The
repercussions will be dire and far-reaching, affecting the people of the Middle
East and populations worldwide . . . Proponents claim this will “decapitate” a
rogue state but history teaches us otherwise.
By Fareed Khan
A version of this can be found on Substack.
On February 28, 2026, the world
awoke to the thunder of missiles and airstrikes in the Middle East as the
United States and Israel launched a coordinated, unprovoked attack on Iran.
Framed by President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
as a pre-emptive strike to halt Iran’s alleged imminent completion of a nuclear
warhead, as well as to overthrow the regime, this assault marks a brazen
violation of international law and the UN Charter.
Iran posed no imminent threat to either nation, and the justification for the attack echoes decades-old fear mongering that has repeatedly failed to materialize. This act of aggression is not merely a regional skirmish. It threatens to destabilize the entire Middle East, disrupt global energy supplies, and plunge the world into economic turmoil. Moreover, it exposes the hollow rhetoric of leaders like Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who advocated independence from American hegemony in Davos, but instead has revealed himself as little more than an American lapdog by supporting the US attack, forsaking an independent Canadian foreign policy.
The repercussions of this attack will be dire and far-reaching, affecting not just the people of the Middle East but populations worldwide. The region, already scarred by decades of conflict, instigated by the West and Israel, stands on the brink of unprecedented instability. Iran’s response—launching retaliatory strikes and mobilizing its proxies—has already escalated tensions with neighbouring Arab nations. The US-Israeli attack has targeted Iran’s military infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and leadership, potentially killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and crippling the regime’s command structure. While proponents claim this will “decapitate” a rogue state, history teaches us otherwise.
The 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, justified by fabricated claims of weapons of mass destruction, did not bring stability to the region. It unleashed chaos, sectarian violence, and the rise of terrorist groups like ISIS. Similarly, this assault on Iran risks fracturing the country along ethnic and religious lines, empowering hardliners, and spawning new insurgencies that could spill over into Iraq, Syria, and beyond.
The potential human cost will be staggering. Millions of Iranians, already enduring economic hardship under years of US-led sanctions, now face the horrors of war—bombings, displacement, break down of civil society, and possibly famine. Neighbouring countries, home to refugees from past conflicts, will bear the brunt of any mass exodus, but the instability won’t stop at borders.
The Persian Gulf, through which the majority of Middle Eastern oil flows—accounting for about 20% of global crude oil consumption via the Strait of Hormuz—has become a flash point. Iranian forces have already telegraphed their intent to restrict shipping through the strait, and tanker traffic has slowed amid fears of blockade or sabotage. A prolonged disruption could spike oil prices to levels not seen the late 2000s when prices topped $140 per barrel, triggering inflation, recessions, and energy shortages worldwide. Europe, still dealing with the repercussions of the on-going Russia-Ukraine war, would be hit hard, as would developing economies in Asia and Africa dependent on stable and affordable oil prices. The global supply chain, already fragile, could unravel, exacerbating poverty and inequality. This is not hyperbole, it’s the predictable outcome of US military aggression destabilizing a region that fuels most of the world’s economy.
Compounding this folly is the abject failure of international diplomacy. The UN Charter explicitly prohibits the use of force except in self-defence or with Security Council approval—neither of which applies here. Iran, for all its deep flaws, was not on the verge of attacking anyone, contrary to the claims made by the US and Israel. Intelligence assessments from US allies have long dismissed Netanyahu’s perennial claims of an “imminent” Iranian nuclear bomb as exaggerated. These warnings date back to the 1990s, when Netanyahu, as a Knesset member, predicted Iran would have nuclear capabilities within three to five years—a timeline that has has been recycled ad nauseam without becoming reality. Previous US presidents, from both parties, resisted Israel’s pressure to attack Iran precisely because they understood the catastrophic blowback and its long lasting implications. However, Trump’s decision to green light this attack, in close coordination with Israel, reeks of election-year posturing, prioritizing geopolitical ambitions over any sincere efforts to seek long-term peace.
In this grim scenario, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s response stands out as a particularly shameful capitulation to the Trump geopolitical agenda. At the World Economic Forum in Davos just weeks ago, Carney delivered a powerful speech railing against American coercion, touting Canada’s sovereignty, and vowing to “disconnect” from US dominance. He spoke of “elbows up” defiance, positioning himself as a bulwark against Trump’s authoritarian agenda.
Yet, when confronted with a blatant violation of international law by a president who has made a habit of ignoring international norms, Carney has parroted US talking points, offering adamant support for the Iran attack and framing them as necessary to counter a “regional threat.” This doesn’t demonstrate leadership but rather theatrical hypocrisy—bluster and bravado at home and abroad about how Canada would walk its own path masking a deeper subservience to the US, revealing Canada is still in lockstep with American imperialism when push comes to shove.
Contrast this with the stance of former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in 2003. Faced with the US-led push to invade Iraq without UN sanction, Chrétien stood firm, condemning the action as a violation of international law and refusing to join the “coalition of the willing.” His decision, supported by an overwhelming majority of Canadians, preserved Canada’s moral standing and spared it from the quagmire that followed. Iraq’s destabilization not only cost the US trillions of dollars and resulted in the death of millions of Iraqis but birthed new terror networks that continue to haunt the world today.
Carney, by contrast, has shown no such courage in his response to the attack on Iran. His knee jerk support for the US and Israel aligns him with Trump—a leader who has disdain for the international rule of law, as evidenced by his attack on Venezuela, his efforts to bring down the Cuban government, and attempts to annex Greenland. Carney has railed against Trump for the benefit of domestic audiences, decrying tariffs and his bullying, but with the Iran attack has jumped to echo the US president’s war cries. This duplicitous duality exposes the emptiness of Carney’s nationalist rhetoric. His performative rebellion for Canadian voters while aligning with the actions of a fascist warmonger destabilizing the Middle East, shows a leader who should not be trusted. It seems when it comes to Iran and Middle East geopolitics Carney’s leash is held firmly by Washington.
European nations that have joined in supporting the strikes—blaming Iran despite its lack of imminent aggression—make a mockery of their professed commitment to international law. This hypocrisy underscores a dangerous double standard, one where Western powers flout rules they impose on the Global South, demanding submission, threatening their adversaries with military aggression or economic coercion if they don’t.
Admittedly Iran, a decidedly “vile government” that brutally violates its citizens’ rights, is no saint. But if human rights were the true motive for the US-Israeli attack, as they have stated is part of the justification for the military action, why not target China, Russia, or North Korea to free the people of those nations from tyranny? The answer is that neither the US, Israel, nor its allies truly care about protecting the human rights of oppressed peoples. Additionally, these nations possess something that Iran doesn’t—nuclear weapons. Their arsenals provide leverage against bullies like the US that Iran is lacking. Paradoxically, this attack may be a catalyst that accelerates nuclear proliferation worldwide, as vulnerable states conclude that nuclear weapons are the only shield against unprovoked assault by the super powers of this world.
History will judge the perpetrators harshly. The United States, once seen as a beacon of democracy, will be remembered as a rogue empire that squandered its advantage on endless wars and coups, from Vietnam to Latin America to Afghanistan to Iraq—and now Iran. Its actions have eroded global trust, fuelling anti-Americanism and empowering its adversaries. Israel will also be etched in history as one of the most evil regimes of the 20th and 21st centuries. For decades, Zionist influence has steered US foreign policy toward dismantling Middle Eastern powers supportive of Palestinian rights—Egypt and Jordan via peace deals, Iraq through lies about WMDs, Libya via NATO bombings, and now Iran as the final obstacle to Israel’s hegemonic ambitions in the region.
This attack isn’t about security as the US and Israel claim. It is about erasing opposition to expansionism, to an ethnic cleansing and genocide agenda targeting Palestinians, that began with the Nakba in 1948 and continues in Gaza and the West Bank today. It is also about controlling the flow of oil which powers the engine of US and Western imperialism and economic control.
Canada, too, will face condemnation in the history books. By endorsing this illegal, unjustified attack on Iran, Carney has further tarnished a nation that was once admired for peacekeeping and multilateralism. Future generations will view this as a betrayal, akin to complicity in colonial atrocities. The attack on Iran is just the opening salvo in regime-change efforts, but without addressing root causes—Western meddling and Israel’s territorial and genocidal ambitions. It will only sow more anti-American and anti-Israel hatred, and will further destabilize a region that plays a key role in the global economic engine.
This assault is a reckless gamble, in support of Israel’s regional agenda, that endangers the global community. It destabilizes a volatile region, threatens economic stability and hammers another nail into the coffin of the so-called “international order” that Western leaders often talk about. Leaders like Carney, who enable it through spineless alignment with the US agenda, must be held accountable. The world must demand de-escalation, UN mediation, and a return to diplomacy before this spark ignites a global inferno. History and basic humanity demands no less.
© 2026 The View From Here. © 2026 Fareed Khan. All Rights Reserved.
Iran posed no imminent threat to either nation, and the justification for the attack echoes decades-old fear mongering that has repeatedly failed to materialize. This act of aggression is not merely a regional skirmish. It threatens to destabilize the entire Middle East, disrupt global energy supplies, and plunge the world into economic turmoil. Moreover, it exposes the hollow rhetoric of leaders like Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who advocated independence from American hegemony in Davos, but instead has revealed himself as little more than an American lapdog by supporting the US attack, forsaking an independent Canadian foreign policy.
The repercussions of this attack will be dire and far-reaching, affecting not just the people of the Middle East but populations worldwide. The region, already scarred by decades of conflict, instigated by the West and Israel, stands on the brink of unprecedented instability. Iran’s response—launching retaliatory strikes and mobilizing its proxies—has already escalated tensions with neighbouring Arab nations. The US-Israeli attack has targeted Iran’s military infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and leadership, potentially killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and crippling the regime’s command structure. While proponents claim this will “decapitate” a rogue state, history teaches us otherwise.
The 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, justified by fabricated claims of weapons of mass destruction, did not bring stability to the region. It unleashed chaos, sectarian violence, and the rise of terrorist groups like ISIS. Similarly, this assault on Iran risks fracturing the country along ethnic and religious lines, empowering hardliners, and spawning new insurgencies that could spill over into Iraq, Syria, and beyond.
The potential human cost will be staggering. Millions of Iranians, already enduring economic hardship under years of US-led sanctions, now face the horrors of war—bombings, displacement, break down of civil society, and possibly famine. Neighbouring countries, home to refugees from past conflicts, will bear the brunt of any mass exodus, but the instability won’t stop at borders.
The Persian Gulf, through which the majority of Middle Eastern oil flows—accounting for about 20% of global crude oil consumption via the Strait of Hormuz—has become a flash point. Iranian forces have already telegraphed their intent to restrict shipping through the strait, and tanker traffic has slowed amid fears of blockade or sabotage. A prolonged disruption could spike oil prices to levels not seen the late 2000s when prices topped $140 per barrel, triggering inflation, recessions, and energy shortages worldwide. Europe, still dealing with the repercussions of the on-going Russia-Ukraine war, would be hit hard, as would developing economies in Asia and Africa dependent on stable and affordable oil prices. The global supply chain, already fragile, could unravel, exacerbating poverty and inequality. This is not hyperbole, it’s the predictable outcome of US military aggression destabilizing a region that fuels most of the world’s economy.
Compounding this folly is the abject failure of international diplomacy. The UN Charter explicitly prohibits the use of force except in self-defence or with Security Council approval—neither of which applies here. Iran, for all its deep flaws, was not on the verge of attacking anyone, contrary to the claims made by the US and Israel. Intelligence assessments from US allies have long dismissed Netanyahu’s perennial claims of an “imminent” Iranian nuclear bomb as exaggerated. These warnings date back to the 1990s, when Netanyahu, as a Knesset member, predicted Iran would have nuclear capabilities within three to five years—a timeline that has has been recycled ad nauseam without becoming reality. Previous US presidents, from both parties, resisted Israel’s pressure to attack Iran precisely because they understood the catastrophic blowback and its long lasting implications. However, Trump’s decision to green light this attack, in close coordination with Israel, reeks of election-year posturing, prioritizing geopolitical ambitions over any sincere efforts to seek long-term peace.
In this grim scenario, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s response stands out as a particularly shameful capitulation to the Trump geopolitical agenda. At the World Economic Forum in Davos just weeks ago, Carney delivered a powerful speech railing against American coercion, touting Canada’s sovereignty, and vowing to “disconnect” from US dominance. He spoke of “elbows up” defiance, positioning himself as a bulwark against Trump’s authoritarian agenda.
Yet, when confronted with a blatant violation of international law by a president who has made a habit of ignoring international norms, Carney has parroted US talking points, offering adamant support for the Iran attack and framing them as necessary to counter a “regional threat.” This doesn’t demonstrate leadership but rather theatrical hypocrisy—bluster and bravado at home and abroad about how Canada would walk its own path masking a deeper subservience to the US, revealing Canada is still in lockstep with American imperialism when push comes to shove.
Contrast this with the stance of former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien in 2003. Faced with the US-led push to invade Iraq without UN sanction, Chrétien stood firm, condemning the action as a violation of international law and refusing to join the “coalition of the willing.” His decision, supported by an overwhelming majority of Canadians, preserved Canada’s moral standing and spared it from the quagmire that followed. Iraq’s destabilization not only cost the US trillions of dollars and resulted in the death of millions of Iraqis but birthed new terror networks that continue to haunt the world today.
Carney, by contrast, has shown no such courage in his response to the attack on Iran. His knee jerk support for the US and Israel aligns him with Trump—a leader who has disdain for the international rule of law, as evidenced by his attack on Venezuela, his efforts to bring down the Cuban government, and attempts to annex Greenland. Carney has railed against Trump for the benefit of domestic audiences, decrying tariffs and his bullying, but with the Iran attack has jumped to echo the US president’s war cries. This duplicitous duality exposes the emptiness of Carney’s nationalist rhetoric. His performative rebellion for Canadian voters while aligning with the actions of a fascist warmonger destabilizing the Middle East, shows a leader who should not be trusted. It seems when it comes to Iran and Middle East geopolitics Carney’s leash is held firmly by Washington.
European nations that have joined in supporting the strikes—blaming Iran despite its lack of imminent aggression—make a mockery of their professed commitment to international law. This hypocrisy underscores a dangerous double standard, one where Western powers flout rules they impose on the Global South, demanding submission, threatening their adversaries with military aggression or economic coercion if they don’t.
Admittedly Iran, a decidedly “vile government” that brutally violates its citizens’ rights, is no saint. But if human rights were the true motive for the US-Israeli attack, as they have stated is part of the justification for the military action, why not target China, Russia, or North Korea to free the people of those nations from tyranny? The answer is that neither the US, Israel, nor its allies truly care about protecting the human rights of oppressed peoples. Additionally, these nations possess something that Iran doesn’t—nuclear weapons. Their arsenals provide leverage against bullies like the US that Iran is lacking. Paradoxically, this attack may be a catalyst that accelerates nuclear proliferation worldwide, as vulnerable states conclude that nuclear weapons are the only shield against unprovoked assault by the super powers of this world.
History will judge the perpetrators harshly. The United States, once seen as a beacon of democracy, will be remembered as a rogue empire that squandered its advantage on endless wars and coups, from Vietnam to Latin America to Afghanistan to Iraq—and now Iran. Its actions have eroded global trust, fuelling anti-Americanism and empowering its adversaries. Israel will also be etched in history as one of the most evil regimes of the 20th and 21st centuries. For decades, Zionist influence has steered US foreign policy toward dismantling Middle Eastern powers supportive of Palestinian rights—Egypt and Jordan via peace deals, Iraq through lies about WMDs, Libya via NATO bombings, and now Iran as the final obstacle to Israel’s hegemonic ambitions in the region.
This attack isn’t about security as the US and Israel claim. It is about erasing opposition to expansionism, to an ethnic cleansing and genocide agenda targeting Palestinians, that began with the Nakba in 1948 and continues in Gaza and the West Bank today. It is also about controlling the flow of oil which powers the engine of US and Western imperialism and economic control.
Canada, too, will face condemnation in the history books. By endorsing this illegal, unjustified attack on Iran, Carney has further tarnished a nation that was once admired for peacekeeping and multilateralism. Future generations will view this as a betrayal, akin to complicity in colonial atrocities. The attack on Iran is just the opening salvo in regime-change efforts, but without addressing root causes—Western meddling and Israel’s territorial and genocidal ambitions. It will only sow more anti-American and anti-Israel hatred, and will further destabilize a region that plays a key role in the global economic engine.
This assault is a reckless gamble, in support of Israel’s regional agenda, that endangers the global community. It destabilizes a volatile region, threatens economic stability and hammers another nail into the coffin of the so-called “international order” that Western leaders often talk about. Leaders like Carney, who enable it through spineless alignment with the US agenda, must be held accountable. The world must demand de-escalation, UN mediation, and a return to diplomacy before this spark ignites a global inferno. History and basic humanity demands no less.
© 2026 The View From Here. © 2026 Fareed Khan. All Rights Reserved.
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