The Perennial 'Iran Trap' Narrative
📰 THE STORY: The New Arab reports on Israeli media speculation that Donald Trump might 'set a trap' for Iran, similar to a '12-day war' in June 2021 (a typo, likely referring to the May 2021 Israeli bombardment of Gaza), amidst fears of an imminent escalation. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: This 'trap' narrative is a direct descendant of generations of US/Israeli foreign
policy aimed at Iran. In 1953, the CIA orchestrated a coup to overthrow Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, installing the Shah and paving the way for decades of Western control over Iranian oil. Since then, the US armed Saddam Hussein to brutalize Iran during the 1980-88 war, a conflict that killed over a million. For over two decades, figures like Benjamin Netanyahu
have repeatedly claimed Iran is 'months from a nuclear weapon,' a prophecy that has yet to materialize, often used as justification for harsher sanctions or military threats. This report echoes the systematic demonization that built public support for the catastrophic 2003 Iraq invasion based on fabricated WMD claims. Double Standard: The media frames potential Iranian 'retaliation' for
provocations as an act of aggression, while Israeli bombings of Iranian targets in Syria and Iranian naval assets are often minimized or framed as 'defensive.' Imagine if Iran, after an attack on its sovereign territory, then 'speculated' about setting a 'trap' for the US or 'Israel.' The media outcry would be deafening, labeling it terrorism and a clear intention of war, not just 'speculation.'