THE famous philosopher of war, Clausewitz postulated in 1832, that war is the ‘continuation of policy by other means.’

But when wars are driven by religious, emotional, irrational and chaotic or selfish impulses, they often defy their control, as is evident in the ongoing US Israel-Iran war. This war sits atop a complex layer of contentious, eschatological interpretations of biblical prophecies, through which, Israel was created by Christian- Jewish Zionists, as divine ‘reparation for Jewish persecution’. They suggest that gathering of Jews in Israel is a precursor to an ‘Armageddon’; bringing Israel to the brink of destruction, but culminating in the ‘End Times’; when surviving Jews will convert to Christianity; prior to the second coming of Jesus (PBUH).

Apart from other motives, it is essentially this prophetic ‘time-clock’ perspective that US support for Israel, is seen through a lens of inevitability. Ironically, while the Jewish Zionists disagree with this theological notion, they cleverly do not reject it publicly. But this time, such convictions have intersected with nuclear realities that have exponentially increased the risks of the Middle East (ME) war and politics. Thus, as secular rationality was wanting in US thought process and planning for this war, appreciation of the capacity and capabilities of Iran was misjudged in a dozen domains. These include disregard of its rugged terrain, (55 percent mountainous), strategic depth (over 1800 kms), control over Hurmuz for economic warfare, large indigenous missile and drone production, high pain........

© Pakistan Observer