Cutting Through the Propaganda Narratives

Update on Iran War 4-6-2026

An NBC poll ending March 3, 2026, found that 52% of  American voters disagreed with President Trump taking military action against Iran with 41%  supporting military action and 7% unsure. However 77% of Republicans and 90% self-described MAGA voters  supported military action against Iran.

A CBS/UGov poll ending March 20 found that 60% disapproved of military action against Iran and 40% approved it. However, 84% of Republicans supported it. A previous poll showed that a strong majority of Independent voters disapproved of military action against Iran.

A March 24 Reuters poll indicated  66% of Americans want the war brought to a quick end with only 27% supporting continuing the war until all objectives were achieved.

A Fox News March 28 poll found that 58 percent of American voters opposed military action against Iran  and 42% approved of military action. Republican support fell back to 77% in this poll.

An Economist/UGov poll released just after Trump’s speech on April 1, revealed 62 percent disapproval, 24% approval, and 14% unsure.

Several days before President Trump’s  19-minute April 1 speech to the nation, President Trump’s approval on the Rasmussen Daily Presidential poll had fallen to 42% with 57% disapproval. However, on Saturday April 4, it had risen to 46% approval and 53% disapproval.

However, Post-Epic-Fury speech polls showed mixed results: Fox News and Rasmussen showed 61% public approval. Reuters/Ipsos showed only 27% approval, 43% disapproval, and almost 30% uncertain. CNN had 41% approval and 59% disapproval. RealClearPolitics average of many polls indicated 43% approval and almost 50% disapproval.

Several commentators concluded that Trump’s speech did not succeed in turning his approval rating around, but judging from Rasmussen polling the last two days, he did get some improvement due to a rebound in Republican and MAGA approval. A Veterans poll indicated 59% approval.

However, more recent war developments and sharply rising fuel prices may quickly erode Trump’s 4-point rebound. As of Saturday evening April 4, WTI (West Texas Intermediate) Crude Oil Futures are up over 10% to $112 per barrel.  The global benchmark for light sweet crude oil is over $109. With all the damage being done to refineries and potential damage to key pipelines in the Persian Gulf, some oil traders are forecasting higher oil prices for up to 1.5 years out and WTI crude going to over $150. Recent extensive war damage to Israel and increasing  U.S. aircraft losses contradict Trump’s claims to absolute U.S. and Israeli air-dominance. Israeli missile defense against Iran is showing significant weakness.    

Reading between the lines on some gasoline price polls, it looks like gas prices hurt Trump more than the war.  It also appears many voters have not yet connected higher gas prices with the war.

According to several independent military publications, about 80% of Iranian missiles are now penetrating Israel’s Iron Dome Defense—Military Watch Magazine and the  Israeli paper Haaretz. See one page summary below:

Iran's Missiles Are Now Hitting Israel Eight Out Of Ten Times - Walid Shoebat

This is getting worse as Israel is running low on defensive missile inventory, and the U.S. does not have the inventory or production capabilities to replenish the deficit anytime soon.  This also happened last June and should have been anticipated before launching Operation Epic Fury.  According to MIT missile and nuclear weapons expert Ted Postol, less than 5% of U.S. Patriot missiles were able to intercept Iranian missiles. Postol believes U.S. and Israeli missile defense is largely ineffective.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbQI_IYz6uM

According to Postol, U.S. supplied Patriot missiles in Ukraine have proved nearly useless against Russian ballistic missile attacks.  As in June, the Iranian strategy is to overwhelm Israel with massive amounts of much less expensive offensive missiles and drones. Moreover, recent strikes indicate the Iranians have begun using their more advanced and heavier missiles with deadly effect. Military analyst and commentator Col. Douglas Macgregor estimates the Iranians still have more than 70% of their ballistic missiles left, and the latest are impressive in their  power, accuracy, and maneuverability. Iran has a massive drone inventory, and their drones have also become deadly accurate in eliminating billions of dollars of advanced U.S. radars in the Gulf states and Jordan.

The nightly damage to two of Israel’s largest cities, Tel Aviv (population 4.6 million) and Haifa (population 1.2 million) has been significant enough that Israel has forbidden filming and public release of the damage. The present penalty for violation is two years in prison. Israeli civilians in Tel Aviv and Haifa have been exhausted by having to go to bomb shelters 5 to 9 times a day, mostly in the night. Ben Gurian International Airport has been heavily damaged, and leaving Israel is now difficult.  According to Douglas Macgregor contacts in Israel, over 1.0 million of Israel’s approximately 10 million people have already left. The city of Jerusalem, with a considerable Muslim population has been spared from heavy missile attacks.

Israeli civilian injuries  were listed by Yahoo News Tracker as 6,594 as of April 3. Only 24 were listed as killed, which seems amazingly light.  The same report shows nearly 2,100 Iranian civilians killed and nearly 27,000 injured by U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.  The death tolls seem remarkably light in comparison with the World War II bombing experience. However, this includes about 175 killed by 5  U.S. tomahawk missiles that mistakenly hit a girls’ school in southern Iran. This has received minimal attention by U.S. media.

Online reviews of President Trump’s Epic Fury speech by knowledgeable military and international relations experts noted numerous departures from reality. The most glaring of which was that the missile war between Iran and Israel is not going well for Israel. Moreover, the recent losses of American aircraft in the air and on the ground indicate U.S. air supremacy is exaggerated. According to security analyst Mark Sleboda, four U.S. planes have been shot down in the last 24 hours. Centcom denies this.  Missile damage to more than a dozen U.S. bases in the Gulf states west of Iran has been extensive enough to jar their continued alliance with the U.S.  President Trump’s threat to attack Iranian desalinization plants that provide critical water supply to civilians would be a clear-cut war crime. Moreover, Iran is only about 2% reliant on desalinated water.

 However,  six Gulf state American allies are 40% to 99 % reliant on desalinated water: Saudi Arabia 70%, UAE 42%, Oman 86%,  Kuwait 90%, and super oil rich Gatar 99%.  Bahrain is estimated to be about 80% dependent on desalinization for potable water. U.S. bombing of Iranian desalination plants could result in retaliation against American Gulf state allies, jeopardizing the lives of millions of people. Iran’s pattern has been to retaliate in kind for U.S. and Israeli attacks. However, Iran might scrupulously avoid war crimes against Muslim states that might become allied or neutral in regard to the present war.  

The closing of the Strait of Hormuz at the southern end of the Persian Gulf has restricted 20% of global oil flow plus critical fertilizer chemicals. Iran is now letting some traffic through and charging a toll. The list of approved nations is growing and now includes France. The U.S. and UK are, of course, prohibited. The U.S. does, by the way, have to import some oil.  Most military and naval experts, including, U.S. Navy admirals have indicated a naval expedition into the Persian Gulf is a suicide mission exposing naval ships to easy targeting by Iranian missiles and drones and small Iranian submarines and missile-armed speed boats hidden along the Gulf coast. Landing and supporting significant marine or airborne troops along the Gulf is also a formidable and dangerous endeavor.

Click below for a very  informative and interesting 21-minute video of LCol Daniel Davis interview of Iranian born Brazilian commentator Nima Alkhorshid: Iran War has Just begun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt3Q_VHVARQ&t=41s

Concerning both the Iran and Ukraine wars, the American public is being poorly served by its media—even and especially by many of its formerly conservative bastions: Fox News, Newsmax, Breitbart News, etc.  They are, instead of truth, serving up propaganda narratives supporting imperialist corporate and political agendas far removed from American moral and political traditions and moreover exemplifying  an alarming departure from sound national security and foreign policy.   

President Trump needs to restrain Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu from a course that now endangers Israel’s survival. He needs to abandon counter-productive bravado, clear his own head of media and CIA agenda disinformation, and start moving to and talking a deal that will be fair to everyone,  benefits everyone,  will build better future goodwill for everyone, and allow everyone to save face rather than face humiliation.

Rotary International has a four-way ethical test, adopted in 1943, which you may recognize in the above recommendations. Is it the TRUTH? Is it FAIR to all concerned? Will it BUILD GOODWILL? Will it BENEFIT ALL concerned?

“…by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience.”—2 Corinthians 4:2.