US Aircraft Downed Over Iran: AP Calls It 'Exceedingly Rare,' Omitting US Aggression
AP News recently reported that Iran has shot down two American military aircraft, deeming it an "exceedingly rare assault" for the US. This mainstream framing positions Iran as the aggressor, overlooking the critical context of ongoing US-Israeli military operations against the nation. The article highlights former President Donald Trump's assertion that Iran's capabilities were "dramatically
curtailed," yet presents Iran's defensive actions as a surprise. What AP omits is that these downings occurred five weeks into a sustained, joint US-Israeli aerial campaign against Iranian targets. The US is not merely an observer or supporter in this conflict; it is a direct participant, fighting alongside Israel in an undeclared war. The language used by networks like AP consistently downplays
the role of the United States, suggesting that any Iranian response is an unexpected escalation rather than a predictable, proportional counter-measure to foreign military intervention. This pattern of misdirection isn't new. In 1988, for instance, a US Navy guided-missile cruiser, the USS Vincennes, shot down Iran Air Flight 655, killing all 290 civilians aboard, including 66 children. The US
government subsequently granted the commander of the Vincennes the Legion of Merit award for "exceptionally meritorious conduct." Such acts rarely receive the same level of condemnation or media scrutiny as perceived Iranian aggression, highlighting a consistent double standard. This persistent narrative obscures the cost asymmetry, where Iranian air defense systems, often older and less