Judging Freedom Alastair Crooke : Trump's Dangerous War of Choice
Mar 2, 2026
Alastair Crooke, former British diplomat and Middle East analyst, gives a geopolitical read on recent US-Iran tensions. He traces the decision-making around the war, argues negotiations were a ruse, and describes the regional fallout after high-profile killings. He links motives to dollar hegemony and BRICS dynamics, and outlines Iran’s tactics and outside support shaping the new balance in the Gulf.
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War Decision Was Preplanned At Mar-a-Lago
- The decision to start the war was preplanned at a Mar-a-Lago meeting on December 29 and set the week for the attack.
- Israeli press reporting and meetings with U.S. figures like Whitcoff and Kushner indicate negotiations were a subterfuge to lull Iran.
Assassination Created A Regional Firestorm
- Killing Iran's Supreme Leader produced a regional firestorm and mass popular mobilization rather than regime collapse.
- Massive protests and attacks on US embassies and bases in Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain and elsewhere followed his assassination, fueling wider instability.
US Misread Iranian Sentiment About Their Leader
- The Trump administration misread Iranian public sentiment, treating the leader as hated when he was widely admired and humble.
- That misreading turned him into a martyr and rallied millions in Tehran and beyond calling for revenge.