Political Survival Over Peace: Hakkı Öcal’s Scathing Critique of Trump and Netanyahu

Öcal argues that both leaders are deliberately using the current war with Iran as a strategic "shield" to ensure their political survival and evade legal accountability. According to his analysis, titled "Trump and Netanyahu's survival depends on this war," the conflict is less about national security and more about the personal interests of two leaders facing unprecedented domestic pressure.

Öcal contends that for Netanyahu, who has been mired in corruption trials and domestic fractures, the transition into a "wartime leader" is a calculated move to delay electoral accountability and avoid potential imprisonment. Similarly, the analyst points to rumors within Washington that Trump is drafting an executive order to declare a National Emergency. This move, Öcal suggests, is intended to stall ongoing legal challenges and even postpone the upcoming U.S. midterm elections by creating a state of perpetual crisis.

Invoking the postmodern theories of Jean Baudrillard, specifically the concept of "hyperreality," Öcal argues that the imminent threat of an Iranian missile strike on the U.S. mainland has been manufactured to create a sense of artificial panic. He describes this as a "political game" where the perception of war—mediated through screens and data—replaces the actual reality of the situation. This atmosphere of fear has led to a historic shift in American demographics; for the first time since the Great Depression, the number of people leaving the U.S. has exceeded the number of immigrants, with an estimated 150,000 more people departing the country in 2025 than arriving.

The most damning part of Öcal's critique is his assertion that the Trump administration bypassed a genuine opportunity for a diplomatic breakthrough in Geneva. Despite reports that a "narrow nuclear deal" was within reach, the joint military strikes were launched, leading to the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and thousands of others. Öcal maintains that this "cruel reality" on the ground in the Middle East is the direct consequence of leaders who prioritize their grip on power over the lives of innocent civilians and their own soldiers.