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On this edition of Parallax Views, returning guest Richard Silverstein of the Tikun Olam blog joins us to discuss his latest article, “Iran: Trump’s War of Annihilation.” Silverstein argues that Donald Trump has embarked on a dangerously escalatory military campaign against Iran, undertaken in close coordination with Benjamin Netanyahu, that risks massive civilian casualties, regional destabilization, and long-term blowback.
In this conversation, Silverstein contends that the strategy of decapitating Iranian leadership—including the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei—rests on flawed assumptions drawn from past U.S. interventions in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. Rather than producing regime collapse and democratic transition, he warns, such actions historically create power vacuums, fuel insurgencies, and entrench nationalist resistance.
The discussion turns to domestic politics in both the United States and Israel, where Silverstein suggests the war may function as a political distraction for embattled leaders facing declining approval ratings and mounting controversies. He cites polling data indicating significant American opposition to war with Iran and explores what he sees as shifting public opinion in the U.S.—particularly among younger Americans—regarding Israel and Palestine.
We'll also discuss what this means long-term for the U.S./Israel as well as Iran and the region as a whole, whether the Islamic Republic can survive this, and even delve into what this means for the Gulf state monarchies. Richard also discusses some of his recent articles on issues like the Israeli use of U.S. thermobaric weapons that are said to "vaporize" targets.
