Who Decides What Terrorism Is? The Perspective Western Media Rarely Shows
Terrorism, Media Narratives & Perspective: Are We Only Seeing One Side?
Since the attack on Iran by the United States and Israel, global conversations around terrorism, geopolitics, and media narratives have intensified. Many voices in Western media have described the Iranian regime as oppressive and terrorising its own people.
Let me be clear from the start: this article is not written in support of the Iranian regime.
In fact, if I'm completely honest, I don't feel qualified to strongly support or criticise it. Much of what any of us know comes from headlines, commentary, and the narratives that are presented to us through the media.
And that is exactly the point.
Over time, I have become increasingly cynical about what information is fed to us. I deliberately use the word fed because modern media rarely feels completely neutral or purely factual. Whether we realise it or not, much of what we see is filtered through political agendas, editorial bias, and national interests.
The Problem With Media Narratives
If you watch several different news channels reporting the same event, you will often notice something fascinating: the story changes depending on who is telling it.
Some media outlets frame events through a Western geopolitical perspective, while others reflect views from the Middle East, Asia, or the Global South.
Among the international networks, I personally find Al Jazeera to be relatively balanced compared with many mainstream outlets. It certainly has its own perspective—particularly when reporting on Gaza and Palestine—but overall it tends to host diverse panels and discussions that allow multiple viewpoints to emerge.
And that diversity of perspective is something that is often missing in Western media coverage.
Why Perspective Matters
One of the goals of Sikhana is to expose readers to different perspectives that are rarely discussed in Western media.
This doesn’t mean my perspective is necessarily correct. But living and studying in the UK, Pakistan, and Brussels has given me a valuable insight: history and politics look very different depending on where you stand.
The same event can be interpreted in completely opposite ways.
What one society labels terrorism, another may view as revolution, resistance, or self-defence.
History offers countless examples of this.
During the struggle for independence in the Indian subcontinent, many individuals fighting British rule were labelled “terrorists” by the colonial government. Yet today, they are widely remembered as freedom fighters who helped secure independence.
The label depends heavily on who is telling the story.
Who Decides What Terrorism Is?
This leads to a difficult but important question.
Groups like Hamas and other Islamist movements are widely labelled as terrorist organisations in the West. And it is undeniable that they have committed violent attacks and atrocities that create fear and suffering.
But from another perspective—particularly among Palestinians and some communities in the Middle East—the narrative looks very different.
For many living in Gaza or the West Bank, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are viewed as the aggressors and as a military force responsible for violence against civilians. From that lens, Israel — supported by Western allies — is seen as exercising state-sponsored terror.
Likewise, Western governments view groups like Hamas or Hezbollah, supported by Iran, as terrorist organisations threatening regional stability.
In other words, both sides accuse the other of terrorism.
And both narratives exist simultaneously depending on where you stand.
The Role of Propaganda in Global Politics
Propaganda is often discussed as something that happens in Russia, China, or authoritarian states.
But the uncomfortable truth is that propaganda exists everywhere — including in the West.
Every government shapes narratives to protect its interests, maintain public support, and influence how citizens interpret global events.
No country can truly claim to be completely free from this.
Just because certain actions do not take place on Western streets or in Western cities does not mean they do not occur elsewhere in the world under Western influence.
A Bigger Question: Who Is Really Pulling the Strings?
After listening to several long-form geopolitical discussions and expert interviews, one thought keeps resurfacing:
What if the global power structure is far more complex than the narratives we are typically given?
Some analysts argue that a small but highly influential nation exerts disproportionate influence over global politics, with other countries often acting — knowingly or unknowingly — within its strategic framework.
This idea isn’t something I arrived at lightly. It emerged after listening to a series of detailed podcasts featuring journalists, former intelligence officials, and geopolitical analysts.
Podcasts Worth Listening To
If you're interested in understanding the complex politics surrounding Iran, global power structures, and geopolitical influence, I highly recommend these discussions.
They are long, but incredibly insightful.
You may need to listen to them in smaller segments over several days or weeks, but they are well worth your time.
The Question We Should All Be Asking
Instead of immediately accepting the narratives presented to us, perhaps we should all step back and ask a bigger question:
Who should we really be concerned about?
Is it:
- Russia?
- China?
- North Korea?
- Iran?
- Israel?
Or is the reality of global power far more complicated than the simple narratives we are often presented?
I encourage you to watch or listen to the discussions above and then share your thoughts in the comments.
Because understanding global politics requires one crucial step:
Looking beyond a single lens & asking yourself;
Who Defines Terrorism in Global Politics?
