Why the Iranians wanted Faye Turney to "confess"

The purpose of getting Faye Turney to appear on television "confessing" to trespass was not just to put pressure on the British Government via the airwaves. It was to get her to believe the version of the story the Iranian's are retailing.

In his book, Influence, Professor Robert Cialdini explains how the Chinese applied basic ideas from social psychology in their treatment of American prisoners of war. They would get them to write down and then repeat confessions and admissions that communism was superior to capitalism.

They understood that getting the prisoners to say these things was a big step to getting them to believe them.

For the same reason companies ask you to send back "tie breaker" forms for competitions, beginning with words such as "I like this detergent because...". Once you have written these reasons down and sent them off, you are far more likely to believe that you like the products.

So getting Faye Turney to praise the Iranians for their kindness on television and getting her to say she was in the wrong is a big step to getting her to believe these things.

If I'm right, they are attempting to brainwash her. 

Comments

[Harry Barnes]

The Iranian's may have shown her plausible looking maps which show that she was captured in Iranian waters, for that is what they claim in their own Martime Laws according to this -http://threescoreyearsandten.blogspot.com/2007/03/irans-martime-claim.html

[Chris Gillibrand]

The other must-read book on the subject

Battle for the Mind. A Physiology of Conversion and Brain-Washing. by William Sargant.

I would quarrel with some of the judgements that he makes about religion but he shows effectively what can be achieved by such techniques.

One should not forget the case of Patty Hurst. Having seen the BBC film about the Iranian Embassy siege a few years ago, it struck me that those who had no pre-event-judgement of their captures were more likely to end up sympathising with them.

[Wadard]

If I'm right, they are attempting to brainwash her.

... er, to what end? Defection? Propaganda victory? Please. They simply want out and will say what they have to - just like you would.

Hey - sometimes what you see, is what is.

[Joan Moira Peters]

Is it possible that the dispute over whether the British Navy crew
were in Iraqi or Iranian waters might be due to conflicting views on the exact position of the line which divides the waterway?
In 1975 Iraq reportedly signed the Algiers Accord, recognizing the line running down the middle of the waterway as the official border, then in 1980 that treaty was abrogated and then recognized once again in 1987. Perhaps the Iranians hold that the borderline is closer to the Iranian coastline, which would solve the dispute.
Doubtless, everyone, particularly the relatives of the British crew, were pleased to see on television that they were being treated well and that they had even commented that the food was good and the people friendly. The crew certainly looked quite relaxed and healthy. I do not see how the Iranians could be criticised for televising the crew and if all of them are televised, so much the better.
One must accept that the Iranians obviously felt that they had the right to use the occasion to draw attention to their political viewpoint regarding Iraq.
However, now that they have done so, hopefully they will release the crew very soon.
The Iranians for their part, should realize that the British government was extremely alarmed that the sailors had been captured, (recalling, perhaps, events which took place decades ago in another era), and considered it had the right to justly demand, and gain political support for the crew's immediate release. Unfortunately, this was interpreted by some Iranians as an arrogant attitude.
However, it seems that all sides are now looking to a peaceful resolution to events.
Perhaps the crew could be given the opportunity to experience some aspects of everyday life in Iran, should this be possible without exposing them to any danger. If the situation could thus be transformed into a cultural exchange prior to the crew's departure, that could only have an additional positive effect on their overall experience, as well as on international cultural relations.
With regard to Iraq, the Iranians resent the U.S. presence in Iraq, yet they must recognize that the former regime was unbelievably cruel and oppressive. Many British people, and perhaps Iranian people too, will have seen the television programme in which an Iraqi citizen described what life was like in those times, and what horrific genocide and torture took place. I expect many viewers, like myself, turned away when the images depicting torture practices were about to be described and screened, as it was going to be so cruel and terrible.
The Iranians must concede that it was right to bring an end to such a regime. Yet the people at the same time have obviously been concerned that the U.S. might use the military intervention as an opportunity to introduce or even impose an American way of life on Iraq and therefore there has been resentment at the presence of the U.S. and its allies. While there is much to admire in the American and Western way and culture, the Muslims are justly proud of their heritage and its accomplishments and are aware of the possibility of one culture being influenced by another to the extent that it could eventually be undermined by it, not necessarily purposefully, and also there are aspects of Western culture to which many Muslims are diametrically opposed.
However, the U.S. has consistently asserted that their aim was to free Iraq from the cruel oppression and enable the Iraqi people to rule themselves.
Yet the episodes of abuse of Iraqi prisoners by the U.S. military will not, nor should it be forgotten. It was carried out by a renegade faction, and those responsible were returned to the U.S., charged, put on trial and punished.
According to news reports, torture of Iraqis by Iraqis was still taking place in Iraqi controlled prisons during the U.S. military intervention.
Has that terrible torture in Iraqi prisons finally been brought to an end?
For it seems that many Iraqis have now come to acknowledge the positive effects of the U.S. intervention in terms of its intention to assist the Iraqis to establish law and order and to bring in a new era of benevolent self-government, peace and security, and, moreover, the Iraqis have specifically requested the U.S. to postpone its departure from Iraq until the time is right. What must be avoided is any possibility of the former cruel oppressive regime, or any elements, being able to emerge/regroup with the intention of regaining the power to cruelly oppress. Instead, it is to be expected that the new Iraqi government will be enabled to function in accordance with the highest ideals of Iraqi culture through appropriate governmental structure, which will need to accommodate, in some way, both Sunni, Shia, Kurdish and minority aspirations. This may result in either a conservative form of Islam or a liberal form of Islam.

[Mark Halloway]

I believe everything that she says. I'm very curious to see what happens to her in the comming weeks and months. I believe that she's correct in saying that she, and the other 15 were sacrifices. The U.S. and British super powers were using that boat, as they have in the past as an "excuse" and a reason to create a conflict with Iran and to portray them to the public in a certain way. People need to think outside the box and recognize False Flag!

[Kat]

Iran just needs to LEARN to keep its hands off of people, they too, can be likened to the mussulmans of old history, actually only about 35 yrs ago I was reading about the musselmans spelled today...muslim

Iran hurts itself by its actions toward foreigners that near their land. They have and will lose more, visitors,tourists which in the long run ruins the nation. Not to many people will feel safe enough to go see Iran, or even their NEW ISLAND full of women for fear of being kidnapped now. They defeat themselves and are their own worst enemy. If they were innocent , they would COOPERATE with the international community...

[mike]

The reason for the decline and fall of Western values - both good and bad - are directly tracebale to the logic and justifciation some WWestern media and personalities provide to the Iranians in comparing the treatment provided at Gitmo/Iraqi jails by the US to the snatching of British soldiers. While the Americans have gone out of their way to provide special meals, parayer time, Red Cross visits etc. to avowed terrorists, and have severly punnished soldiers who horsed-around with prisoners during the time they were jailed, the Iranians seize the British while they were operating under a UN mandate, and parade them on TV for the world to see - and expect the British to apologize!! So, the liberal response - well it what the West deserves or Abu Ghraib and Gitmo!!
Until we as Westerners realize that there are certain cultures/nations which are willing to play a waiting game of decades and generations to tear us down - much unlike the Western facination of immediate gratification and quickie solutions - we are doomed to have ourselves continually humiliated by these irrlevant nations such as Iran, a nation with a weatlth of resources which still cannot get out of their own way despite $60 per barrel oil.

[Arthur Gibson]

After viewing the schoolchild like behaviour of the "capitives", I think it highly likely that they WERE in Iranian waters when captured. They obviously think that they were, because that's what they told the world on Iranian TV.