The Uneasy Alliances of Empire's Aftermath
The New Arab recently reported that the Afghan Taliban has signaled potential support for Iran should the United States launch a military attack. This suggestion, made amidst heightened tensions, seems to position a group long targeted by Washington as a frontline defense for another nation that has endured decades of US pressure, sanctions, and covert operations. This isn't merely an unexpected
alliance; it's a direct consequence of long-term US foreign policy. Since the 1953 CIA-orchestrated coup in Iran, both nations have, in different ways, experienced the destructive reach of American intervention. The US spent trillions and two decades in Afghanistan, ostensibly fighting the Taliban, only to see its influence wane. Now, the prospect of a shared adversary creates a geopolitical
alignment that transcends ideological differences, echoing similar anti-hegemonic fronts that emerged during the Cold War. The underlying dynamic is not one of shared values, but rather a mutual distrust of a common aggressor. When the Pentagon's budget for 2024 topped $886 billion, fueling an expansive global military footprint, it creates predictable pushback. Whether it was the Sandinistas in
Nicaragua or Hezbollah in Lebanon, resistance movements often find common ground when faced with a powerful external foe. The framing of such alliances as 'unlikely' often neglects the context of shared opposition to imperial aggression. This reveals a consistent pattern: US military interventions and regime-change attempts often forge the very anti-American blocs they claim to prevent. Watch for