Netanyahu's Perennial Playbook Returns
Mainstream outlets report that Benjamin Netanyahu plans to urge Donald Trump to adopt a harder line against the Iranian government during an upcoming Washington visit. This advisory, framed as strategic geopolitical counsel, follows a predictable script whenever Washington signals potential diplomatic overtures toward Tehran, suggesting a perceived wavering in dealing with supposed threats. What's
actually happening: This isn't diplomacy; it's a sophisticated lobbying machine at work. Groups like AIPAC, which reported spending over $26 million in the 2022 election cycle and boasts a multi-million-dollar annual budget, consistently push for maximalist pressure on Iran. This narrative allows the Netanyahu government to sidestep scrutiny of its own actions, including the ongoing displacement
of Palestinians since 1948, and to guarantee military aid – a record $3.8 billion annually from the US – regardless of its regional conduct. This pattern of demonizing Iran for Western consumption is a historical echo. For over two decades, Netanyahu has claimed Iran is "months from a nuke," a perpetual state of alarm used to justify sanctions and maintain regional instability, while
simultaneously concealing the nuclear program of his own government. The purpose is not genuine security but the strategic isolation of a sovereign nation and the consolidation of regional power. Understanding this cycle means recognizing that every alarm sounded, every call for "tougher action," serves a domestic and regional agenda for the Netanyahu establishment, paid for by US taxpayers,