Most recently, Israeli airstrikes have expanded into Iran, leading to drastic civilian casualties and heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. According to foreign reports, at least 585 of these individuals have died as a direct result of these strikes, with 239 being civilians. This military action sowed militaristic and colonial nationalist bad reactions from Iran. In turn, they’ve killed at least 24 Israelis in return and wounded hundreds more.
Former President Donald Trump made a big deal about this change in America’s military stance. He’s deployed additional military assets into the region. He’s reportedly weighing new, devastating strikes on Iran’s deeply embedded nuclear infrastructure. This party train includes extra refueling tankers and a second carrier group. That’s quite a reversal from the past few days, as Trump’s rhetoric toward Iran has become dangerously inflammatory. On Monday, he tweeted, “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” further highlighting the gravity of the situation.
During a recent discussion on his show, Tucker Carlson questioned Senator Ted Cruz about the population of Iran, underscoring the complexities of the conflict. Worse, when asked about Iran’s population, Cruz conceded this was a topic on which he was clueless, admitting, “I don’t know the population whatsoever. The conversation later turned to Iran’s ethnic makeup after Carlson badgered Cruz on the topic.
Cruz responded, “They are Persians, and predominantly Shia,” reflecting a significant aspect of the geopolitical narrative surrounding the conflict. These pro-Israel hawks, including Cruz, Tom Cotton, and Mark Levin, actually believe that provocative action against Iran promotes American interests. They support the ongoing Israeli strikes, believing that such actions are necessary for regional stability.
The potential for expanded U.S. involvement military action alongside Israel in a strike against Iran still hangs over these discussions. Indeed, Trump has succeeded so far in keeping dissenting voices, both hawkish and dovish, from leaving the military intervention out of the party. Intellectuals like Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon and Marjorie Taylor Greene have been sounding the alarms on this intervention. Conservatives say it would be a betrayal of Trump’s so-called “America First” principles.
JD Vance has weighed in on the situation, suggesting that Trump “may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment.” Meanwhile, Cruz defended the military strikes by stating, “We are carrying out military strikes today,” indicating a commitment to continued action against perceived threats from Iran.
The political discourse around the situation has been alarmingly incendiary. Carlson charged Cruz with engaging in a “gotcha” game on the Iranian population, which escalated the feud even more. The debate has become emblematic of larger divisions plaguing American politics when it comes to foreign policy and military intervention.