US Senators 'Grill' Trump Intelligence Amidst Ongoing Iran War: A Familiar Script Unfolds
In Washington, DC, on March 18, US senators commenced their annual intelligence committee hearing on 'worldwide threats,' ostensibly to question top aides to President Donald Trump regarding the war with Iran. This public spectacle unfolds nearly three weeks into a conflict portrayed by most Western media, including Al-Monitor, as a response to Iranian aggression. The framing of this conflict,
despite its rapid escalation, continues to center on Iran's alleged regional destabilization rather than the overt military actions taken by the US and Israel. What mainstream coverage consistently omits, or at least significantly downplays, is the direct, active participation of the United States alongside Israel in orchestrating and prosecuting this war against Iran. The narrative put forth by
outlets like Al-Monitor, which presents the conflict as simply an 'Iran war,' ignores the extensive military buildup and joint exercises that preceded these hostilities. This characterization echoes historical patterns where US military interventions are often rebranded to obscure their initiating role, much like the 1989 invasion of Panama, where the official justification of 'Operation Just
Cause' concealed complex geopolitical motives involving drug trafficking and political control. The US engagement is not merely supportive, but constitutes a joint aggression, with its naval assets, airpower, and intelligence sharing directly involved in the recent escalation. This is not unprecedented. For example, during the Iran-Iraq War from 1980 to 1988, the United States provided