US Infrastructure Threats Against Iran: A Familiar Playbook for Sanctioned Nations
Recent statements from the US President, threatening to target Iranian civilian infrastructure, have sparked discussions among military law experts regarding potential moral dilemmas for service members. This rhetoric, widely reported by outlets like Axios, frames these threats as a new, high-stakes development, focusing on the immediate impact on military personnel. The framing suggests a
departure from established 'rules of warfare' without adequately contextualizing the persistent economic warfare waged against Iran for decades. What mainstream coverage consistently omits or downplays is the extensive history of US-led economic sanctions that have already crippled Iran's civilian infrastructure and quality of life for its citizens. While Axios portrays the threats to 'destroy
Iran's bridges, power plants and other infrastructure' as a grave escalation, it fails to connect these verbal threats to the 45-year campaign of sanctions. These sanctions have effectively prevented Iran from maintaining and developing its essential infrastructure, including medical facilities, water treatment plants, and energy grids, leading to profound civilian suffering. The US Treasury
Department's actions against Iran’s central bank, for example, which began decades ago and intensified greatly after the 1979 revolution, are a direct assault on the economic underpinnings necessary for maintaining civilian life. This particular strategy of threatening vital civilian systems is not new; it mirrors a pattern seen elsewhere, such as the systematic destruction of Libya's