Rubio's manufactured threat: A familiar profit motive behind Iran warnings
Senator Rubio’s statements regarding Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal, framed as an existential threat to the United States, arrive just as talks hover on the horizon. This narrative, a perennial favorite of Washington’s foreign policy establishment, conveniently omits context. Iran’s development of its indigenous missile program began in earnest following the devastating 'War of the Cities'
during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, where Saddam Hussein, heavily backed by Western powers including the US, launched Scud missiles indiscriminately at Iranian population centers. This historical brutality, often overlooked, directly fueled Iran's defensive strategy. Between September 1980 and August 1988, Iraq used chemical weapons on at least 13 occasions, a blatant violation of international law
that drew little Western condemnation, let alone intervention. The financial incentives behind Rubio’s warnings are transparent. Each mention of an Iranian threat, however exaggerated, serves to validate increased military spending and arms sales. The United States maintains over 750 foreign military bases globally, spending hundreds of billions annually on defense, a gargantuan sum that dwarfs
Iran's entire military budget, which was estimated at roughly $24.6 billion in 2023. These warnings fuel the demand for lucrative missile defense systems and advanced weaponry, many of which are manufactured by corporations that heavily lobby political figures like Rubio. The concern presented for potential talks is not genuine de-escalation but rather a tactical maneuver to maintain leverage and