Who is putting this information out and what purpose does it serve?"
Agreed and I do comb through many sources, but there really is no place to go to to get a decent idea of what is going on. Throughout the Ukraine war, there have been people like Patrick Lancaster and that one guy who basically does the Hopium and Copium report from St Petersburg, and by tuning into them occasionally, one gets the clear view of that war. ie. Russia is exterminating the Nazi's at a pace they feel comfortable with and that is basically the entire special military operation in a nutshell.
For an overview of US actions, the New Atlas, I linked there in a post last week, does a great job of matching actions to 20 year policy papers written by Rand and Deloitte to show what the US is really doing and why, but even he has no actual sight into the middle east at present.
As far as the Iran war, everything is, at best, hearsay and state sponsored propaganda. They don't have to control all the phones, just scare most of the people and no one over there is willing to take one for the team to do the independent press gig. I do not blame them for that. I just dislike the uncertainty about the basic stuff, like- is there a war going on or is this a show we are watching for someone else's agenda and earnings report?
If you look back to war in Balkan reportage was every day end Serbs was 👹 of war . This is only war we’re the deliberately from MSM end political propaganda on Serbia people!!
Absolutely. We don't have them, but many of us believe the hype and think we do. Like the song goes, "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free, mistakenly." I may have added that last word, but that's because the beat was missing some syllables at the end... and I felt the need to make the song accurate.
And in the US, Carr the FCC Chair just threatened to block broadcast license renewals for channels that do not show what Trump claims is reality. He does not have that power and there is a ton of precedent about political bs like this in the courts, but he did threaten it anyways. https://x.com/BrendanCarrFCC/status/2032855414233047172?s=20
The FIRST casualty of every war is the truth.
True, but most of the countries aren't supposed to be at war with anyone, unless of course this is WWIII... Just joking, WWIII started the moment the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) was signed back in 2001 and it hasn't even slowed down since. https://www.congress.gov/107/plaws/publ40/PLAW-107publ40.pdf
U.S foreign policy= Murder,Inc.
US domestic policy = Murder, inc... also
I saved this excerpt in the past few months as it seems accurate
One of the unfortunate successes of our masters’ strategy is how well they understood the return on investment from capturing the most expensive real estate in the world—the American mind. They have captured it lock, stock, and barrel. As a result, many citizens who would be appalled by the violence of a simple mugging scarcely bat an eye at the horrific violence inflicted on mostly poor people around the world by the military-industrial complex in the name of protecting American interests. They have succeeded in persuading a beguiled citizenry to accept empire at the cost of infrastructure, education, healthcare—virtually every standard of living—as being in the citizens’own best interest. It boggles the mind.
Great synopsis of recent censorship laws across the Middle East. Take a moment to answer Andi's poll on why it happened.
Thank you!!
Twisted truth and half the news
Can't hide it in your eyes
Lies lies lies yeah
Thanks Thompson Twins
Does Iran have any restrictions?
Good to cover both sides.
Of course they do. They are a totalitarian theocracy. They had existing laws and last October cranked them up massively, but that's not really the point. They are not the ones alleged to be spreading democracy's light onto the world.
https://iranwire.com/en/politics/145624-irans-new-espionage-law-death-for-social-media-posts-and-other-crimes/
Also, due to the US sanctions, nothing was getting in or out of Iran, including information, in the first place.
Damn it. It dawned on me right after I hit the submit button on that comment, they really did increase the penalties in October. That means that both sides have instituted a complete black out on independent news.
For all any of us can be certain, there may not even be a war going on. Just some pyrotechnics and false flags to fool the locals while the rest of us divide into our preordained pigeon holes to argue amongst ourselves vociferously. I guess they don't call it a "theater of war" for nothing....
Agree. No idea what’s going on. Evan without the laws AI has made truth almost impossible to discern.
I follow several reputable channels on Telegram and Iran has no problem showing the damage to their civilian infrastructure while the Israeli Axis powers are hiding theirs. Operational security dictates Iran won't show military damage, which makes sense. This kind of propaganda works favorably for Iran, because we are bombing illegitimate targets. They are also showing the crimes Israel is committing in Lebanon, battle damage from the GCC, as well as whatever they can get from Israel. The Israeli Axis will show nothing, and not for operational reasons, they do not want the world to see what a pounding they are taking. There are simply too many phones for them to control them all, information still gets out--the principal of samizdat. You have to learn to comb through many sources, then analyze, and ask the question, "Who is putting this information out and what purpose does it serve?"
Agreed and I do comb through many sources, but there really is no place to go to to get a decent idea of what is going on. Throughout the Ukraine war, there have been people like Patrick Lancaster and that one guy who basically does the Hopium and Copium report from St Petersburg, and by tuning into them occasionally, one gets the clear view of that war. ie. Russia is exterminating the Nazi's at a pace they feel comfortable with and that is basically the entire special military operation in a nutshell.
For an overview of US actions, the New Atlas, I linked there in a post last week, does a great job of matching actions to 20 year policy papers written by Rand and Deloitte to show what the US is really doing and why, but even he has no actual sight into the middle east at present.
As far as the Iran war, everything is, at best, hearsay and state sponsored propaganda. They don't have to control all the phones, just scare most of the people and no one over there is willing to take one for the team to do the independent press gig. I do not blame them for that. I just dislike the uncertainty about the basic stuff, like- is there a war going on or is this a show we are watching for someone else's agenda and earnings report?
https://substack.com/@stevenberger/note/c-227916713?r=1nm0v2&utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=web
If you look back to war in Balkan reportage was every day end Serbs was 👹 of war . This is only war we’re the deliberately from MSM end political propaganda on Serbia people!!
But what about freedom and democracy of countries aligned with the US??
There are no democracies aligned with the US nor are there any free countries, including the US, but what exactly is your question?
My point being that we’re told that in the West we have freedoms that autocracies don’t have
Absolutely. We don't have them, but many of us believe the hype and think we do. Like the song goes, "I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free, mistakenly." I may have added that last word, but that's because the beat was missing some syllables at the end... and I felt the need to make the song accurate.