Israel, Iran and CNN
CNN's claim that Israel emerged as the "undisputed military power" after its 12-day war with Iran has been widely criticised as misleading. Critics argue Israel relied heavily on US support and failed to defeat Iran outright, while its ongoing assault on Gaza is viewed globally as genocide. This article underscores how media narratives mask US-backed aggression and calls for leaders to prioritise justice over political convenience. Robert Fantina reports.
On Thursday, June 26, CNN printed a rather bizarre – even for CNN – article, with the title: "After his victory lap over Iran, Netanyahu faces a pivotal decision on Gaza ." This writer was somewhat puzzled about the "victory lap" and as he continued reading, his astonishment increased. Perhaps it was one sentence, however, that caused him to remember (as if he had ever lost sight of this fact), that CNN and most major news stations want Israel to control the narrative, and will say the most astounding things to support it.
The sentence in question is this: "Israel appears to have emerged from the 12 days of conflict with Iran as the undisputed military power in the Middle East, able to strike targets with impunity across Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and now Iran."
Now, let's break this sentence down into its two main component parts for any uninitiated reader.
"Israel appears to have emerged from the 12 days of conflict with Iran as the undisputed military power in the Middle East…." Really? On what is that based? If one views Israel as one of the US's major military bases, which is what it is, one might be forgiven for saying – erroneously - that the US is the undisputed military power in the Middle East. It appears that the Israeli government first bombed Iran, with or without US approval, knowing that if it couldn't vanquish that country quickly, the US would come to its aid. That is exactly what happened. The "undisputed military power in the Middle East" was unable to defeat Iran, which bombed major Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, sending millions of Israelis into bomb shelters. It took just a few days for the Israeli government to need the United States to bail it out, which the US did to some limited degree, although President Trump's loud proclamations of destroying Iran's nuclear program have not been supported by any credible source, including US intelligence, which has said, "sorry, that's just not the case".
It is likely that the government of Benjamin Netanyahu knew that the country didn't have the ability to be successful in a war with Iran. He went into it knowing that his likely defeat would be prevented by the US.
Israel was "…able to strike targets with impunity across Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and now Iran." One must read that sentence twice to assure it has not been misread. As mentioned, Iran successfully bombed several cities in Israel. Months ago, after the Israeli terror attack of exploding pagers in Lebanon, that nation retaliated effectively, necessitating Israel to agree to a ceasefire (to which it has not adhered). It bombed Southern Lebanon killing one person on the 26th (and wounding others; in Yemen it continues to attack Israel with drones. In Lebanon, Iran and Syria too. If Israel were, in fact, "the undisputed military power in the Middle East", it would have continued its war against those countries, bringing about "regime change" and turning them into vassal states of the US. This, obviously, did not happen. This CNN article did concede that many Iranian missiles breached the so-called Arrow and David's Sling defence systems, both of which were developed and provisioned by the US, which continues to support them. So much for Israel's "undisputed military power".
Also, much of the world's people, if not their governments, condemned the Israeli aggression against Iran. Israeli government officials bemoan the alleged increase in antisemitism around the world, yet their actions only increase it. This, of course, serves their purposes, presenting Israel as the continued victim, simply trying to protect its people, and providing very dubious justification for its international aggression. Few people outside of Israel's ever-expanding borders believe this myth anymore. And as far as pivotal decisions about Gaza, the Netanyahu government has long since made them. Bomb the Palestinians, starve them, throw them an occasional bone of food, assisted by the United States, and shoot them as they attempt to retrieve it. No one but Trump sycophants denies anymore that Israel is committing genocide. According to the US and Israel, which are sponsoring the demoralising, unfair and inadequate food "relief" in Gaza, 35,000 food boxes have been delivered. This, even if true, is an insult. On June 5, a UN News report said this: "The lack of food entering Gaza caused by ongoing Israeli aid restrictions is leaving increasing numbers of Palestinians "vulnerable to starvation," with daily energy intake now well below what a human body needs to survive…." A minimum of 120 trucks entering Gaza on a daily basis would, in time, provide basic needs, but nothing even close to that number is allowed into Gaza.
So, for faithful CNN readers, little Israel has once again defeated its self-named enemies, independently shown the world its strength, and must now figure out what do with that annoying country, Palestine. The truth, of course, is that Israel has no strength without the United States, it has "enemies" because it is a violent, repressive, fascist nation and is committing genocide against a people it has occupied for over seventy years. Its barbarity and savagery has no equal in the twenty-first century.
Israel will have an easier time rebuilding than will Iran, because Israel will have US tax dollars to do it. So what if tens of millions of people in the US are without health care (something universal in Israel); who cares if millions of US citizens are burdened with excessive debt just to obtain higher education, when the Israeli government heavily subsidizes such education in Israel. What is any of this, when pro-Israel lobbies donate tens of millions of dollars to the political campaigns of US candidates who are willing to sell their souls and dance to the ugly Zionist tune?
US government officials often proclaim that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. (There are many reports showing that Israel is an apartheid state. In any case, a democracy doesn't make a country morally better). Since neither country adheres to any but the most rudimentary democratic principles, those statements are completely meaningless. Thinking people around the world are well aware of that fact. It is long past time to elect officials who will truly represent the people, and not the corporate elites and their own individual quest for power and profits.
For more news from the Middle East and North Africa, please go to www.lcdmedia.net
Comments