US-Israel Joint Aggression Escalates and Claims Iraq as Collateral
Recent reports highlight Iraq as caught in the crossfire of what The Independent terms an 'Iran war,' facing strikes from multiple sides on its sovereign territory. This news follows a pattern of increasing military activity by the United States and Israel against Iranian interests and allied movements across the region, which Iran and its allies then respond to within Iraq and elsewhere. The
Independent, like much of Western media, frames these events as Baghdad merely being 'caught in the crossfire,' implying a symmetrical conflict between two independent parties. This narrative conveniently omits the foundational role of the United States as a direct participant and joint aggressor in this escalating conflict. The US is actively fighting alongside Israel, conducting surveillance,
intelligence sharing, and providing material support for actions against Iran, including deploying carrier groups and B-52s to the region, and maintaining a pervasive military presence in Iraq that has never been fully sanctioned by the Iraqi government following the 2003 invasion. When the US or Israel strikes targets, often identified as Iranian-backed, within Iraq or Syria, it is presented as a
necessary measure, while Iranian or allied responses are labeled as destabilizing 'aggression.' This portrayal ignores the extensive economic and political pressure exerted on Iraq to align with American interests, even if it means jeopardizing its own stability. Since 1990 alone, the United States has spent trillions of dollars in military interventions and occupations in the Middle East, with