No other military power is segmented into areas of responsibility spanning every continent on earth. This is because normal military forces defend their own territory, whereas the U.S. military is used to dominate the entire planet.
By Caitlin Johnstone
Caitlin’s Newsletter
Listen to Tim Foley read this article.
The U.S. is bombing Iran again after an American attack helicopter was downed over the Strait of Hormuz amid renewed escalations in the conflict.
CENTCOM said the following in a statement on the airstrikes:
“U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5 p.m. ET today at the Commander in Chief’s direction, in response to yesterday’s downing of a U.S. Army Apache helicopter. The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.”
It always amazes me how the U.S. can start an unprovoked war of aggression on the other side of the planet and then claim it is “launching self-defense strikes” there.
These military forces are nowhere near the United States. It’s absurd to claim “self-defense” against a country that has been defending itself in a war you started. There’s some debate about whether the helicopter was intentionally targeted by Iran and whether or not it was over international waters at the time it was struck, but honestly, who cares? It shouldn’t have been there in the first place.
When you are the aggressor, there is no such thing as “self-defense.” https://t.co/5rpVB4B2rw
— Hussein of the south (@EyesOnSouth1) June 9, 2026
These freaks really do operate from the premise that the entire planet is their property, and that any failure to respect their property rights shall therefore be viewed as an act of aggression.
I mean, just look at who’s making this statement. U.S. “Central Command” is the unified combatant command responsible for military operations in the middle east. The U.S. military has separate unified combatant commands for every part of the globe:
• Central Command (CENTCOM) for the middle east.
• Africa Command (AFRICOM) for Africa.
• Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) for Asia, the Pacific islands, Australia and Antarctica.
• European Command (EUCOM) for Europe.
• Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) for South America.
• Northern Command (NORTHCOM) for North America.
The US only attacks in self-defense.
Bombed a country on the other side of the planet? Self-defense.
Started an unprovoked war of aggression? Self-defense.
Broke into your house and stabbed you in your sleep?
Self-defense.
If the US kills you, you needed killing.
You’re welcome. https://t.co/8stE8jZSG2— Caitlin Johnstone (@caitoz) May 26, 2026
No other country on earth does this. No other military power is segmented into areas of responsibility spanning every continent on earth. This is because normal military forces are used to defend the actual, official country they belong to, whereas the U.S. military is used to dominate the entire planet.
And in that sense it’s actually entirely reasonable that the U.S. “Department of Defense” changed its name to the Department of War. The U.S. military is never used to defend the actual, official country of the United States of America; it is only ever used to prop up the globe-spanning imperial power structure it commands.
This is not normal. It is a freakish aberration without historical precedent. The world cannot know peace until the U.S. empire is dismantled.
Caitlin Johnstone’s work is entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, following her on Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud, YouTube, or throwing some money into her tip jar on Ko-fi, Patreon or Paypal. If you want to read more you can buy her books. The best way to make sure you see the stuff she publishes is to subscribe to the mailing list at her website or on Substack, which will get you an email notification for everything she publishes. For more info on who she is, where she stands and what she’s trying to do with her platform, click here. All works are co-authored with her American husband Tim Foley.
This article is from Caitlin’s Newsletter and re-published with permission.
The views expressed are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.
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This article names a difficult truth about how power is still used in the world. Yet beneath the constant noise of conflict, something quieter is unfolding. Many are sensing it. More people are seeing through the old narratives and beginning to question the idea that any nation can claim authority over distant lives. something is definitely shifting in the collective consciousness — a turning toward justice, restraint, and the recognition that real security arises from mutual respect. Even these painful events reveal a growing readiness in humanity to imagine, and to insist upon, a different kind of world.
The tide is changing and many are now swimming in it!
This forty year old song sums it up perfectly:
hxxps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vrp1K0XbXM
The ‘Oils’ of course.
“No other country on earth does this.”
And this is a nation where ‘democracy’ is espoused.
Granted, it’s an extremely flawed and biased form of democracy.
One of the pillars of democracies, even the flawed ones, is that the electorate grants consent to be governed by those elected to do so via the (extremely flawed) electoral processes.
(The electoral processes of the US are pretty damned corrupt, but putting that temporarily aside).
To what extent then is the electorate responsible – in varying degrees – for the abominable and murderous (at times) behaviour of those who they have consented to being their governors/rulers?
Furthermore, in a nation where approx 30% of the electorate did not vote (and yes the realist alternative to DJT was woeful), to what extent is their non-participation one cause for the success of the current POTUS?
(I have some ideas, certainly not formalised opinions, and am interested in discussion and thoughts of others).
Monotheistic empires have claimed God given rights or rites over the entire planet for centuries sometimes dividing it between empires. Also allowing barbarians to be recruited as slaves as well. We attempted to coral the wayward god but then it found godless communism arising from wars threatening a gender reveal and secular society and liberal rights was put under a magic spell and now empire is on to a renewed religious spell for religious techno-war and profit motives.
The greedy mass murdering “elites” are the root cause, pulling the puppet strings.
The corresponding individuals must be clearly identified, exposed and held accountable.
Actually, true defense of the u.s. territory can likely be achieved by a tenth of the current budget, shifted from the bottom small taxpayers into the personal pockets of the “elites”.
It’s obvious who the trouble maker is.
The UN IS JUST LOOKING!
It’s increasingly looking like Israel is behind a lot of it. The upstart settler colonialist ‘genocide state’ has ambitions way beyond its size, and has successfully infiotrated and subverted most western governments to varying degrees.
In a SANE world…
American President Donald Trump and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will participate in an in-depth, sharply-focused, comprehensive and thorough panel discussion with survivors of the 1967 U.S.S. Liberty attack, carried out by the Israeli military. Mr. Trump and Mr. Netanyahu understand the paramount importance of resolving, once and for all, the 59-year controversy – as courageously described on June 8, 2026 by Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie on the floor of the United States Congress – prompting the elected government leaders of America and Israel to lead by example, with sincerest good intentions, and taking part in the necessary panel discussion with/alongside U.S.S. Liberty survivors.
Thank you Jerry,
+ Few headlines regarding Thomas Massie’s June 8th call for investigation of USS Liberty attack and to Honor the 34: https://ussliberty.org
Because history doesn’t correct itself—it has to be confronted.
Because patriotism includes holding your own country accountable.
Because silence becomes policy when no one pushes back.
Because thirty-four Americans died wearing the uniform—and America still owes them the truth.
Carried out by the Israeli military at the urging of President Johnson.
Israel probably had no reasons of its own to attack the Liberty. Indeed, it could easily have sunk it if it had wanted to but some military personnel did not actually wish to do that.
From Spartacus Educational profile of author Philip F. Nelson:
“The third book, Remember the Liberty! – Almost Sunk by Treason on the High Seas, was published in 2017, the fiftieth anniversary of the June 8, 1967 Israeli attack, by Trine Day Publishing. It is a story of treason on the high seas, the direct result of disgraceful presidential treasons of the highest order: Lyndon Johnson plotted to have his own ship sunk, and all 294 men on board to go down with it, all for what he perceived would be his ticket to another landslide election the following year – a delusion that nearly triggered a nuclear war with the Soviet Union.”
The ones who are ultimately to blame, are the countries who allow these US bases to exist in the first place. Iran is right in demanding their expulsion. Why are they there? What purpose do they serve? Nothing to the countries. Only to the USA and their perceived dominance. It’s like dogs marking their territory.
… out of about 800 US military bases around the globe,
my country hosts europe’s largest US air base, and i’ve long
been wondering why people in my country are so indifferent to it
– or still too indoctrinated? – to protest the hegemon’s presence.
Maybe people think it would be futile to start a protest. Just look at other protests and see how they went. But i get your point.
About 5.5 million Germans died fighting in WWII, many more died in the Allied Occupation afterwards. Maybe like most occupied peoples they learned to keep their heads down and their mouths shut.
The purpose of NATO was “to keep the Soviet Union out, the Americans in, and the Germans down”– Hastings Ismay, First Secretary General of NATO
After the Cold War, the Russians withdrew their military bases from Germany, but the Americans did not. More than 20 American military bases in Germany show that Germany is not a sovereign state.
I know that Germany has the most US bases in europe. And thousands of american military personnel.
Your website looks very interesting. A shame it’s not in english as well as german.
Yes, Germany has the most US military bases in Europe.
I agree with michael888 “Maybe like most occupied peoples they learned to keep their heads down and their mouths shut.” There is a servant mentality in Germany; people conform to the narratives of those in power and their media, thereby perpetuating the status quo.
Thank you for your feedback with regard to the blog. I may find a way to make it more accessible to English readers.