This image shows the United States flag in the background, with the seal of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) in the center. Photo: Caitlin Johnstone.
By Caitlin Johnstone -Jun 10, 2026
It always amazes me how the US can start an unprovoked war of aggression on the other side of the planet and then claim it is “launching self-defense strikes” there.
The US 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 US 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. US “Central Command” is the unified combatant command responsible for military operations in the middle east. The US 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 US military is used to dominate the entire planet.
Trump Claims that US Will Hit Iran ‘Very Hard’ as US Forces in Region Are Struck
And in that sense it’s actually entirely reasonable that the US “Department of Defense” changed its name to the Department of War. The US 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 US empire is dismantled.
