Ep. 5446 – Gareth Porter on the Latest Chapter in the Manufactured Iran Crisis

Scott interviews Gareth Porter about the competing attitudes toward Iran in American foreign policy.

During his presidency, Trump was sometimes the voice of restraint against those who favored a more aggressive stance toward Iran and in some cases even advocated outright war.

In particular, says Porter, CENTCOM chief General Kenneth McKenzie was constantly moving to keep troops on the ground in Iraq and American ships in surrounding waters, all to demonstrate U.S. power and increase tensions with Iran.

Trump was able to curb some of this, but was ultimately ineffective when it came to defying the intelligence state and the military. It remains to be seen whether President Biden will be able to do so.