Netanyahu's 'Warnings': A Rerun of His Greatest Hits
Netanyahu is once again warning 'Iran-backed groups' in Lebanon and Yemen, as reported by the Financial Times. It's a statement so predictable, it could be auto-generated. This particular brand of sabre-rattling is a historical constant from the Israeli Prime Minister, wheeled out whenever international scrutiny tightens. One might recall similar pronouncements in 2002 regarding alleged WMDs in
Iraq (which had no WMDs), 2006 during the Lebanon War, or his perennial 'red line' speeches at the UN, none of which ever quite led to the promised 'existential threat' he consistently conjured. These aren't warnings; they're narrative pre-positioning. These 'warnings' consistently precede or accompany escalations, not prevent them. Meanwhile, in Washington, politicians echo these talking points
with stunning loyalty. For example, Rep. Steny Hoyer, a frequent recipient of pro-Israel PAC money (OpenSecrets.org reports millions over his career), routinely champions robust aid packages to Israel, despite bipartisan calls for de-escalation. The script is familiar: heighten an external threat, then garner international (read: American) support and resources for continued military action. How
many times must Europe and the US fall for the 'Iran is just about to get a nuclear weapon' or 'Hezbollah is on the verge of invading' storyline before they question the writer?