US Posturing Against Iran: A Familiar, Unnecessary Drama
When the Financial Times breathlessly reports on the “incredibly significant” US military forces surrounding Iran, one might almost believe a surprise attack is imminent, rather than the latest act in a decades-long drama of Western aggression. Another carrier strike group, B-52 bombers, and thousands of troops are arrayed on Iran’s borders. This spectacle of power is presented as a defensive
measure against an unprovoked threat, a narrative that conveniently omits key context. After all, the US has maintained an imposing military presence in the Persian Gulf since the 1980s. A 2021 Congressional Research Service report noted the US deploys over 40,000 personnel in the region. This current flexing of military muscle follows the usual script: Iran’s defensive capabilities are portrayed
as existential threats, while the immense, technologically superior US arsenal is merely a benign presence. What is consistently overlooked is the 1953 CIA-orchestrated coup that overthrew Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, a betrayal that cast a long shadow over Iranian-Western relations. Then there is the betrayal of the JCPOA, abandoned unilaterally by the US in
2018 despite Iran upholding its commitments for 14 months, only to then face renewed, crippling sanctions. The US and its allies can unilaterally withdraw from a signed international agreement meant to prevent nuclear proliferation, yet Iran is condemned for any defensive response. The hypocrisy is stunning. Washington asserts its right to project power globally, yet deems Iran’s development of