Dr Ibrahim Alladin
The Gulf War erupted in 1990, on a false pretence that Iraq was producing weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and posed a threat to Israel. A coalition of more than thirty nations was assembled by the Americans and destroyed Iraq and split the country into pieces. The Iraqi invasion was a warning to its neighbours in the Middle East that any hostility towards Americans would be dealt with severely. My book, Beyond the Gulf War (co-edited by Baha Abu-Laban), published in 1991, examined the aftermath and geopolitics. Three decades later, it’s like a replay, but with a different outcome.
American Wars And Human Cost Since The Second World War:
A Snapshot
- SIX major wars/largescale combat operations: (Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the war against ISIS)
- Military interventions (including invasions, bombings, regime change operations, proxy wars and covert actions): 200+ interventions worldwide since World War II
Casualties:
- U.S. military deaths: Approximately 110,000–120,000 American soldiers since 1945
- Total deaths (including foreign civilians and combatants): Independent research estimates 12 million to over 20 million deaths globally, when civilian casualties, proxy wars, sanctions related deaths and indirect consequences of war are included.
(Sources: U.S. Congressional Research Service, Department of Defense data, the Military Intervention Project (Tufts University), and multiple independent academic and humanitarian studies).
Racism and military intervention have been at the core of American foreign policy. Its military strength has given the Americans power, leverage and control. Allied with a global political elite, it has exercised its dominance. It is the only country that has used nuclear weapons on civilians, and yet has been accountable for any breach of international conventions. Why do others like Israel have nuclear weapons and not Iran? This argument no longer holds, as American dominance is being checked. It is time for the Gulf States to stop American expansionism and imperialism.
The Aftermath of the Gulf War and the Emergence of the Grand Master Plan
The Gulf War was a human tragedy, fabricated by a group of war mongers whose main objective was to destabilise Iraq and the region, and install a regime that would dance to the tune of the United States and its European allies. For the purpose of this article, it is relevant to dwell on this example.
Saddam Hussein did not start the war. He invaded Kuwait to settle a long-standing historical territorial dispute. He was not engaged in the production of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), yet that became the push for the invasion and the destruction of one of the oldest civilisations. The death toll and the human suffering that were inflicted on the Iraqi people were celebrated across the Atlantic. From Iraq, the hypocrisy and killings went to Afghanistan, Libya and Syria. The objective was to destroy the very monsters like Al Qaeda and ISIS that Israel and the United States had created in the first place. None of these nations could challenge the military might of an alliance that spoke the same language and rhetoric. Islam, Muslims and terrorism became synonymous. The invasion raged, and countries like Iraq and Libya were split between factions and run by Western-backed thugs. What followed was anarchy and a total failure of any system of governance. The United States was obsessed with regime change and with introducing democracy, the American version. Surprisingly, wherever the Americans went to spread democracy, they found oil. Oil, at a low cost, guarantees the lavish lifestyle of the West, while impoverishing millions. The Gulf War humiliated the Muslims, Arabs and tarnished Islam. Israel, armed to its teeth, ensured there was no uprising in the region. Regional power shifted, allowing Israel to push its political ambition of creating a Greater Israel to dominate the Gulf states and control their resources. Three decades later, the tale of David versus Goliath is reenacted, and the Gulf States find themselves at the mercy of the Americans again.
Why Iran?
When Iraq fell, the implementation of the new world economic order led by George Bush took on a new dimension. His “axis of evil” was applauded by his allies, and the American expansionist plan was underway. With Israel as the leading military ally in the Middle East, the Iraqi destruction brought shivers to those opposing the American/Israeli plan. The intention was very clear. In 1997, the Project for the New American Century (PNAC) was established by William Kristol and Robert Kagan, with the aim of promoting American global leadership.
It sought to advocate for a strong American foreign policy and military dominance. PNAC was a doctrine that called for increased militarisation and a proactive foreign policy targeting regimes that were perceived as hostile to American interests.
After 9/11, retired General Wesley Clark, revealed that a Pentagon memo described a plan to “take out seven countries in five years” — Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran. Iran knew it was on the “hit list” and witnessed the fall of Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Syria, Libya, Somalia and the gradual fragmentation of Sudan. Every American administration since 9/11, has tried to eliminate Iran. Israel’s obsession with Iran’s nuclear programme, was a justification for keeping it on the military radar. Iran knew it was coming; it was a question of time.
In parallel to PNAC, another important element was added to the policy of expansionism. In 1982, the Oded Yinon Plan, an Israeli strategic initiative advocating the fragmentation of Arab states to secure Israel’s regional dominance, emerged. The key objectives were:
Fragmentation of Arab States: The plan emphasizes breaking down existing Arab nations into smaller states based on ethnic or sectarian lines, including the division of Iraq into Shi’te, Sunni, and Kurdish regions.
Expansion of Israeli influence: By creating smaller dependent states, Israel would secure strategic dominance in the Middle East and reduce the threat from unified Arab opposition.
Greater Israel Vision: The plan aligns with the concept of “Greater Israel”, extending from the Nile to the Euphrates, encompassing parts of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq.
It was very clear that the United States and Israel had a carefully designed plan to reconfigure the Middle East. It is not about bringing democracy, freedom or liberating so-called oppressed people, but to access the oil/energy resources and control their flow. The idea was to take oil from the hands of the Arabs. In simple terms, the American-led wars, pushed by Israel, were to control Arab oil.
The script to invade Iran was written about thirty years ago. To justify the invasion of Iraq, Saddam Hussein was turned into a villain, with WMD written on his back. He fell into a trap that the Americans had carefully orchestrated. Amassing a huge army made up of more than thirty countries, Iraq, a third-rate military power, was torn apart. The devastation was immense. Iraq paid a heavy price, and the Americans took control of the country. A similar fate was inflicted on Gaddafi in Libya, followed by Syria. American expansionism progressed unchecked.
After the fall of Iraq, two scenarios emerged: First, the militarisation of Israel to control and dominate its Arab neighbours, and second, American military expansion over the Middle East. Countries like Libya broke into factions, followed by anarchy. The war destroyed any system of governance that existed in Iraq, Afghanistan or Libya. Thugs took over, turning these countries into disarray.
In the past thirty years, the dynamics between Russia, Iran and China have shifted the balance of influence. After years of sanctions imposed by the US, military threats, internal revolts and global isolation, Iran realigned itself. It moved away from the West and developed close economic and military ties with Russia, China and North Korea, all of which are nuclear powers. As Israel’s obsession with Iran’s nuclear programme continued, Iran slowly and strategically positioned itself and acquired some of the most sophisticated military technology. Quietly, it built a military might capable of defending itself.
When the invasion led by Donald Trump, President of the United States and Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, came on February 28, 2026, it was not a surprise to Iran. While many saw it as such, the script was written decades ago. A unilateral engagement, the war started with the killing of Iran’s spiritual leader and his family. Trump, in his hysterical style, announced that it was going to be a short war, and like Iraq before, Iran would be in smoke, leading to civil unrest and regime change. In his mind, the war was going to be quick and decisive. But Trump and Netanyahu miscalculated Iran’s ability, which shook Israel’s air defence system, the Iron Dome, which Netanyahu prided himself on.
By blocking the Strait of Hormuz, through which 30% of the world’s oil passes, Iran has sent a clear message: Stay out and stop expansionism in the region. The tankers on fire send shivers.
Iran has indicated that it will negotiate a ceasefire on its terms. As the war lingers, Donald Trump will have to come up with an acceptable proposal. Putin has put Trump in a box and is not short of words. Iran knows Trump’s political future is shaky, and he is facing international isolation. Furthermore, Iran has seen how several countries have been betrayed at the negotiating table, and it does not want to fall into that trap. Trump does not have a strong argument to negotiate for peace on his terms, and if the Epstein files are used as a reference, he does not have the moral authority over Iran. The American political elite is counting on the war as a distraction from what the Epstein files are revealing. A stronger Iran will put a nail in Israel’s coffin. Russia and China will step in to fill the political vacuum. A scary scenario for Trump. This war may go down as another American failure, hard to swallow for the war mongers. As for the Gulf States, they were punched in the face after the Gulf War; they should rethink their allegiances. The United States are there not to protect them, but to exploit them.
