Mitchell Bard's Middle East & Iran Lectures

What the Media Doesn't Tell You About the Middle East: If you ask whether the New York Times or other media have a bias when reporting about the Middle East, supporters of both Israel and the Palestinians will tell you that they do. Journalists interpret this criticism as an indication they are getting the story right. But is that really true? Is the problem that journalists are biased or is it possible that they are sometimes manipulated by parties in the region that distort their coverage? If the media has a bias, the next question is: Does it matter? Besides making us feel uncomfortable, does a biased story change the way people feel about the Middle East conflict? Do these stories in any way influence policy decisions? This course will answer these questions and more.

The Iranian Threat to Israel and The West: The Islamic Republic of Iran believe the entire world should be ruled Islamic leaders. In support of that objective, Iran is a sponsor of international terrorism, acts to destabilize the region by threatening its neighbors, and was believed to be developing nuclear weapons to make it invulnerable to attack. How serious is the Iranian threat? How does it use proxies like Hezbollah to advance its aims? Does Iran pose a threat to Israel? To the United States? What can be done to counter Iran? What was the impact of the military operations by Israel and the United States against Iran? This lecture will explore all of these questions.