Well, our Mad would-be King has bombed Iran and–by any definition–taken us to war. Another unconstitutional and profoundly dangerous act.
Charlie Sykes recently considered what was then an Israeli-Iran conflict, and enumerated “things that can all be true at the same time.”
Here’s his list, with my commentary in italics:
- America ought to stand with Israel, while recognizing that Benjamin Netanyahu (1) does not always deserve the benefit of the doubt, and (2) is an unreliable narrator. In this, Sykes echoes the opinion of a majority of American Jews. We support the right of Israel to exist, but we detest Netanyahu, who is a smarter version of Trump (granted, a low bar) and whose corrupt governance has done incalculable damage to Israel’s international support.
- The world would be a vastly better and safer place if Iran does not have a nuclear weapon. Ditto for dismantling the terrorist regime. This week, the G7 nations reiterated that, “Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror,” and “We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.” Hard to argue with this.
- Achieving these goals through war will not be easy or achieved without great cost.
War with Iran could unleash chaos throughout the region. And what comes afterward could be worse.
The most dangerous scenarios involve miscalculations, misjudgments, and misinterpretations. (See World War I.) The truth of this is what keeps rational people up at night, and what should have concerned the ignoramus in the Oval Office. Understanding the risks involved in any decisions made by those in a position to make those decisions should have been a critical element of America’s response to this very significant threat to world peace. - Moments like these requires the highest degree of skill and prudence — the most sober, strategic, and sagacious diplomatic and military minds we can muster. Instead, we have a reality tv host and a dipsomaniacal chode in charge of the world’s greatest military on the brink of war. Ok, I had to look up “chode,” which evidently refers either to a male organ or a stupid or contemptible man. Either way, seems appropriate. At a time when the country needs thoughtful, informed and adult leadership, power is being exercised by a group of immature, self-important ignoramuses who haven’t a clue and who display no willingness to heed the advice of people who do.
- Instead of assembling a “coalition of the willing,” Trump and Israel were intent on going it alone, isolated and without the active support of allies. See “chode.”
- As has become its wont, Congress remains a potted plant throughout this whole crisis. This is perhaps the most frustrating aspect of all of the threats we face today. The Republicans who hold a majority in the House and Senate repeatedly block efforts to assert the constitutional duties of those bodies. In the House, they evidently feel protected by gerrymandering and fear only challenges from the Right; the Senate is home to morons like Indiana’s Christian Nationalist Jim Banks and cowards like Todd Young. The fault ultimately lies with We the People, who have elected these pathetic excuses for public servants.
Bottom line, as Sykes notes, is that there are no adults in the situation room.
Because nothing ever really disappears from the Internet, social media sites have been flooded with former tweets by our embarrassing excuse for a President, a child-man who evidently thinks that posting grammatically-incorrect vulgarities and threats in ALL CAPS, like a five-year-old, is leadership. In 2013, he posted “Be prepared. There is a chance that our horrendous leadership could unknowingly lead us into WWIII.” (This post, at least, was grammatical…and potentially, frighteningly accurate.) Pundits have also reminded readers of Trump’s statement–made when he was still a reality television personality– that “Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly—not skilled!”
“Not skilled” is an apt–albeit massively understated–description of the unserious, unqualified cranks and clowns that We the People have installed in positions of authority.
Those totally unqualified clowns and cranks may just have triggered WWIII. Even if the consequences aren’t that horrific, they are likely to be incredibly damaging, both to the stability of the world at large and–thanks to the mentally-ill buffoon in the White House– to America’s rapidly-diminishing role in that world.
Let’s be clear, the United States of America did not attack Iran. The attack clearly was done by Donald J. Trump, acting alone, without consent of Congress. Trump has endangered himself and members of his own family who are now targets of ‘sleeper cells’.
My 11-year-old grandson asked me, “Grandpa, are we going into World War 3?” [He doesn’t speak in Roman numerals, right?] Of course, I quickly replied, “No, no, no” and cursed Trump under my breath. But how can the lad trust a guy who thought to himself, “Wait, Trump doesn’t drink, does he?”
Norris, it’s just as likely the attack was done by Miller. I don’t think Trump is capable of making decisions any longer.
I think it wise to keep the car full of gas and the pantry well stocked. These people are not without resources. Perhaps the internet will go down, The banking / credit card services can go off line. Power plants and water treatment can go off line. Much can go wrong. We need to do what we can while we can.
Norris, I agree and have my fingers crossed.
But let’s not panic. Yes, “We” the people elected these morons in Congress and the White House. Perhaps it should read: “We the Morons” … The voters who put these shitbags in office are complicit in the events that just transpired as well as the eggplants in both houses of Congress who enable and abet the madman in the Oval. Add to the morons, the slothful fools who didn’t vote at all.
And here we are. Some of us predicted dramatic happenings when the psychopath didn’t get enough good strokes. Well, this is just act I of the dumbest of dumbshows. Stay tuned. It’s going to get worse.
Why does every discussion of the Middle East start with, America ought to stand with Israel? Watching their genocide on the people of Gaza doesn’t make me want to stand with them. And now, with the Iranian distraction, it will get worse…if that’s possible.
Schumer, Jeffries and mainstream dem pols are stalling, MSNBC spouting “clear” explanations- excuses largely- Where is the Momentum from No. Kings- to resist??? Not “idiots “- WE are the idiots collectively- we now lost most Dem Pols- in
“Mirror, Mirror, on the wall- Who’s the greatest of us all?”
“That would be you, sir.”
“Yep. I wanna bomb Iran. Do our checklist thing- ascending order.”
“Will it impress our base, Sir?”
“Yep.”
“Will it make you seem strong, Sir?”
“Yep.”
“Could there be any skin off of your ass, Sir?”
“Nope.”
“Bombs away, Sir.”
As always, Trump’s comments, such as that about Obama, are all projections. Most of the comments, and claims of the GOP projections.
Bibi needs to be in jail, he’s been dodging that for years now, much as has Trump.
Miller needs to be…well I can’t say it, but the image of him behind bars in a dog pound seems about right.
I have been convinced for a long time that the many problems of the Middle East could be attributed to two things: one is Theocracy, the other is the flow and distribution of wealth there.
I’ve been around for many solar orbits. Over that time, the worship of both holy and unholy leaders has become increasingly prevalent worldwide, resulting in a rise in unholy leaders within the global community.
The Ayatollah, Putin, Netanyahu, Trump, Kim Jong-un, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) are a few examples, but the situation is even more dire than that.
They each have their holy books (Project 2025 is Trump’s) and graven images (Trump’s is a giant airplane gifted by Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani, another unholy holy leader.
Now, some of the holy, unholy leaders are tossing bombs at each other in a casual display of power, which they believe they are entitled to.
Of course, none of these unholy men suffer from the bomb tossing they cause; in fact, they assume more power.
It’s people who suffer, humanity’s oldest story.
A significant portion of Americans will see the bombing as “finally taking action” against those Middle East terrorists threatening us with nuclear weapons. Right on the heels of the latest “Mission Impossible” movie. He now has proven “I, alone can do it”. Unless this leads to any kind of war (which every expert is saying “no”), he has done something that will be seen as pretty positive. And should the DEMs somehow be able to challenge it under law, they will be seen as petty bureaucrats.
America must get out of the business of selling offensive weapons to countries run by sociopaths like Netanyahu.
Let’s look at just how bad this might be. Who are Iran’s friends? Russia, China and North Korea. Rest assured that the coming war won’t be fought on the battlefield. Of the three allies I mentioned, only North Korea would send a nuke our way. We’re far more vulnerable to cyber attacks. We’re in the middle of a terrible heat wave. Imagine what would happen if the whole electric grid system went down. Only the small percentage of the population that doesn’t rely on the grid would be able to sustain life.
If you doubt that China and Russia have been able to gain entry to our most sophisticated systems, guess again. They’ve already done it multiple times. If and when that happens WWIII and the Great American Experiment will both end in a whimper.
Imagine that! For the first time in my life, I agree with Steve Bannon.
One overlooked problem with our gov’t/press interactions (it seems to me) is that in trying to get real answers from Trump (silly project from the start) the press gets caught in situations like this (from HCR):
“On Friday a reporter asked Trump, “What intelligence do you have that Iran is building a nuclear weapon? Your intelligence community had said they have no evidence that they are at this point.” Trump answered: “Well then, my intelligence community is wrong.” He added: “Who in the intelligence community said that?” The reporter responded: “Your director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard.” Trump answered: “She’s wrong.”
While I can appreciate their wish to ask this questions, it is, ALWAYS, a fruitless effort. HIS “intelligence community ” is wrong, because…HE always knows better…just like in regard to the generals, in his first term.
What is our status? Does “Up shit’s creek without a paddle” sound about right?
The only predictable course of action by this group in charge, is unpredictable stupidity and lustful greed for treasure and power.
Just think of the treasure this little excursion cost the taxpayers. They destroyed jobs, departments, livelihoods, and created a great angst for people just trying to survive. And then, spend like drunken alcoholics looking for the next bottle no matter the cost.
The whole shebang is completely insane, but it’s insanity piled on top of insanity on top of grift and greed and narcissism. When they show the still shots of those meetings, he sits there with his El’duche Mussolini grimace on his face. You think he doesn’t make sure he does that to look like some tough guy?
And the mussolini-esque tough guy figured out how to extort Vietnam concerning the tariffs. Vietnam has now gifted the Trump family property to build a Trump golf course and resort, further enriching trumptopia and extorting tariff relief for Vietnam. These countries recognize the criminality of this guy, so they’re going to offer him whatever they can. Maybe like $400 million Jets.
The Rubicon has been crossed so many times, but there’s no recompense to the people for these actions, after all who’s going to arrest him? There would have to be a coup. And who is willing to do that? So here you go, if it’s time it’s time.
“But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5 having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.” (2nd Timothy 3:1-5)
“Let no one lead you astray in any way, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction. 4 He stands in opposition and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits down in the temple of God, publicly showing himself to be a god. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I used to tell you these things?
“That is why God lets a deceptive influence mislead them so that they may come to believe the lie, 12 in order that they all may be judged because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness” (Read second Thessalonians the second chapter)
Kaddafi – in Libya – Trusted our Promises – and didn’t develop nuclear weaponry – killed because he was thus “defenseless”
N Korea – developed Nuclear Warheads – now they are Safe from the U.S.
Iran – 1950’s – Democratic Elected Leadership – overthrown – U.S. Deeply Involved – Strange coincidence – U.S. Strongly Supported the Shah – Iranian Revolution – created Horrible Theocratic Leadership
1917 – Balfour Declaration – Britain – Promised a Jewish State – 1917 – Palestine “belonged” to the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire – not Britain
The U.S. Government historically and Now – doesn’t support – “Democracy” – we wish and Demand – a Compliant – Leader – Saddam Hussein was one – until he Wasn’t – Haiti – since 1793 – has Paid Reparations and continues to – because they Black People – resisted enslavement – literally and $ wise, Mississippi was the wealthiest US State – in 1860 – Free Labor – Boeing – Lockheed + Many More Large Corporations – profit profit profit – from Gaza and possibly now even Iran – Bombs – not Schools – Trump had a “teacher” in Joe Biden – who supported Israel – tokenly – “demanding” – that People Not Be Starved – no Consequences – Trump now can be Biden on Steroids – in the Middle East! Iran – alleged nuclear threat – Iran NOW needs nuclear weapons – so it can be safe from U.S. Domination.. The Iranian People – need to free themselves – our bombing – forces them to Unite against the U.S. – In the U.S. – we started in the 1500’s – Native People – were “savages”. They – generally – tried to work with us – trust us – and what benefit did they get? Black People – haven’t “profited” from our “Democracy”. Wealth + Patriarchy – tied to Distorted Christianity, “Christian Zionists” (sic -when Jesus returns – we Jews, Moslems, Hindu People … are Doomed then)’- Wealthy – right wing Jews – Lies – Lies – Lies – The Theocracies – essentially – are the Wealthy Elites of the U.S. and beyond. Democracy – means – that Women and Girls – can decide what’s right for themselves (abortion/birth control), Moslem/Palestinian People are no better or worse – than we – who are Jewish and other religions…
Not the focus of this article or many comments but the following absurdity struck me over the weekend: the Republican Party judges that bombing Iran (one of the most complex and costly military operations the USA has conducted in recent years) is not an act of war (which would require Congressional authorization), while the flights of refugees from numerous South and Central American countries beset by violence constitutes an “invasion” of the USA by those countries (which would justify the invocation of certain powers by the Trump administration). I guess two things can also both be untrue at the same time.
The difference btwn Obama and Trump is that Obama was a professor of constitutional law at one of the nation’s top law schools, and Trump is Trump, a diagnosed narcissist with 100% of the multiple markers for that listed in DSM-5.
Both Netanyau and Trump, also the Ayatolla and Putin and Xi, are all acting like dictators, mocking the forms of democracy in their 5 countries. And all 5 of their so-called legislative bodies are letting them do it. No guts. All 5 men have frail masculine egos causing them to preen and puff-up like strutting roosters. We are in big trouble when Xi seems to be the most mature of the lot.
George … you summed up truth and consequences in a single post. My first employment after college Late 60’s was Africa (Addis Ababa). Early on an African Proverb I learned one line that is the sum of all: “when elephants fight, the grass in between suffers.”
I am not very knowledgable about the Middle East except to know that the people that live there make up different groups of people that don’t get along. I don’t understand why Israel is somehow considered worth protecting over other groups by the U.S. I feel bad for the Palestinian people that are caught up in the warfare and was happy to hear that World Central Kitchen is now allowed back into Gaza to feed people. I don’t feel that bombing Iran was necessary? But then I am not an expert in the Middle East and their people.
Saturday evening, I finally turned on the news to see the bomb announcement and haven’t been able to watch the news since. I switched over to Fox Spews for about 20 minutes and they were absolutely giddy. I wanted to throw up. You see, all I remember is coming of age with the news showing Vietnam and my empathic mind cannot process such hate. I miss having a POTUS that is sane and not in the news every freaking minute of the day. I can’t stand his voice and they keep showing clips. I cannot do this. I can’t and I won’t. I’m ready to make an anti-war sign for the next protest rally. I am a pacifist !
First and foremost, yes, the United States of America just attacked Iran. And, VP Vance, it is deemed an act of war. Donald Trump didn’t bomb Iran, the US Air Force did. Trump is the Commander in Chief. He may have acted illegally, but we’ll never know, because there is no way Congress will ever hold him to account.
But it is childish to say things like the US didn’t bomb Iran, the US President did so. He used the military forces of our country, as the Commander of those forces and in his role as President. We, the United States of America, as a nation, just bombed Iran. And we, the United States of America, just committed an act of war. And we, the citizens of the United States of America, will deal with the consequences of those actions.
SHELIA, TOTAL AGREE. OY VEY