Donald Trump posted this on his so-called Truth Social media account last night:
This might be an event without precedent. An attack on civilian installations such as electricity power generation units and desalination plants is, by definition, a war crime when committed against a civilian population for military gain, and Trump has announced that he is actively considering undertaking such crimes in advance of undertaking them.
Whether Trump will ever stand trial for his crimes, just as Benjamin Netanyahu should for his, is open to doubt. There are still countries, including the UK, that appear to have problems recognising those who perpetrate such crimes and instead accommodate them. How else are we meant to interpret the planned state visit by King Charles to the USA in April? Being an accomplice to war crimes, as Keir Starmer appears determined to be, is not a good look, or a recognised mechanism for creating a positive political legacy.
Let me, however, leave aside the political dimensions of this and look at the reality, which is that it has become apparent that some people who like to think of themselves as world leaders, as Trump and Netanyahu undoubtedly do, have reached the point where they consider imposing death and other harms on civilian populations is something that they are permitted to do in pursuit of their own agendas, even though international law makes it clear otherwise.
This is the consequence of neoliberal thinking. When, as that philosophy does, you reduce people to being cogs in a machine, those cogs become expendable. Margaret Thatcher treated people in this way when managing the UK economy with supreme indifference to its population in the 1980s. Donald Trump is treating the people of Iran in this way when managing his maniacal war agenda in the 2020s. There is a difference in the scale of the contempt shown, but the indifference to human suffering that underpinned both courses of action is similar.
The fact is that the courses of action required to fulfil the neoliberal agenda of ever-increasing the wealth of a few in society at cost to many have been presumed by all those who subscribe to this ideology as justification for their contempt for their fellow human beings, and as an excuse for the suffering that their ideology has caused to billions around the world.
Will Trump do what he is threatened? As ever, we do not know. He is notoriously unreliable, but he does not always chicken out, and so the risk is real.
It is neoliberalism that has brought us close to this point of Armageddon, and it is the perverted religious fervour of some who subscribe to both neoliberalism and a debased form of the Christian faith that has created this possibility. Never doubt that dangerous ideas are a threat to humankind.
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>70,000 Palestinians died and are still dying, to warn us of the sort of war criminals we were appeasing and allying with. But they didn’t control the Straits of Hormuz, so we ignored their sacrifice and arrested those of our own citizens who complained. We called the protesters, “terrorists”, and we called the war criminals, “allies”.
Kyrie eleison…
From Bill Blain’s “Morning Porridge” today.
“Yesterday Donald Trump’s threatened a major escalation of the Iran War when he threatened to “blow up” Iran’s desalination plants. That would be a war crime – simple as. No ifs. No buts. The Rome statues forbid targeting civilian infrastructure while the Fourth Geneva convention specifically prohibits attacks on drinking water facilities. There are some things that can’t be unsaid.
I’m sure I’m not the only financier wondering what Trump’s latest off-the-cuff, ill-considered jaw-dropper really means. Am I going to have to sell my entire position in US Treasuries and US Stocks? The UK regulator, the FCA, and internal ethical investment parameters, are both quite clear and specific about the ethics of investing in states that promote terror or genocide against civilian populations.”
As an FCA regulated individual, too, I can’t imagine as to how disposing of all US investments could possibly be done, even setting aside any ethical imperative to do so, because to whom does one sell?
Disposing of property does not have to involve selling. Painful as that might be.
An interesting point. Perhaps the FCA could amend it’s regulations to allow charities to hold such investments if donated to them rather than sold.
Trump and Hegseth have no conscience. No moral compass whatsoever. There is no doubt, no ambiguity, about how our Government and Head of State should be reacting. But they aren’t. So how are they any different?
Or we are brought to this point by the regime in Iran which has sponsored terrorist organisations for decades and caused death and destruction in the middle east and beyond. What the hell has that got to do with neoliberalism??
I have no liking for the theocratic and antidemocratic regime in Iran, but please do not be stupid when commenting here. The death and destruction in the Middle East at present is being caused as a consequence of an illegal war being waged by the USA and Israel.
Well said Richard.
Western designs on Iran’s oil have been well known for years. It was Western interference that led to the theocratic regime in Iran. Where ever we in the West go, we leave a mess – usually the mess is because of things being at U.S. insistence.
All that will happen if this Iranian infrastructure is hit is that the the throngs of displaced people will increase, it will put untold pressure on the area and Europe which is already showing signs of strain and that bastard in the East is right there, waiting.
Clue: and it ain’t China.
“We”?
Who is “we” in this context? Really do try and read some history before you turn up in places like this and embarrass yourself. Here’s a little hint as to how the West helped Iran – helped is a euphemism in this context – to become the thing you so righteously deplore.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1953_Iranian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat
“Caused death and destruction in the Middle East and beyond…”
Perhaps you could tabulate that for us from say, 1900 – 2026 (Iran on one side, Western powers on the other (we like “double entry” book-keeping here). You seem to read different history sources from me, when it comes to documenting causes of Middle Eastern mayhem.
I think that one of the most grave consequences would be that if Iran retaliated in kind re the desalination plants, which it would be difficult to condemn them for doing, then pretty much all the Gulf states revert, more or less immediately, to desert.
This would of course be a massive escalation and the response from the ‘nuclear states’ does not bear even thinking about.
Other than a psychopath, who would say before making his threats “…conclude our lovely stay…” He is seriously deranged.
I have no evidence to support this, but I have an awful feeling that Trump/Hesketh will launch a ground attack on Iran on or just before Easter Sunday. I am truly frightened by what is happening in the US at the moment.
I have been thinking about recording a video for Easter Sunday and that thought has occurred to me as well.
pope leo should return home on a holiday and mobilise the catholic vote
Meddling in Persia (Iran) started before WWI by Britain with the founding of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (BP). This was involving Winston Churchill and the Admiralty and to supply oil for the Royal Navy (as it replaced coal to power the ships).
Installed base of power generation in Iran is about 98GW & 79% comes from Nat gas. If the USA tries to destroy that (possible), then the Gulf states are likely to discover how difficult it is to live in the hot months with no a/c.
On a related note: largest global mfu of gas turbines: China. Largest global mfu of PV panels: China. Last year China installed (=added) 315GW of PV to its system. Install 50GW of distributed PV in Iran – doable. new gas turbines from China – doable.
I could imagine it would be very nasty living without elec power in Iran. But the Ukrainians had their system whacked over the winter (emphasis – winter) and survived. Resourceful people the Iranians. Only a moron would go after a power system….oh hang on a sec.