Gareth Porter

Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist specializing in U.S. national security policy. The paperback edition of his latest book, Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam, was published in 2006.

Lies About Iran Killing US Troops in Iraq Are a Ploy to Justify War

One of the many myths that have been used to justify the push for war with Iran led by National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is that Tehran is responsible for the killing of more than 600 U.S. troops during the Iraq War. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook, whose … Continue reading “Lies About Iran Killing US Troops in Iraq Are a Ploy to Justify War”

No War With Iran, for Now – but Mike Pompeo and John Bolton Still Really, Really Want One

After a week of high drama in which Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated the Trump administration was preparing for war with Iran, President Trump sought to end the war crisis, at least for now, by declining to retaliate against Iran over what he called “very minor” attacks. Trump canceled a retaliatory strike on Iran … Continue reading “No War With Iran, for Now – but Mike Pompeo and John Bolton Still Really, Really Want One”

Pentagon’s Phony Iran ‘Evidence’: New Rationale for US Intervention?

Last week a senior Pentagon official accused Iran of having sabotaged four oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman on May 12 and of firing a rocket into Baghdad’s Green Zone on May 19. Iran executed these events, he said, either directly or through regional “proxies.” But instead of creating sensational headlines, the briefing by … Continue reading “Pentagon’s Phony Iran ‘Evidence’: New Rationale for US Intervention?”

Bolton Is Spinning Israeli ‘Intelligence’ to Push for War Against Iran

John Bolton has gotten away with a dangerous deception. The national security adviser’s announcement Sunday that the Pentagon has deployed air and naval forces to the Middle East, which he combined with a threat to Iran, points to a new maneuver to prepare the ground for an incident that could justify a retaliatory attack against … Continue reading “Bolton Is Spinning Israeli ‘Intelligence’ to Push for War Against Iran”

Mueller Stoked Trump-Russia Alarmism, Despite Finding No Collusion

The Mueller report did not find evidence that contacts between Trump campaign advisers and staff and Russians during the 2016 election campaign constitute “collusion” or “conspiracy” with a Russian effort to elect Donald Trump. Nevertheless, Mueller’s report is bound to prolong the U.S. political obsession with the Trump-Russia collusion narrative, because it keeps alive the … Continue reading “Mueller Stoked Trump-Russia Alarmism, Despite Finding No Collusion”

How the US Navy Sold the Vietnam War

Dr. Tom Dooley, whose best-selling book Deliver Us From Evil helped create a favorable climate of opinion for U.S. intervention in South Vietnam, has long been linked to legendary CIA officer Edward G. Lansdale and his black operations in Vietnam between 1954 and 1955. But the real story about Dooley’s influential book, which has finally … Continue reading “How the US Navy Sold the Vietnam War”

The Right May Finally Get Its War on Iran

John Bolton has never made a secret of his burning desire to stoke a war between the United States and Iran. But Bolton is not the only one on Donald Trump’s national security team who dreams of such a military confrontation. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has joined with Bolton in recent months to prepare … Continue reading “The Right May Finally Get Its War on Iran”

The Real Motive Behind the FBI Plan To Investigate Trump as a Russian Agent

The New York Times and CNN led media coverage last month of discussions among senior FBI officials in May 2017 of a possible national security investigation of President Donald Trump himself, on the premise that he may have acted as an agent of Russia. The episode has potentially profound political fallout, because the Times and … Continue reading “The Real Motive Behind the FBI Plan To Investigate Trump as a Russian Agent”

Intel Chiefs Use ‘Global Threat’ Report To Uphold US War Machine

The corporate media’s reporting on the testimonies of Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and the directors of CIA, NSA and FBI on their annual assessment of “worldwide threats” emphasized the fact that they contradicted President Donald Trump’s views on Iran, North Korea and Russia. Trump foolishly criticized the intelligence chiefs as “naïve” for refusing … Continue reading “Intel Chiefs Use ‘Global Threat’ Report To Uphold US War Machine”

Why Are the Media So Eager To Declare Trump’s Syria Withdrawal Dead?

Virtually from the moment Donald Trump announced that he would be removing U.S. troops from Syria, corporate media have converged around a narrative that the president has been forced to walk back his decision. But while a withdrawal will undoubtedly prove more challenging than the president originally anticipated, this verdict simply does not reflect the … Continue reading “Why Are the Media So Eager To Declare Trump’s Syria Withdrawal Dead?”