246. US-Israel’s imperial adventurism may end soon
When a visibly defeated US President Donald Trump addressed the nation yesterday, stating that America’s core strategic objectives are close to completion and that he is nearing the end of the conflict, not many probably believed him. He claimed that “Iran had been decimated—their navy is gone, and their air force is in ruins. Very few remain,” but warned that the US would strike Iran “extremely hard” over the next two to three weeks.
However, reports indicate a different situation. A US F-15E fighter was shot down over Iran, prompting an urgent US search and rescue effort for its two crew members. Iranian state media shared images of a tail fin and other debris, claiming that an advanced US F-35 was hit by a new air defense system in central Iran.
The wreckage belonged to an F-15E fighter jet from the US Air Force’s 494th Squadron, which is stationed at RAF Lakenheath in the UK. One crew member was rescued by US forces. The whole US military supremacy was based on this fighter jet. Now that myth is shattered.
During a period of war, US Army Chief of Staff General Randy George was suddenly compelled to retire immediately by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. This forced resignation cut short his four-year term, which was originally scheduled to end in 2027.
In his speech, Trump highlighted that in the past four weeks, US armed forces achieved rapid, decisive, and overwhelming victories on the battlefield, unmatched by many before.
And what were America’s core strategic objectives? Killing more than 5,000 people across the Middle East, including countries throughout the Gulf, Israel, Syria, Iraq, and the West Bank?
In Iran, the death toll is 3,519, including 1,598 civilians and at least 244 children; in Lebanon, 1,318 fatalities, with 124 children among them. Over 400 Hezbollah fighters have been killed, and three Indonesian United Nations peacekeepers have also died.
US Central Command's latest update reports that Operation Epic Fury has conducted over 13,000 combat flights, targeting more than 12,000 sites and damaging or destroying over 150 Iranian vessels.
Trump asserted that Iran was right at the doorstep of developing a nuclear weapon but downplayed worries about Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, claiming it was buried deep underground and could be monitored by satellite. So, why did he attack?
He failed to convincingly justify why the war in Iran was necessary, even though he recalled his 2015 presidential campaign speech, where he said he would never allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. Instead, he should have admitted that his decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal—negotiated by the Obama administration and Tehran, which limited Iran’s uranium enrichment—was his biggest mistake. He should have also accepted that the United States was only capable of a Venezuela-style takeover of Iran.
It is the 35th day, but there is no sign that the war will end soon. Iran is currently hesitant to negotiate due to a lack of trust in the US, skepticism about Donald Trump's commitment, and a belief that it maintains a strong bargaining position.
The ongoing conflict started during Iran's negotiations with US officials, whereas last year, Israel conducted an attack on Iranian nuclear sites while the US was engaged in talks with Tehran.
A core issue is no longer Trump’s priority— the Strait of Hormuz. He said the US does not depend on the strait for its oil, so it will not take responsibility for reopening this vital waterway.
The global community agrees that the war is unquestionably illegal. It has caused serious disruptions to the global energy supply and vital commodities, pushing the global economy toward potential collapse. Meanwhile, the United States and Israel are risking the futures of many poor nations to fulfill their imperial goals.
What are the indications from the 35-day war?
I strongly believe that the US-Israel’s imperial pursuits may end abruptly soon. The Pentagon knows that the Iraq invasion, which was illegal like the recent conflict with Iran, started on March 20, 2003, and US combat troops stayed in Iraq for nearly nine years, not just months.
What did America achieve?
- First, the US never discovered the weapons of mass destruction that initiated the war.
- The conflict had caused over half a million Iraqi deaths
- By 2020, US taxpayers had spent an incredible $1.92 trillion on the effort.
- And, more than 4,500 American soldiers died.
America is not in a position to repeat the same mistake again with the same results.