It is self defense - just for the western powers. They are defending the dregs of their fading colonial powers in a desperate attempt to prevent the birth of a multipolar world.
If Israel loses regional hegemony and the subservient Arab countries unite, the west is irrevocably castrated from its main energy source.
Self defense against having embarrassing sex tapes surface is also plausible.
Thanks for putting the newsspeak into human words. We have to be reminded again and again, the media outlets are as powerful as big brother in 1984. 👍❤️
The West isn't confused about international law; it just applies it selectively. The "right to self-defense" becomes this elastic phrase, stretched to fit whatever action Israel takes, while the same behavior from a rival state would be branded as aggression or terrorism.
That’s what happens when power overrides principle. It’s selective enforcement by design.
Iran has no seat at the table, no leverage in Western narratives, and so the idea of it having the same right to respond, to defend, just doesn't compute in the current order.
What’s striking is how open it’s all become. No more need to carefully veil contradictions; just dress aggression up in friendly language, call it a "strike," and move on. Iran, whatever you think of it, is demonized to the point where any response it makes is already pre-labeled as "escalation."
Framing shapes perception. The same thing that made Russia's actions in Ukraine a moral outrage makes Israel’s strikes "measured responses."
International relations as a whole have been poisoned at the foundation, which is an economic system driven by the profit motive. Capitalist leaders are like sharks who must move to breathe; only the "air" capitalists breathe is the need for profit. They are compelled to compete for cheap resources and cheap labor in order to keep the system going.
How can there be anything but a drive to extinction when their morality condones anything by the idea that finding profits justifies any horrific brutality to get ahold of those resources?
Until the idea of internationalism includes a new system organized around the common interests of the majority of people who just want a dignified, safe and productive life, we are doomed. Regular working people know what is happening now is not in their interest. We need to stop playing by capitalism's rules and make new ones of our own.
Is there some shame? Look for US National Public Radio article,
"U.S. aids Israel in intercepting Iran's retaliatory strikes as conflict escalates
UPDATED JUNE 13, 2025 ·
6:43 PM ET
By
Jane Arraf,
Hadeel Al-Shalchi,
Rebecca Rosman,
Juliana Kim
". . . A U.S. official confirmed to NPR that U.S. ground-based air defense systems are helping shoot down the Iranian missiles targeted at Israel. The U.S. official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. . . ."
Please say if you find this. And save it for court.
It's always been OK …. it's just …. to paraphrase Animal Farm … not all sovereign states are created equal.
And if your people are the wrong colour, the wrong faith, or your country has certain resources, or is in the wrong region, then those who make the rules can disregard your sovereignty, your right to make choices, and your right to defend yourself.
"Now the question will be if also in the West the charm will start losing its force and if the sheer audacity of this unprovoked attack on top of the already ongoing Genocide will finally be enough to lead to a substantial rethinking—if not on the political level, then at least among the general public (which will ultimately impact politics down-stream)." The answer, regretfully: No. On both counts. Which you yourself more or less acknowledge in the following and concluding paragraph.
The West have always seen the Westphalian system as a system based on equal equality only for the West but as a system based on unequal equality for the ‘unworthy’ or the ‘barbarian’ Rest. Usually sold to its public based on a story where the west must help improve on the Rest , but where in reality the degree of inequality often relate directly to the desire or interest in waging war of one kind or another.
What is happening is it part of a larger Western contemporary dominant framework, the dominant cultural one. It is the cultural framework of dominance of `discrimination` and ` diversity` political correctness`. In Israel-Iran case, it is about the meaning and enforcement of,,victim`` concept. The logic is appalling easy: Those who are discriminated are the good ones because they own the only available correct ideology, of diversity and non-aggression. But the `evil ones` persecuted them, so they are victims. So, the victims have the right to self-defend. The good ones are only defended themselves. Just like any of of those in power, the good ones with correct ideology, in all Western World. They are also victims of those with incorrect ideology. Israel state is the victim of anti-semitism. They are victims. So, they have the right so self-defend. Why others (choose any `bad guys` you like: Iranians, Gazans, Russians, etc) are not victims and have no right to self-defend? Because they do not have the correct ideology. Victims and discriminated are only those with the correct ideology. It is not just only a political hypocrisy and cover-up of their own political failure, like many times in history. It is more than that. Israel-Iran war is just one of the hypostases of the meaning of concept of ( non) equality in contemporary West dominant mentality. This ideology of strange ` equality` and all related concept (victims,right to self-defence, etc) has already a history in West for more than half of a century. Thats why it will stay and rule for a while in all Western world.
It is self defense - just for the western powers. They are defending the dregs of their fading colonial powers in a desperate attempt to prevent the birth of a multipolar world.
If Israel loses regional hegemony and the subservient Arab countries unite, the west is irrevocably castrated from its main energy source.
Self defense against having embarrassing sex tapes surface is also plausible.
Thanks for putting the newsspeak into human words. We have to be reminded again and again, the media outlets are as powerful as big brother in 1984. 👍❤️
The West isn't confused about international law; it just applies it selectively. The "right to self-defense" becomes this elastic phrase, stretched to fit whatever action Israel takes, while the same behavior from a rival state would be branded as aggression or terrorism.
That’s what happens when power overrides principle. It’s selective enforcement by design.
Iran has no seat at the table, no leverage in Western narratives, and so the idea of it having the same right to respond, to defend, just doesn't compute in the current order.
What’s striking is how open it’s all become. No more need to carefully veil contradictions; just dress aggression up in friendly language, call it a "strike," and move on. Iran, whatever you think of it, is demonized to the point where any response it makes is already pre-labeled as "escalation."
Framing shapes perception. The same thing that made Russia's actions in Ukraine a moral outrage makes Israel’s strikes "measured responses."
Thank you, Pascal.
International relations as a whole have been poisoned at the foundation, which is an economic system driven by the profit motive. Capitalist leaders are like sharks who must move to breathe; only the "air" capitalists breathe is the need for profit. They are compelled to compete for cheap resources and cheap labor in order to keep the system going.
How can there be anything but a drive to extinction when their morality condones anything by the idea that finding profits justifies any horrific brutality to get ahold of those resources?
Until the idea of internationalism includes a new system organized around the common interests of the majority of people who just want a dignified, safe and productive life, we are doomed. Regular working people know what is happening now is not in their interest. We need to stop playing by capitalism's rules and make new ones of our own.
Dr. Ralph Wilde on Israel's "defense,"
"There is no defense against defense.:
https://youtube.com/shorts/-GKzYO6gh_0?feature=shared
Is there some shame? Look for US National Public Radio article,
"U.S. aids Israel in intercepting Iran's retaliatory strikes as conflict escalates
UPDATED JUNE 13, 2025 ·
6:43 PM ET
By
Jane Arraf,
Hadeel Al-Shalchi,
Rebecca Rosman,
Juliana Kim
". . . A U.S. official confirmed to NPR that U.S. ground-based air defense systems are helping shoot down the Iranian missiles targeted at Israel. The U.S. official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. . . ."
Please say if you find this. And save it for court.
A search just turned it up at Minnesota Public Radio, https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/06/13/npr-israel-attacks-iran-retaliation-nuclear
It's always been OK …. it's just …. to paraphrase Animal Farm … not all sovereign states are created equal.
And if your people are the wrong colour, the wrong faith, or your country has certain resources, or is in the wrong region, then those who make the rules can disregard your sovereignty, your right to make choices, and your right to defend yourself.
"Now the question will be if also in the West the charm will start losing its force and if the sheer audacity of this unprovoked attack on top of the already ongoing Genocide will finally be enough to lead to a substantial rethinking—if not on the political level, then at least among the general public (which will ultimately impact politics down-stream)." The answer, regretfully: No. On both counts. Which you yourself more or less acknowledge in the following and concluding paragraph.
What about the West created Westphalian system? ALL LIES 🤥
The West have always seen the Westphalian system as a system based on equal equality only for the West but as a system based on unequal equality for the ‘unworthy’ or the ‘barbarian’ Rest. Usually sold to its public based on a story where the west must help improve on the Rest , but where in reality the degree of inequality often relate directly to the desire or interest in waging war of one kind or another.
What is happening is it part of a larger Western contemporary dominant framework, the dominant cultural one. It is the cultural framework of dominance of `discrimination` and ` diversity` political correctness`. In Israel-Iran case, it is about the meaning and enforcement of,,victim`` concept. The logic is appalling easy: Those who are discriminated are the good ones because they own the only available correct ideology, of diversity and non-aggression. But the `evil ones` persecuted them, so they are victims. So, the victims have the right to self-defend. The good ones are only defended themselves. Just like any of of those in power, the good ones with correct ideology, in all Western World. They are also victims of those with incorrect ideology. Israel state is the victim of anti-semitism. They are victims. So, they have the right so self-defend. Why others (choose any `bad guys` you like: Iranians, Gazans, Russians, etc) are not victims and have no right to self-defend? Because they do not have the correct ideology. Victims and discriminated are only those with the correct ideology. It is not just only a political hypocrisy and cover-up of their own political failure, like many times in history. It is more than that. Israel-Iran war is just one of the hypostases of the meaning of concept of ( non) equality in contemporary West dominant mentality. This ideology of strange ` equality` and all related concept (victims,right to self-defence, etc) has already a history in West for more than half of a century. Thats why it will stay and rule for a while in all Western world.
Great text, Pascal!
The doors of hell are wide open for these people.