Steve Bannon's Iran Bombing Claims Debunked by Max Blumenthal

Bannon's Spin on Trump and Iran

• 💡 Steve Bannon claims President Trump rejected a large-scale bombing campaign on Iran, believing the regime is on the verge of collapse due to economic pressure.
• 🎯 Bannon suggests Trump's stance is a strategic move to appear tough without engaging in a war, aligning with factions that include Tucker Carlson and potentially JD Vance.
• ⚠️ Max Blumenthal argues that Bannon's narrative is a positive spin, and the opposite is true regarding the Iranian government's stability.

The Reality of Iran's Stability

• 📉 Sanctions, including a 25% tariff on Iranian oil, have not toppled the Iranian government, despite being in place since Trump reversed the Iran deal.
• 📈 Massive pro-government rallies and displays of public support indicate a strong constituency for the Islamic Republic, challenging the idea of imminent collapse.
• 🧩 Some protests originated from within the government's base, including the merchant class, due to economic hardship and dissatisfaction with monetary policy.

The Threat of Escalation

• 🚨 Hawkish U.S. politicians, like Lindsey Graham, are accused of pressuring Trump to escalate the conflict and draw the U.S. into a regional war.
• 🌍 Israel is perceived as wanting to draw the United States into an indefinite conflict, a concern Bannon acknowledges.
• 💥 A U.S. or Israeli attack would likely unify the Iranian population around their government, a predictable outcome of external aggression.

Historical Context and U.S. Intervention

• 🔍 The U.S. has a history of intervention in Iran, including the CIA-backed overthrow of democratically elected Prime Minister Mossadegh in 1953, leading to the installation of the Shah.
• 🎭 This historical intervention, termed "blowback" by the CIA, ultimately set the stage for the current theocratic government after the Shah was overthrown.
• 🗣️ The narrative that the Iranian people desire U.S. intervention is questioned, with concerns that U.S. media is pushing pro-war propaganda without presenting opposing viewpoints.
• 🗺️ Interventions in Iraq and Syria are cited as examples of catastrophic outcomes from regime-change fantasies, highlighting the lack of a clear plan for governing Iran if dislodged.