US empire is nothing more than an illusion they need us to believe

The illegal US and Israeli attacks on Iran and Lebanon are showing us once again that the US empire is nothing more than a tightly spun narrative that the rich and powerful need us to believe.

Domination and invincibility

Over the last few days, Kuwaiti air defence systems accidentally shot down three US Jets. At first, Iran claimed responsibility, whilst the media claimed no planes had been shot down. This was despite widely circulating social media videos. The US then revealed it was Kuwait.

So it turns out that US-built air defence systems shot down US fighter planes. That’s pretty ironic if you ask me. Also not an airtight claim. The story between the lines is that resistance is futile, only US weapons can take down US planes.

All six air-crew ejected safely and were recovered, and the US claimed ‘friendly fire’. However, the whole thing has revealed gaping holes in the mirage of US colonialism being the only option.

The US empire continues to function because so many people and institutions prop it up.

From the mainstream media and all the US (and UK!) politicians that are supporting the illegal and unprovoked attacks on Iran, to the same corporations that propped up the Iraq invasion in 2003, and all the other armed conflicts and genocides that the US is funding, arming, or standing idly by.

Throughout history, we have seen armed resistance against colonial powers.

From the Haitian Revolution in 1791 to the Algerian War of Independence in 1954, we can see that if you actually fight colonialism, you win.

Trump and the US government need us to believe he is invincible. For example, the only ones that can shoot down American planes are American Patriot missiles. But that’s what they need us to believe; that way, no one will try to take a stand.

The media’s role

And the mainstream media on both sides of the Atlantic are just as much to blame.

Rupert Murdoch owns the majority of the world’s media outlets. Every time there is a war, a genocide, a bombing, or Trump says something ridiculous, his revenue shoots up.

During the Iraq war, Fox News:

helped to push Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation back into profit.

One US study found:

an extraordinary unity across his media empire on the need for war in Iraq

In the UK, the group Spinwatch described how the:

Implacable support of the Murdoch press for the Iraq War was a key factor for Tony Blair.

We should be asking why anyone is profiting from war. Let alone media organisations whose sole purpose should be to inform the public with factual, truthful information. Not information spun by politicians who need us to believe certain lies to stay in power. 

The billionaires who own our media outlets, like Murdoch, literally profit from colonialism. 

US Empire

The US is not invincible — and neither is Trump. But so long as people keep believing the lies from the establishment media and not questioning the people in power, the longer US colonialism will go unchecked.

Colonialism has always been about the facade — it needs to look like the US has power, for them to actually have power.

Once the illusion of power is gone, people start to take a stand, and they’re screwed.

If the whole world thinks resistance is futile and there’s no point fighting back, then the colonial power wins.

And that is exactly what Trump’s propaganda campaign is trying to cement.

Feature image via The Great War/ YouTube