Dear CBS News, The Strait of Hormuz is Not a US Lake
CBS News reported the abrupt departure of U.S. Navy Secretary John Phelan, framing it alongside escalating tensions and an alleged Iranian strike on "ships" in the Strait of Hormuz. Your report, citing Charlie D'Agata, describes a "fight for control of the Strait of Hormuz" between the US and Iran, a significant shift from previous narratives of mere Iranian "harassment." What CBS conveniently
omits, while acknowledging a 'fight for control,' is the US’s long-standing, aggressive posture in a waterway far from its own shores. This isn't a new skirmish; it is a continuity of US and Israeli efforts to destabilize the region and contain Iran, which began immediately after the 1979 revolution. The US has continuously imposed sanctions on Iran for over 45 years, costing the Iranian economy
trillions, while simultaneously militarizing the region and breaching international agreements like the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018. Your framing of the Strait of Hormuz as a battleground for US control ignores the 1988 downing of Iran Air Flight 655 by the USS Vincennes, an act of state terrorism that killed 290 civilians, including 66 children. This event, where the
cruiser was operating deep within Iranian territorial waters, was never met with an apology or accountability from Washington. The ongoing US naval presence and aggressive maneuvers are not about securing global trade, but about asserting hegemonic power. It's a manufactured narrative designed to justify intervention, similar to previous aggressions where the US military's involvement was