A new American imperialism is being born, and when it comes to Iran, the instigator of the strike isn’t satisfied – Israel will now seek regime change, calling it a “historic opportunity,” and Trump, whose base is quickly losing its spine, is already suggesting he likes the idea.
What will happen after dramatic U.S. strike on three of Iran’s main nuclear facilities? Many point out that everyone is now waiting for “Iran’s response” – whether that be closing the Strait of Hormuz, attacking American bases, or something else. But perhaps that expectation is misguided – there’s a strong possibility that Iran won’t do any of those things and that the “next moves” will again be made by its enemies.
In his public statements, Trump wants to give the impression that this strike was a one-off, hence he emphasizes that all targets were “completely destroyed,” despite the fact that even the U.S. military has yet to provide a clearer assessment. For Trump, the best outcome, at least politically, would be for this to mark the end of Iran’s nuclear program, allowing him to quickly shift focus to other issues, primarily domestic ones (like the unrest in Los Angeles or the economy). But many recognize that this was not an attack the U.S. decided to carry out on its own – the strike on Iran was the result of Israeli pressure, and a very successful one at that. Now that Israel sees just how far they can push America to do their bidding – something they’ve been trying to achieve for decades – it’s unlikely they’ll stop here.
Once the “dust settles,” we can expect new demands soon. It will be claimed that the Iranians had time to move nuclear materials to new secret locations, or that the strike will now push them to accelerate their pursuit of nuclear weapons. In other words – Israel could soon argue that “the job isn’t done” as long as the current regime in Iran remains, and that the mission will only be complete with a “regime change.”
Trump himself has already begun to suggest that this would be a desirable outcome, posting on his social network that “Iran cannot be great again” while the current government is in power. He even offered a variation of his MAGA slogan – MIGA (Make Iran Great Again).
As for the MAGA movement itself, i.e., Trump’s main voter base and core supporters, divisions are still felt, but it seems the tide is turning in Trump’s favor. As expected, many of those initially critical are now making various excuses for Trump’s aggression, such as: Trump gave Iran a chance, Iran didn’t accept a diplomatic solution, Iran brought this on itself. Or: Iran was truly on the brink of having a bomb, and Trump prevented a new Holocaust against the Jewish people.
It’s worth recalling that Benjamin Netanyahu has been claiming, almost regularly since the early 1990s, that Iran is “on the verge of having a bomb” or “two to three weeks away from building a nuclear weapon.” If there were any truth to this scaremongering, Iran should by now be a leading nuclear power. As for the oft-repeated fear that Iran would “drop a nuclear bomb on Israel” – where exactly? On Jerusalem, which is also a holy city in Islam (right after Mecca and Medina)? Or on Tel Aviv, which lies very close to the occupied West Bank? Would the Iranians really initiate a strike that would also kill numerous Palestinians, when the entire conflict for decades has centered around supporting displaced and disenfranchised Palestinians?
Netanyahu’s claims have never held water except in one regard – to create panic and fear in order to ensure help for Israel in eliminating its main (remaining) enemy in the Middle East: Iran.
So this American action will almost certainly not satisfy Israel – at least not in the long run. As they told Trump just a few days ago, “this is a historic moment” – with just a bit more action, the “shaken Iranian regime” could be toppled, and it would be a terrible shame not to seize the opportunity. If Trump senses that his base is bending toward him, even after he just betrayed his election promise (not to start new wars and interventions), he will likely agree to Israel’s next demand with little resistance.
Trump, in reality, faces no strong opposition. Only a few prominent figures in his base have bravely spoken out against him after the Iran strike – perhaps only Marjorie Taylor Greene and Candace Owens. People like Steve Bannon show much weaker character and consistency. Tucker Carlson, meanwhile, has gone completely silent and is likely trying to figure out how to please both Trump and his own audience.
On the other side of the political spectrum – another big nothing. Democratic congressman Bernie Sanders, whom some in the U.S. describe as a “radical leftist” (a highly inaccurate label), gave a speech yesterday in which he “strongly stated” that Trump launched an illegal attack on Iran because he “did not seek congressional approval.” And if he had? Would an attack on a sovereign country that hasn’t attacked America then be okay? Bernie gives the impression that he might’ve voted in favor of such congressional approval himself.
What we are witnessing now is the rapid birth of a new American imperialism, and after this episode (which may only be the first), Trump will likely rely even more heavily on force. What’s next? Dropping a tactical nuclear bomb on Greenland? Attacking Panama? Annexing Canada?
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