For 100 days now, Israel’s sustained genocidal war on Gaza has propelled the Middle East into new orbits of death, destruction, and ever-rising fears of greater mayhem to follow. The past 10 days brought us another recurring spectacle from the modern legacy of Arab-Israeli clashes: a regional tour by the United States secretary of state to “calm things down”.

In touring the region, Antony Blinken – we were told – had four aims: to reduce the drumbeats of an impending regional conflagration, increase humanitarian aid to Gaza as Palestinians are withering away under Israel’s starvation siege, reduce the number of Palestinians killed and injured by Israel’s genocidal daily bombing raids, and explore how political agreements after the fighting stops could launch negotiations for a stable, peaceful region.

This sounds noble and sensible – to the man on the moon perhaps. Few people on Earth who follow the Middle East and know its modern history believe the US’s stated aims. The crippling problem with Blinken’s efforts – and with how the US mainstream media cover them – is that almost every statement or goal he utters is contradicted by the impact of actual US policies in the Middle East, and every danger he seeks to curtail is usually caused or intensified by American militarism in the region.

To the people of the Middle East, Blinken, the fireman, looks more like the arsonist’s assistant. For his or any recent US secretary of state’s efforts are hobbled by the 5 Ds of Washington’s policies on Israel-Palestine and the region: delusion, denial, dishonesty, distortion, and diversion. All were on full display during Blinken’s tour.

Delusion describes well how the US projects its image as the selfless foreign power that comes to bring calm and brotherhood to the Middle East region, all while fuelling and prolonging violence and conflict.

The........

© Al Jazeera