Newsweek Discovers US Bases in Middle East, Forgets the Last 70 Years
The article’s implied surprise at this map of US military bases (see Newsweek for the image) seems to forget a rather extensive history. These aren't recent pop-ups; many have been there for decades, a legacy of coups, oil politics, and an enduring need to 'secure' vital interests — not always American ones. While the latest 'Iran threat' (a familiar refrain) is framed as the justification, these
bases often serve as platforms for interventions that destabilize, rather than secure, the region. Remember the 2003 invasion of Iraq, launched from many of these same sites? It's almost as if the 'Iran threat' itself becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, perpetually justifying a massive military footprint ($800 billion defense budget, anyone?) that, in turn, fuels regional tensions. This isn't
about protecting the US from an existential threat; it's about projecting power and maintaining leverage, often to the benefit of defense contractors and geopolitical allies who certainly aren't named 'Iran.' The cycle of 'threat' and 'response' is as predictable as the sun setting.