There is a poison that has infected the great majority of Western media outlets, which manifests as a palpable wish to report anything that reflects badly on the US (and Israeli) war efforts. Simply close your eyes and listen to so-called news channels or read major news outlets. It is almost impossible to tell whether you are listening to or reading the BBC, ABC, CNN, Sky News, France 24, NY Times, or Al Jazeera, because they all tell exactly the same story.

Any announcement of success in the war against Iran is bracketed with qualification and excuses – but, perhaps, unverified. Announcements by the Iranian authorities are quoted verbatim, as if they are the God-given truth that the audience is meant to swallow. Every reference to Israel coming under attack is framed in terms of the level of damage that Iran is causing; to Israelis cowering in their shelters as hell rains down on them.

This disease came to a head on Thursday,  April 2, when Iranians trumpeted their success in downing a US fighter plane, and were searching for the ejected airmen. Every one of the channels framed the event as a major victory for Iran – never mind that it’s the first loss that the US or Israel has suffered out of more than a thousand sorties over the empty skies of Iran.

Headlines ran wild. “This marks a turning point in the war!” “American claims of air superiority are lies!” “Iran is winning the battle!” But worse was still to come. Every mention of the operation to rescue the one missing pilot was framed as a losing battle. “Iran offers $60,000 bounty for the capture of the pilot!” Images accompanying these articles showed flag-waving men scambling over mountain tops, yelling praise to Allah for the great victory. Western media’s tongues were hanging out, waiting to be able to show how the Iranians were going to turn the capture of the pilot into a military parade (as they have done before), torturing a beaten man in front of the cameras to demonstrate their superiority.

Fast forward to Sunday, April 5. In a bold and brave move, the US Special Forces located the downed pilot, and brought him out safely. What do the Western media report? “5 US soldiers killed in the rescue!” “US refueler valued at x million dollars destroyed in the rescue mission!” Source of these announcements? Iran media!

Quote in the NY Times April 3rd (https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/03/world/iran-war-trump-oil/901fd384-24aa-51cf-815a-be55ead4d775) :

Mohammad Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s Parliament and a key government figure overseeing the war, took to social media to mock the Trump administration as U.S. forces searched for a missing American airman from a downed fighter plane. “This brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?’”he said in a post on X. “Wow. What incredible progress. Absolute geniuses.”

It’s a sad day for the woke West, when a soldier is rescued. It’s a disaster, when Iran can’t claim victory. The “will to win” that carried the world though to victory in the 20th century has been displaced by “anyone but us”. They should hang their heads in shame!

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)