An illegal war, two leaders in cahoots and media outlets struggling to meet the moment.
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An illegal war, two leaders in cahoots and media outlets struggling to meet the moment.
One week into the United States and Israel’s war on Iran, and the messaging coming from the White House is consistently chaotic and contradictory. From regime change and nuclear threat to preemptive attack – the Trump administration is struggling to juggle its narrative. And while the mainstream media is working overtime to legitimise the Trump-Netanyahu war at home, Americans remain unconvinced.
An overlapping belief in end times, or the second coming, underpins much of the motivation in the corridors of power in Washington and in the bunkers where the ayatollahs hide today, writes world affairs editor Sam Kiley
America has no plan. Donald Trump has admitted that the people Washington had in mind to run Iran are now dead – and other candidates may soon die. So it may appear that the US-Israeli war machine will achieve no victory because there is no definition of what that may look like.
One would expect Iran's government to be based on religious doctrine as the Supreme Leader is member of the religious elite. While religious fervor has always existed in America the first amendment has prevented the creation of a Christian theocratic government. Today, a number of Trump's cabinet members are religious nationalists, if not Christian supremacists. Pete Hegseth the Secretary of Defense has a number of Christian nationalist tattoos. Pete Hegseth and the other Christian nationalist share a worldview that is anathema to the constitution and the bill of rights. As the only time the word religion appears is in the first amendment which clearly states that there should always be a separation of church and state. Additionally the name of no organized religion appears in either document.
In 2018, Pete Hegseth, then a Fox News commentator, gave a speech at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem in which he said that Israel’s foundation in 1948 had been “a miracle”, as had the 1967 six-day war victory – and the 2017 decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.
He also said he foresaw another miracle – the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple on the site of what is now the Haram al Sharif in Jerusalem – a sacred site in Islam.
This, in the tradition of Christian end-times belief, is an essential part of the return of Christ.
In 1953 the CIA instituted Operation Ajax which was led by Kermit Roosevelt cousin of Franklin Roosevelt. Using cash to payoff government opposition groups and propaganda the coup was a success collapsing the government of Prime Minister of Iran Mohammad Mosaddegh.
The overthrow of Mosadegh's was done to stop the nationalisation of Irans oil industry which at that time was controlled by the British Anglo-Iranian Oil Company Mosadegh's government had sought an audit of Anglo-Iranian books to insure that Iran was being paid what was owed per the agreement. The British saw the nationalisation of Anglo-Iranian has a case of theft.
With Mosadegh removed from power the Shah of Iran was able to consolidate his power. Over his 26 years in power the Shah's government became more repressive using the SAVAK to repress dissent, censor the media and imprison those opposed to the Shah's rule.
All of this helped to ensure the Islamic Revolution of 1979 would be a success.
Israel said it had attacked Iran early on Saturday morning, as explosions were heard across Tehran.
An Israeli military spokesman said the country had “launched a pre-emptive strike against Iran to remove threats to the state of Israel.”
Israel closed its airspace and declared a state of emergency, in anticipation of Iranian drone and missile strikes in response.
Sirens sounded across Israel at around 08:15 local time (06:15 GMT), alerting people of the threat of a possible missile attack. The Israeli strikes happen amid diplomatic efforts between US and Iranian officials for a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear programme and avert a war, and negotiations were expected to continue next week.
Iran had made concessions in the talks, although US President Donald Trump - who had previously threatened to attack Iran to put pressure on its leaders to accept a deal - said yesterday he was not “thrilled” with the way the discussions were going.