War does not simply happen-- it is made possible by systems of power, profit, and belief that keep pulling us back in, often against our better judgment.
Here we are-- at war again.
"Just when we thought we were out" they pull us back in."
We tell ourselves we do not want war. We say it after every conflict. And yet, time and again, we find ourselves drawn back into it.
Why is that? And who-- or what-- is doing the pulling?
The answer lies not in a single cause, but in a convergence of powerful forces.
There is the military-industrial complex, whose continued influence depends on the persistence of conflict-- or at least the constant threat of it. There are the enormous profits generated by war, which can drive markets upward and create the illusion of progress, even as the benefits flow disproportionately to the economic elite.
There is also the reality of possessing the most powerful military in the world. When such power exists, the temptation to justify its existence-- to use it-- becomes difficult to resist.
Layered onto this are political dynamics at home and alliances abroad that can narrow the range of choices. Authoritarian leadership that operates with fewer constraints, following the plans of Project 2025, a political party largely aligned behind it, and a judiciary increasingly viewed by many as sympathetic to concentrated power-- all of these can make escalation more likely and restraint more difficult.
And then there is the role of geopolitics-- particularly the United States' close relationship with the current Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu. Policies in Gaza and the broader region have drawn intense international criticism, with many observers raising profound moral and legal concerns. At the same time, those in power in this nation, in spite of these legal and moral concerns, have continued to provide strong political, economic, diplomatic and military support, shaping both regional dynamics and America's own path.
All of this forms the backdrop to the latest confrontation-- this time with Iran.
We are told, once again, that the threat is urgent and unavoidable. That action is necessary. That we are acting in defense of peace, stability, or even humanity itself.
Before accepting these justifications, it is worth pausing to reflect on the deeper context.
To understand how we arrived at this moment, we need to revisit a history that is too often simplified-- or ignored.
Iran was once a functioning democracy with an elected leader who sought to nationalize the country's oil resources-- its most valuable asset. That decision challenged Western economic interests, particularly those of Britain and the United States, hardly an acceptable international justification for interference in the politics of a sovereign nation.
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