Daily RC and Vocabulary 2nd March 2026
Tue Mar 3, 2026


Imperial warAmerican and Israeli thuggery has no place in the international system
Donald Trump came to the White House promising to end America’s endless wars. That promise now lies in ashes in West Asia. The far-right Republican, who, along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, launched an all-out war against Iran on February 28 and killed its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has proved to be one of the most reck less warmongers ever to occupy the Oval O ce. Blood is on the hands of these two men — one a mercurial hard nationalist who is turning America into a rogue superpower, and the other, an ex pansionist ethnonationalist wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court. Mr. Trump has bombed at least seven countries in the 13 months that he has been in o ce. Under Mr. Netanyahu, Israel has operated far outside the boundaries of international law. Iran has res ponded with missile and drone attacks, targeting Israeli and American bases in the Persian Gulf and Jordan, thatrisks widening the war. Tehran has also announced the closure of the critical Strait of Hormuz, a move that risks a global eco nomic fallout, especially for major oil importers such as India. To be clear, this is not a “pre-emptive” war, as Israel has claimed. There was no evidence that Iran was preparing to launch an attack. On the contrary, Tehran was involved in serious negotia tions with Washington under Omani mediation. On February 27, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al Busaidi said that a deal was within reach, based on Iran’s commitment not to build a bomb or stockpile nuclear material. Within hours, Ameri can and Israeli missiles struck Iran, killing its head of state and top leaders. This is not the rst time that diplomacy has been overtaken by force. In 2018, Mr. Trump single-handedly sabotaged the 2015 nuclear agreement. In June 2025, while Iran was negotiating with the U.S., Israel launched a unilateral attack, triggering the 12-day war. This time, however, the attack is far more dangerous. This war is not about giving Iranians their “freedom” either, as Mr. Trump has claimed. The U.S. maintains close ties with sever al repressive monarchies and dictatorships, where freedom rarely enters the equation. Nor has Washington shown any qualms about Israel’s crimes against the defenceless, stateless Palesti nian people. This is a war of choice, launched to eliminate an adversary and reshape the region to suit American and Israeli interests. Such thug gery cannot be accepted in the international sys tem. The war machines of the imperial duo have already wrecked the region. Before the re spreads further, this war must end. America should step back and Israel must be reined in. Otherwise, even the last vestige of the rules based order will be shredded entirely.
Top 10 Vocabulary1️. Thuggery
Meaning: Violent or brutal behaviour; use of force to intimidate.
Example: The editorial described the military strike as an act of geopolitical thuggery.
Antonym: Civility, Diplomacy
2️
. WarmongerMeaning: A person who encourages or advocates war.
Example: Critics labelled the leader a warmonger for escalating tensions in West Asia.
Antonym: Peacemaker
3️. Mercurial
Meaning: Unpredictable; subject to sudden mood or policy changes.
Example: The mercurial nature of the leader made global markets nervous.
Antonym: Stable, Consistent
4️. Ethnonationalist
Meaning: A person who promotes nationalism based on ethnicity or cultural identity.
Example: The ethnonationalist agenda reshaped domestic and foreign policies.
Antonym: Cosmopolitan
5️. Repressive
Meaning: Controlling people by force; restricting freedom.
Example: The country was accused of supporting repressive regimes abroad.
Antonym: Liberal, Democratic
6️. Sabotage
Meaning: To deliberately destroy, damage, or obstruct something.
Example: The withdrawal from the nuclear agreement effectively sabotaged years of diplomacy.
Antonym: Support, Strengthen
7️. Unilateral
Meaning: One-sided; taken by one party without agreement from others.
Example: The unilateral attack violated principles of international cooperation.
Antonym: Multilateral
8️. Adversary
Meaning: An opponent or enemy.
Example: Iran has long been considered a strategic adversary by Israel.
Antonym: Ally
9️. Vestige
Meaning: A small remaining part of something that once existed.
Example: The last vestige of trust between the two nations disappeared.
Antonym: Entirety, Whole
10. Reined in
Meaning: Controlled or restrained.
Example: The editorial argued that aggressive policies must be reined in before the conflict spreads.
Antonym: Unleashed
RC MCQ – 1 (Central Idea)
Q1. What is the central argument of the editorial?
A) Iran’s nuclear ambitions justify pre-emptive military action.
B) The U.S. and Israel have undermined international law through aggressive unilateral war.
C) The Strait of Hormuz closure is the primary global concern.
D) Omani mediation was ineffective in preventing war.
Answer: B
Explanation:
The editorial consistently frames the war as an act of aggression that weakens the “rules-based international order” and condemns unilateral force.
RC MCQ – 2 (Author’s Tone)
Q2. The tone of the editorial can best be described as:A) Neutral and analytical
B) Cautiously optimistic
C) Strongly condemnatory and alarmist
D) Detached and diplomatic
Answer: C
Explanation:
Use of phrases like “imperial duo,” “thuggery,” “rogue superpower,” “warmongers” indicates strong moral condemnation and urgency.
RC MCQ – 3 (Inference-Based)
Q3. Which of the following can be inferred from the editorial?
A) The author believes diplomacy was deliberately undermined by military action.
B) Iran had already launched a nuclear attack before negotiations.
C) The United Nations authorised the military strike.
D) The conflict has already stabilised the region.
Answer: A
Explanation:
The editorial mentions negotiations under Omani mediation and claims force overtook diplomacy — implying deliberate sabotage.
RC MCQ – 4 (Application Question – UPSC Type)
Q4. If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for an extended period, which of the following consequences is most consistent with the editorial’s concerns?
A) Decline in global oil prices
B) Immediate regime change in Iran
C) Global economic instability, especially for oil-importing nations
D) Strengthening of multilateral institutions
Answer: C
Explanation:
The editorial warns of global economic fallout, especially for oil importers like India.
RC MCQ – 5 (Critical Reasoning)
Q5. Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the editorial’s argument?
A) Evidence that Iran was preparing an imminent nuclear strike.
B) Rising oil prices following the attack.
C) Statements condemning the war from global leaders.
D) Continued drone attacks by Iran.
Answer: A
Explanation:
The editorial’s key premise is that the war was not “pre-emptive.” If credible evidence showed an imminent Iranian attack, the moral and legal argument would weaken significantly.