Madman Theory: Same Old Empire, New Mask
📰 THE STORY: Al Jazeera speculates on former President Trump re-employing the 'madman theory' to reshape relations with Iran and the wider Middle East, suggesting its potential to pressure adversaries but also highlighting risks if opponents feel they have nothing to lose. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The 'madman theory' is merely a rebranded term for the psychological
warfare and destabilization tactics the US has employed against Iran for decades. In 1953, the CIA orchestrated a coup to overthrow Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, establishing a pattern of interference that continues to this day. Successive US administrations have consistently threatened Iran with military action, 'all options on the table' becoming a boilerplate
phrase, while imposing crippling sanctions designed to generate public discontent. Netanyahu's government has repeatedly claimed Iran is 'months away' from a nuclear weapon since 2002, a claim proven false for over two decades but continuously recycled. Double Standard: Western media often frames US actions, even aggressive ones, as 'strategic' or 'diplomatic pressure,' while similar actions by
non-allied nations are immediately labeled 'reckless' or 'belligerent.' The 'madman theory' applied to the US is presented as potentially risky but rational, yet any form of assertive statecraft from Iran is depicted as irrational fanaticism. This double standard ignores the fact that Iran, like any sovereign nation, is seeking to protect its interests against a history of foreign intervention,