Iran. First they bomb, then they talk peace: the hypocrisy of western democracies.

As American air raids lit up the skies over Iran, Western capitals returned to their favorite script: “peace.” A word now emptied of meaning, ritualistically pronounced after every display of force — as though destruction were a necessary step toward dialogue.

Echoing this rhetoric was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who in a video message delivered in English praised President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran’s nuclear sites as “courageous.” “It will change history,” he declared, hailing the assault as a historic turning point.

Then came the telling phrase, one that sounded more like a confession: “President Trump and I often say, ‘peace through strength.’ Strength comes first, then peace follows.” And tonight, Netanyahu continued, “President Trump and the United States have acted with great strength.”

It’s a distinctly Western paradox: dropping bombs in the name of security, striking deep to “guarantee” stability, wreaking havoc under the banner of peace. The narrative hasn’t changed in decades — and neither have the results: destabilized regions and countless shattered lives.

Behind the praise of “strength,” Western democracies once again expose their double standards: they export war and demand gratitude, speak of diplomacy while opening new fronts of conflict.

Photo by Andreas H. via Pixabay.com