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CNN peddles Pentagon talking points on ‘credible threat’ from Iran – Twitter doesn’t buy it
With US officials seemingly hellbent on sparking military conflict with Iran, CNN decided to lend a helping hand, raising claims of “credible and specific” threats from Tehran – and got roasted on Twitter for Iraq War déjà vu.
CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr tweeted dramatically on Monday afternoon that US officials had told her of credible “intelligence” on “threats from Iran” which included the targeting of US forces in “Syria, Iraq and at sea.” Just one hour later, acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan tweeted similarly about “indications of a credible threat” from Iran.
Just In: US officials tell me the threats from Iran included “specific and credible” intelligence that Iranian forces and proxies were targeting US forces in Syria, Iraq and at sea. There were multiple threads of intelligence about multiple locations, the officials said. #Iran
— Barbara Starr (@barbarastarrcnn) May 6, 2019
Ironically, the evidence-free claim comes as the US steered a carrier strike group into the Persian Gulf to “send a message” to Tehran – not exactly an olive branch gesture in itself. But even before that, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton had for months been trying to drum up support for US military action against Tehran.
But, despite all their efforts, Starr’s Twitter followers weren’t impressed with her big scoop, and were quick to remind her that parroting claims about US adversaries from anonymous Pentagon officials hasn’t really worked out well for journalism in the past.
It’s beginning to sound a lot like the run up to the Iraq War in 2003, they said.
“The officials said”...sounds like 2002/3. Careful there
