# *Detailed SUMMARY of the article "Narrative Dominance" by Rafia Zakaria, Published in Dawn on June 21st, 2025:* The article examines how *World War III* is being fought through *narrative control* on *virtual platforms* like *TikTok* and *X*, rather than traditional propaganda methods. *Lenin*'s quote about decades happening in weeks reflects the rapid escalation since *October 7, 2023*, with the world approaching a *point of no return* if *America* joins *Israel*'s war against *Iran*. Unlike previous world wars where propaganda was spread through *physical posters* and *street gatherings*, today's *electronic warfare* involves *memes*, *tweets*, *reels*, and *content creation* on *social media platforms*. *Israel* traditionally relied on *global media* like *CNN*, *BBC*, and *AP* for *narrative dominance*, with coverage favoring *Israeli Defence Forces (IDF)* readouts over *ground reality* in *Gaza*, where *hospitals* and *schools* have been destroyed and *tens of thousands* killed, while disproportionate focus remained on retrieving *Israeli hostages*. However, *alternative virtual platforms* have transformed the *mediascape*, with *X*, *Instagram*, and *YouTube* algorithms being more susceptible to content flooding from either side. When *Israeli sources* released images of a *hospital* targeted by an *Iranian missile*, *social media* highlighted that *Israel* had bombed *36 hospitals* in *Gaza*, using this narrative to portray *Israel* as the *war instigator*. Recognizing its weakness, *Israel* imposed *complete media censorship*, banning video and image posting within *Israel* to control circulated content, but this is proving difficult to enforce as *damage videos* are being leaked and *Iranian sources* are releasing their own footage. In the *US*, the debate about joining the war is complicated by divisions within the *Republican Party*, where *Trump*'s *MAGA base* opposes another *Middle East conflict*, criticizing *US tax dollars* being spent on *Israel* amid *domestic issues*. *Tucker Carlson* mocked *Senator Ted Cruz* for wanting to bomb *Iran* without knowledge, creating strange alliances where *MAGA content* aligns with *anti-Israel global content* for *narrative dominance*. The war's outcome remains unknown, but if *US* joins and *American pilots* or *sailors* return in *coffins*, *Trump*'s presidential power will be decimated. *Trump* faces a *lose-lose situation*: siding with *Israel* loses *MAGA voters*, staying out loses *Jewish donors*, reflecting his quote that *"War is for the weak and Peace is for the strong"*. # *Easy/Short SUMMARY*: *World War III* is being fought through *narrative control* on *social media platforms* like *TikTok* and *X*. *Israel*'s traditional *media dominance* through *CNN* and *BBC* is challenged by *alternative platforms* highlighting *Gaza*'s destruction. *Israel* imposed *media censorship* but faces leaks, while *Iranian sources* release their own content. In the *US*, *Trump*'s *MAGA base* opposes joining *Israel*'s war against *Iran*, creating strange alliances with *anti-Israel content*. *Trump* faces a *lose-lose situation*: supporting *Israel* loses *MAGA voters*, staying neutral loses *Jewish donors*. # *SOLUTIONS of The Problem*: ## *1. Media Transparency* Promote *unbiased reporting* from *international news outlets* to counter *propaganda* and *narrative manipulation*. ## *2. Platform Regulation* Implement *social media algorithms* that prioritize *factual content* over *viral misinformation* and *propaganda*. ## *3. Diplomatic Engagement* Encourage *diplomatic dialogue* between *US*, *Israel*, and *Iran* to prevent escalation to *World War III*. ## *4. Public Awareness* Educate citizens about *electronic warfare* tactics and how to identify *propaganda* on *social media platforms*. ## *5. Independent Journalism* Support *independent journalists* and *citizen reporting* to provide *ground reality* coverage from conflict zones. ## *6. Congressional Oversight* Strengthen *US Congressional* oversight on *military involvement* decisions to prevent hasty *war declarations*. ## *7. Peace Advocacy* Mobilize *peace movements* and *civil society* to pressure governments against *military escalation*. ## *8. Economic Sanctions* Use *targeted economic sanctions* instead of *military action* to address *international disputes*. ## *9. UN Mediation* Engage *United Nations* as a *neutral mediator* to facilitate *peace talks* between conflicting parties. ## *10. Narrative Counter-Strategies* Develop *counter-narrative strategies* to combat *war propaganda* and promote *peaceful solutions*. # *IMPORTANT Facts and Figures Given in the article*: - World on brink of *cataclysmic wars* since *October 7, 2023*. - *Gaza* has *36 hospitals*, most bombed by *Israel*. - *Israel* imposed *complete media censorship* on posting videos and images. - *Tens of thousands* killed in *Gaza* with *hospitals* and *schools* destroyed. - *Trump*'s quote: *"War is for the weak and Peace is for the strong"*. - *MAGA base* opposes another *Middle East conflict*. - Article published on *June 21st, 2025*. # *IMPORTANT Facts and Figures out of the article*: - *Gaza* has population of *2.3 million* people (*UN*, 2024). - *Israel* received *$3.8 billion* annual *US military aid* (*Congressional Research Service*, 2024). - *Social media* reaches *4.8 billion* users globally (*Statista*, 2024). - *Iran* has *85 million* population (*World Bank*, 2024). - *US* spent *$8 trillion* on *Middle East wars* since *2001* (*Brown University*, 2023). - *TikTok* has *1.7 billion* monthly active users (*DataReportal*, 2024). # *MCQs from the Article*: ### 1. *According to Lenin, what happens in weeks during critical times?* A. Nothing significant *B. Decades happen* C. Wars end D. Peace prevails ### 2. *Which platforms are mentioned as today's electronic battlefield?* A. Facebook and Twitter *B. TikTok and X* C. Instagram and Snapchat D. YouTube and LinkedIn ### 3. *How many hospitals does Gaza have according to the article?* A. 24 B. 30 *C. 36* D. 42 ### 4. *What did Trump say about war and peace?* A. War is necessary *B. War is for the weak and Peace is for the strong* C. Peace is weakness D. War brings prosperity ### 5. *What dilemma does Trump face regarding the Israel-Iran conflict?* A. Economic concerns *B. Lose-lose situation with voters and donors* C. Military strategy D. International pressure # *VOCABULARY*: 1. *Cataclysmic* (تباہ کن) – Involving sudden great damage or suffering 2. *Brink* (کنارے پر) – Edge of a dangerous situation 3. *Novelty* (نیا پن) – Quality of being new or unusual 4. *Propaganda* (پروپیگنڈا) – Biased information to promote a cause 5. *Rally* (اکٹھا کرنا) – Bring together for common purpose 6. *Duped* (دھوکہ دیا گیا) – Deceived or tricked 7. *Authoritarian* (آمرانہ) – Favoring strict obedience to authority 8. *Parse* (تجزیہ کرنا) – Analyze or examine carefully 9. *Vying* (مقابلہ کرنا) – Competing eagerly with others 10. *Commons* (عوامی جگہیں) – Public spaces or areas 11. *Disbursed* (تقسیم کیا گیا) – Distributed or spread widely 12. *Proliferation* (پھیلاؤ) – Rapid increase in number 13. *Skewed* (جانبدار) – Distorted or biased 14. *Precedence* (ترجیح) – Priority or importance 15. *Readouts* (بیانات) – Official statements or reports 16. *Decimated* (تباہ کر دیا) – Destroyed or severely damaged 17. *Disproportionate* (غیر متناسب) – Too large or small in comparison 18. *Mediascape* (میڈیا کا منظر) – Media environment or landscape 19. *Amenable* (قابل) – Open to suggestion or influence 20. *Instigator* (اشتعال دینے والا) – Person who provokes or initiates 📢 *Attention Please!* We appreciate your commitment to acquiring knowledge through our summaries. Please be reminded not to remove the attribution label affixed to this article. It is crucial to acknowledge the source and the effort invested in creating this summary. We discourage any unauthorized distribution without proper credit. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 🔍 ⚡ *Explore More Summaries, Solutions, and Vocabulary Meanings* 💡 Join our WhatsApp Channel for timely and comprehensive summaries of the latest articles, along with well-crafted solutions and helpful vocabulary meanings. Click the link below to join now 🔗 [Dawn Article Summaries](https://cssmcqs.com/dawn-editorials-articles-summary-for-students-pdf-download/) *WhatsApp Channel Link*: [https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7tT3o35fLnJeFbpS2y](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7tT3o35fLnJeFbpS2y) --- *www.dawn.com* *Narrative dominance* *Rafia Zakaria* *5–6 minutes* LENIN once said: "There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen." Indeed, the past week is an example of this. Decades have elapsed in weeks and by the time you read this, even more decades may have passed. The world has been on the brink of cataclysmic wars since Oct 7, 2023, and it appears now more than ever that we may have reached a point of no return. If America joins Israel's war on Iran, there will be no turning back. World wars are not a novelty in our weary world. If you have visited a museum dedicated to them, entire hallways are devoted to the propaganda posters, that were meant to boost morale, rally support or even keep populations duped so that they continued to pledge their support to authoritarian leaders. The Russians used them, so did the Germans. Today, we parse them through the morality of our own times, our own side, and what we see as right or wrong. World War III will also involve sides vying to control the narrative. This time, the 'commons' aren't the markets or street corners where people would gather between bombing raids. Today, the battle for narrative is fought on virtual platforms like TikTok and X. This electronic battlefield and those dominating it are almost as important as the actual physical dimensions of the real war. Perceptions of dominance and moral superiority are determined in the content produced and disbursed via these channels. Electronic warfare involves the creation of memes, the proliferation of tweets, the creation of reels, etc. Content and narrative creation have to be in place even before the first missiles hit. Previously, Israel relied on the support of the global media to create narrative dominance. As pointed out by numerous commentators, the perspective presented by CNN, BBC, AP and similar outlets has been skewed in favour of Israel with precedence given to their official (read: Israeli Defence Forces) readouts over the reality on the ground. Even as Gaza is decimated, with hospitals and schools razed and tens of thousands killed, the disproportionate focus has been on the retrieval of the remains of a few Israeli hostages. The battle for narrative is being fought virtually. This would have been a reliable route to narrative dominance had the mediascape not been transformed by alternative virtual platforms. Even though the algorithms on X and Insta are not entirely neutral, they are more amenable to being flooded by compelling content from one or the other side. YouTube provides yet another venue for livestreams and discussions that would otherwise not have existed. For instance, recently when Israeli media sources, bots, content producers, etc, began to release images of a hospital (one that had been evacuated and was located close to a defence site) targeted by an Iranian missile, social media platforms highlighted how Israel had bombed most of Gaza's 36 hospitals. This thread of narrative was used to underscore the fact that Israel is the instigator of the war. Aware of its weakness on this score, Israel has imposed complete media censorship and is not allowing anyone within Israel to post videos and images, believing that this ban would allow it to have complete control of the circulated content regarding what is being damaged or destroyed. Unfortunately, such censorship is getting harder to enforce since videos of the damage are being leaked anyway. It also means that Iranian sources are releasing their own videos of the damage in Israel. In the US, the debate about whether America should join the war has been complicated by a war with­­in the Republican Par­ty. The MAGA base that brought President Don­ald Trump to power op­­poses involvement in another Middle East conflict. It has pointed out on X its frustration with US tax dollars being wasted on Israel even in the face of huge domestic issues. In one video MAGA superstar host Tucker Carlson mocked pro-war US Senator Ted Cruz saying he wanted to bomb Iran without knowing anything about the country. In the strangest of collusions, MAGA content is aligning with anti-Israel global content to create narrative dominance. The outcome of this war is unknown as is the future of the world. If the US joins the war and American pilots or sailors come back in coffins, Trump's power as president will be decimated. In Trump's own words, "War is for the weak and Peace is for the strong". The delay in deciding whether or not to attack suggests that the US is not confident in its position and its president is frustrated with his options. If he chooses to side with Israel, he will lose his MAGA voters, if he chooses to stay out he will lose his Jewish donors. If one chose to tweet about it, they could describe it as a 'lose-lose situation'. The writer is an attorney teaching constitutional law and political philosophy. [email protected] Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2025