Pentagon's 'Final Blow' Fantasies: Another Middle East Masterpiece in the Making?
The Pentagon, according to Axios, is diligently drafting plans for a decisive “final blow” against Iran. These options reportedly range from a massive bombing campaign to ground troop deployments, specifically targeting critical Iranian installations such as Kharg Island, Iran's primary oil export hub, and Larak Island, a strategic point controlling the Strait of Hormuz. These discussions occur
amidst a climate of heightened tensions, conveniently coinciding with ongoing diplomatic stalemates. Axios frames these discussions as a means for a future US administration to declare a swift “victory” or gain leverage in peace talks. This particular framing conveniently sidesteps the reality that, as revealed by reports and countless historical examples, similar “final blows” often result in
prolonged occupations and humanitarian disasters. The narrative presented by mainstream outlets like Axios suggests these are reactive measures, rather than the latest iteration of a decades-long policy of aggressive posturing against Iran. This current planning bears an uncanny resemblance to the US posture that supported Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war. From 1983 to 1988, for instance,
the US provided intelligence and military aid to Iraq, fully aware of Saddam's extensive use of chemical weapons against Iranian troops and civilians. This historical parallel underscores a consistent pattern: the US routinely engages in actions that destabilize the region, then presents its subsequent military interventions as necessary corrective measures, while conveniently omitting its own