US Sanctions Iran for 'Crackdown' While Funding Israel's Real One
The United States, ever the global arbiter of appropriate force, has once again slapped sanctions on Iranian officials for their handling of domestic protests. This follows a long, storied tradition of Washington identifying 'tyranny' abroad, often while enabling its own versions. Remember when the US sold tear gas and crowd control weapons to Egypt during its 2011 uprising, only to later
'condemn' the violence? Or how about the decades of American support for Saudi Arabia, a regime hardly known for its progressive protest policies? The sheer chutzpah of these sanctions rings particularly hollow when juxtaposed with the Biden administration’s unwavering support for the unprecedented, internationally condemned violence in Gaza. While condemning Iran, the US continues to funnel
billions in military aid to Israel, even as ICJ rulings and UN resolutions pile up documenting mass atrocities. The pattern is clear: a 'crackdown' is only a crackdown when it serves US geopolitical interests; otherwise, it's 'self-defense' or a 'complex situation.' One wonders how many Iranian officials took trips to AIPAC's annual policy conference to learn these selective moral guidelines?