TEHRAN – The European Union is trying to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization with the purpose of creating a negative image within the populace, according to Mike Harris, a writer, journalist and political analyst.

“One thing I have learned from the USA’s War on Terror is this: Always remember one man’s terrorists is another man’s freedom fighter’,” Harris tells the Tehran Times.

Mike Harris, the Veteran’s Today Financial Editor and podcast radio show host of Short End of the Stick, also highlights that the obvious action for Iran to take is to mirror the actions of the EU and classify the EU and USA special forces as terrorist organizations.

Following is the text of full interview: 

The European Parliament has called the IRGC a terrorist organization, while this military entity has a bright record in fighting against ISIS in the region. Why does not the EU understand the realities?

To call the IRGC a terrorist organization would be like calling the US Navy SEALS or Green Berets terrorist organizations, even Russian Special Forces, the Spetznaz, or British SAS. Nearly every country has elite special forces to accomplish extreme and difficult tasks. Many times the regular army forces do not have the required capabilities to complete specialized military difficult tasks and need special forces. The IRGC are Iran’s special forces, and they perform accordingly. 

This is a propaganda war, ergo the EU and the USA will brand the IRGC as terrorists, for the purpose of creating a negative image within the populace. One thing I have learned from the USA’s War on Terror is this: “Always remember one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter”.

 It seems some European leaders are aware of the consequences of this decision and hence there is a divergence between them. How do you assess that?

Since the Russian Special Military Action in Ukraine, the fractures and divisions within the EU are becoming more obvious for the world to see. Ideally, the EU hopes to project the image of being a unified monolith of opinions and actions, this image projects strength and unity into the world. The EU hopes to keep all disagreements private and out of view of the global audience, and it’s global rivals. 

Nothing can be further from the truth, the EU must be forceful to intimidate it’s members into compliance and obedience on policy matters and actions. A prime example of this division is the manner in which the EU forces it’s members to accept asylum seekers and migrants. No country wants asylum seekers and migrants but the EU strongly arms the members into accepting them, against the will of the people of the member countries.

How do you see the future of Iran-Europe relationships under the new circumstances?

I am not sure which new circumstances you are referring to. The reality of the situation is the EU and the USA are making big mistakes by penalizing Iran and Russia. Naming the IRGC as a terrorist group allows the EU and USA to take additional punitive actions against Iran and anyone affiliated with the IRGC.

The EU and the USA by imposing sanctions, which are less effective as time goes by. Both the EU and USA could be developing lucrative ongoing commercial relationships that benefit all parties. The view of using sanctions and other hostile actions is both short-sighted and small-minded. 

The other reality is this: the EU and USA need an enemy to justify their large defense budgets, without an enemy they will not have large budgets to support the Military Industrial Complex which has dominated all political issues since the end of World War 2, the Western economies became dependent upon military spending and do not know how the wean themselves off of this spending. I propose that the military contractors be re-tooled for the exploration of space and the commercial development of assets in space and off-planet resources. Naming the IRGC as a terrorist group, make the IRGC an excellent enemy for western powers to exploit for internal reasons.

How would Iran retaliate in this case in your point of view?

The obvious action for Iran to take is to mirror the actions of the EU and classify the EU and USA special forces as terrorist organizations, an eye for an eye. 

As a separate measure, Iran should emulate Russia and attempt to become as self-reliant as possible. Iran should continue to develop internal businesses and industries to be independent and self-sufficient. In addition, Iran should use these internal suppliers to compete with the west take business away from western producers, and deprive them of global market share in critical industries. For example, Iran as a leading oil producer has developed many of the tools required to drill and extract oil, these products should be sold to other oil producing countries in an effort to take the market share away from western producers. 

The Idea is not to compete only in the military and propaganda realms but to compete commercially across a wide spectrum industries.

Most critical to defeating the western hegemon is to develop independent financial and banking capabilities. The global SWIFT system is what give the west the functional stranglehold on all global business and commerce. The emerging BRICS system is the apparent alternative to the SWIFT system at this time. The BRICS system needs to be fully developed and implemented, this will put an end to the western banking cartel’s monopoly on global commerce, and mitigate the ability to apply sanctions and seize the funds of parties opposing the western hegemon.,

The Israeli regime kills innocent people so often. Has EU ever condemned Israelis for their brutalities?

The Israeli regime has been the most brutal inhumane regime on the entire planet during my lifetime. They do not seem to have compassion or express understanding for their victims. 

They seem to be not humans in their brutality to everyone, this is not how humans behave. The EU and the USA are so infiltrated with Khazarian Zionist that support Israel, to the point that all criticism is suppressed, and policies are crafted to benefit Khazarian Israeli interests not the interests of the people of the countries where the Khazarians reside. 

Anyone who is openly critical of Israel will become the victim of aggressive well-funded pro-Israel organizations (in the USA the Anti-defamation League, ADL, will torment anyone who is critical of Israel), politicians will find their opponents in elections will be well-funded to defeat anyone who speaks against Israel, all opposition to Israel will be crushed, by any means possible, including intimidation, violence, and murder. That is the reality we live within the West, the supporters of Israel use criminal gangster tactics to suppress any opposition or truth-telling about Israel.