After decades of stalemate, a single night of force reshaped the chessboard, leaving Americans divided at home while Tehran unexpectedly signals it may finally be ready to concede.
Obama had an agreement with Iran that would have kept them from developing a nuclear weapon. trump tore it up. Now hundreds (including over 100 schoolgirls) are dead, including several Americans, and untold millions spent on munitions that would be better spent in Ukraine, all needlessly (and unlawfully). And we have yet to see the unintended consequences (not that any tangible outcome, or any sort of plan, was formulated by the kakistocracy). Anything emboldening a mentally ill and demented autocrat should never be encouraged.
No question, when the Trump administration withdrew from the agreement in 2018, it marked a pivotal shift in U.S. foreign policy, leading to increased tensions and instability in the region. Diplomacy seems to be a thing of the past. We should have been clued in when Trump gutted the State Department. Now, the US is a War Machine for power and personal gain.
Exactly. Remember how just last year, Iran's nuclear capabilities were OBLITERATED?? And now, we suddenly have to bomb them alongside a war criminal? So, were they obliterated, or are they suddenly so dangerous we need to start a war? That is what Michael seems to not grasp here. This administration wouldn't know what the truth is if it slapped them in the covefe. "Bypass the slower machinery of congressional debate"?? They've allegedly been planning this for months, yet they didn't have time to deal with Congress? My eyes are about to roll out of my head.
"Obliterated" was a damn lie! You can't believe a thing that comes out of this regimes mouth! Exactly, why didn't they consult with Congress if this was planned for months?! 😤 They had plenty of time to do so.
Right, David. I said the same thing yesterday, in so many words. Trump can't stand having any policies in place by a democrat president. He has to have his fucking name and incompetent policies on everything. I can tell you this, MAGA is not the sharpest tools in the shed and know nothing about foreign negotiations or policies. It's a complete shit show disaster that will blow up in their faces as more innocent lives will be taken. They never thought this through and have no plan what is next. Unless there is new information? Last I heard, Iran has no intention of negotiating. Again, I will not commend a damn thing this demented piece of shit does. #operationepsteinfury #jeffreyepsteinwar It is just a distraction but a dangerous distraction that will cause harm to many across the globe!
Yes, over 4 years now! He fucking lied about it and countless other things to avoid prison! All that voted for this dumbass fell for his lies hook, line and sinker!
Who's to say whether it was us or Israel who actually killed their leader anyway. They were both bombing at the same time. This is Israel's war but trump wants credit. .. he'll do anything for that peace prize!
Can’t agree with you on this one…I see it as a desperate attempt to distract from the Epstein debacle, and worse, a sick attempt to find a way to stop the midterms. If congress doesn’t step up to shut this down immediately, results for our country and the world could be dire…
And don't forget about controlling the production and delivery of natural gas and oil in that whole region. There's more going on than meets the eye...
Definitely, Mary! If we ever found out what was really going on in addition to what we already know, we'd all keel over in shock and horror. I've lately been remembering how some commentator said years ago that the US "needs" to have a war every 20 years, more or less (with of course "minor skirmishes" in between). The Trump regime is no exception, bumbling as they are. If anyone is interested in an eye-opening documentary about US wars, I'd recommend Why We Fight. Also here are some prophetic words of MLK that I heard years ago and have never forgotten: "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death." Strong words, but true, I think.
Where's the confusion? Did this strike have Congressional approval? Was it popular with the majority of US Citizens? Was it done for the "safety of US/citizens"? The factual answers to these questions should resolve any remaining confusion.
Four US military members dead and five additional seriously injured. I don't give a good god damn the reasons this administration is using for the strike. I didn't vote for Trump, much less his incompetence resulting in deaths, for any reason. Dead bodies stacking up, just like they did during the first administration of this Blithering Idiot:(
Amen! I didn't vote for him either; never have! He doesn't care about dead bodies piling up! All he cares about is himself! His death couldn't come any sooner! I'm so fucking sick of him and his stupid ass in politics!
My thinking is somewhat similar, except I've started to think that chaotic daily news coverage we receive now, either from the Trump administration, or from other press organizations that kowtow to him, has a lot to do with my mistrusting almost everything now. I find myself second guessing any first release. Then I start searching multiple sources, including international ones, and decide which versions seem reliable.
The risk is bigger than the Middle East. When we light up a region, the easiest retaliation isn’t a tank, it’s a keyboard. Homeland attacks don’t require armies; 9/11 proved how few people can exploit blind spots and change a country overnight.
That’s why weakening our security institutions and guardrails is not abstract. If we treat force as a shortcut, we invite asymmetric payback.
Michael regarding your question how we would feel if this happened under a different administration. If Biden had done it at least I would’ve trusted his motives. And known it wasn’t to overthrow an election.
That's the key. Trump has suspended the Epstein investigation as of now as well. We are dealing with a malignant narcissist, not Joe Biden. Trumps plans are always nefarious. He cannot be trusted period.
No!! No, no, no!!!! I do not and cannot agree with your argument. The end does not justify the means! Ever! Particularly between countries and when force and death and destruction are involved! You're conflating a completely illegal act with what you in your estimation is a good thing, or apparently so. And the net effect of your entire column is let's wait and see!
No, let's not wait and see!!! This was illegal from the get-go. The fact that the finest Military in the world aided and participated in the obliteration of the national leader of another country and his primary cadre does not justify doing what was done. PERIOD!
Finest military? It used to be. Not now. A military that clearly is now kowtowing to a man instead of the Constitution, as evidenced by their assent to carry out an illegal assault. They should have said no.
It depends on your definition of "finest" as well as which parts of the military you believe actually do the fighting. I could easily argue that the part doing the actual fighting-- and dying-- are the finest, but the leadership, which would have to include the Commander In Chief, clearly no longer is. You need both.
Barb, you're talking about personalities and the fact that you particularly don't like our current Commander in Chief. I don't think much of him either.
My comment is about capabilities. There is no other military on the planet that is as capable as ours, including our leadership! As I'm sure you know, our commander in chief is not in the military. He is a civilian. Under our Constitution he gives the orders; he doesn't execute them. It is a critical distinction to keep in mind.
When you demean the military because you don't like what they're doing or don't like the person who is telling them what to do, you unfairly indict hundreds of thousands of the finest men and women in our country, those in uniform who are literally risking their lives for us! I don't think you mean to do that.
You aren't paying attention. I am not talking personalities. Your misogyny is showing. I am NOT demeaning the men and women who are doing the actual work. I said as much in my post. Pay attention. The military leadership used to be fully capable, until so many of the senior people were let go since felonhead got into office. Capable, Constitution loving personnel replaced as many times as needed until he got his sycophants into place. Along with dismantling so much of the support system that a strong, capable military requires--State Departments, ambassadors, intelligence personnel, soft power. Surely you have read Project 2025.
Thank you for that lecture, Barb. I believe you were a Nurse if I remember correctly from your profile. By bringing up Project 2025, You're simply proving my point. You don't like what's happening so therefore the Military has been degraded.
Wonderful thing about our country is that everyone is entitled to an opinion even when they don't know what they're talking about.
I spent 32 years in the Army. Which of us do you think is in a better position to judge our military leadership? Don't worry! Take your time! I'll wait?
I don't agree. It's not because which president did this, it's how it was done. Congress was not consulted. He is an unhinged dictator with a twisted, sick ego. He, no doubt, has dementia. This was done by a madman and his crazy war machine.
Perhaps if citizens had more confidence in the administration itself, we would not see so much dissent. But an administration that has personally profited immensely from illegal actions, staffed a cabinet with completely incapable sycophants, is actively participating in a massive cover up of child abuse, is literally abusing human beings in the name of immigration reform, is murdering US citizens without reproach and accountability and systematically dismantling our democracy, not to mention the people’s house (literally), does not deserve and has not earned our trust or respect. First and foremost, this war was a war of choice. From his own comments, he has no capacity to care about the loss of our soldiers. He has never served and he has no respect for our military. I am stunned by your post. I believe nothing and I trust no one and with good reason.
Ends justifies the means? This military tactic (U.S. and Israeli as partners, with the remaining Sunni Middle Eastern population cheering the thunder), may provide temporary comfort to some in the world, but I see it as yet another dangerous escalation of behavior by an unfit lunatic world leader that threatens our Constitutional and the International rule of law world order, whose primary personal goals to me are clear - deflect at home, play for time on the world stage, and win points for his ego and his ultimate legacy, while cementing personal business relationships and increased wealth pipelines with the Saudis and Middle East States, all in Agreement with one another that Iran must heal and be stopped from nuclear weapons achievement, by any means necessary. The immediate benefit may appear worth the risk to achieve that end, but the long-term damage to dedicated, careful diplomacy carried on by intelligent, true peace-seeking democratic partners should be the first priority of Trump’s newly founded Peace Board - not this farce. This is just one more big scam on an international level that will earn Trump future comparison to other word-class tyrants of the past. So, if Trump can not be the next Ghandi, why not compete with the likes of a Stalin. They are both in the history books. I suspect Stalin has more pages in his favor.
Negotiation was happening before the strike. The US and Israel struck anyway. The Iranian response was to attack 27 locations. I don't call that a request to negotiate. If Iran was a clear and present danger to the US, Congress should have been involved as it was with previous administrations. Americans don't hate trump because he's a terrible person, he's a loose cannon who causes problems so he can say he fixed them.
None of us knows how this will end, but either way lives are being lost needlessly.
Thanks Michael: Thanks for your take of the situation. All I know is you is you can't bomb and idea .If the Iranian folks don't want to negotiate and change things it is going to take boots on the ground to root our the so called evil, stay a while and help the protesters rebuild. You can bet Trumps sons won't be wearing those boots. Trump cares not a whit for the American or Iranian citizen. Netanyahu has been begging the USA to do the deed for years. Killing 165 school children won't win the hearts and minds of the Iranian civilians.
Michael - this analysis is very flawed. The Constitution is clear; if a President wants to use our military for war, they MUST have Congressional approval, therefore We The People’s, approval. Debate, objectives, rationale are required. Iran is sovereign. They didn’t attack us. This war is 100% unconstitutional & will achieve zero for Iranian stability.
Trump on the 3 US military personnel that were killed, 'that's the way it goes.' They have been dumped onto the pile of "suckers and losers." Anyone who makes excuses for this illegal war, or tries to find the "silver lining," is just as delusional as trump.
If you want to listen to someone who spent time in the Middle East, check out, “Black Man Spy,” Malcolm Nance.
For the sake of argument, if it was a correct move, it was still done the wrong aka unconstitutional way. Plus two (bajillion) wrongs don’t make a right. (And sorry, but the language of this essay screams “written by AI“)
Michael, I've supported you through some of your darkest moments and I do so still. That's exactly why I'm pushing back here. 💙
Your analysis is sharp as always. But I think you're asking readers to separate the action from the actor in a way that isn't possible with this particular president. "Wait and see" requires a baseline of trust in the decision-maker. Given everything you know about Trump, more than almost anyone, I don't think you actually have that trust. And I don't think your readers should either.
I'm not sure that the end justifies the means in this situation. People seem unable to connect the dots. To be selfish - how will this affect everyday Americans? The gas pump? Increased grocery prices? Security in our own country - Will we now have suicidal bombers in our streets and our establishments? Have we opened the doors to chaos in our own cities and streets like they have in Israel? Where are our bomb shelters? Every Israelis citizen knows where their bomb shelters are. What have we really done here?
Obama had an agreement with Iran that would have kept them from developing a nuclear weapon. trump tore it up. Now hundreds (including over 100 schoolgirls) are dead, including several Americans, and untold millions spent on munitions that would be better spent in Ukraine, all needlessly (and unlawfully). And we have yet to see the unintended consequences (not that any tangible outcome, or any sort of plan, was formulated by the kakistocracy). Anything emboldening a mentally ill and demented autocrat should never be encouraged.
No question, when the Trump administration withdrew from the agreement in 2018, it marked a pivotal shift in U.S. foreign policy, leading to increased tensions and instability in the region. Diplomacy seems to be a thing of the past. We should have been clued in when Trump gutted the State Department. Now, the US is a War Machine for power and personal gain.
I agree with you!
Exactly. Remember how just last year, Iran's nuclear capabilities were OBLITERATED?? And now, we suddenly have to bomb them alongside a war criminal? So, were they obliterated, or are they suddenly so dangerous we need to start a war? That is what Michael seems to not grasp here. This administration wouldn't know what the truth is if it slapped them in the covefe. "Bypass the slower machinery of congressional debate"?? They've allegedly been planning this for months, yet they didn't have time to deal with Congress? My eyes are about to roll out of my head.
"Obliterated" was a damn lie! You can't believe a thing that comes out of this regimes mouth! Exactly, why didn't they consult with Congress if this was planned for months?! 😤 They had plenty of time to do so.
Michael's response is what confuses me!
Right, David. I said the same thing yesterday, in so many words. Trump can't stand having any policies in place by a democrat president. He has to have his fucking name and incompetent policies on everything. I can tell you this, MAGA is not the sharpest tools in the shed and know nothing about foreign negotiations or policies. It's a complete shit show disaster that will blow up in their faces as more innocent lives will be taken. They never thought this through and have no plan what is next. Unless there is new information? Last I heard, Iran has no intention of negotiating. Again, I will not commend a damn thing this demented piece of shit does. #operationepsteinfury #jeffreyepsteinwar It is just a distraction but a dangerous distraction that will cause harm to many across the globe!
And what about Ukraine? WTF is THAT dumb war about? that dipshit was going to stop on day one??
Yes, over 4 years now! He fucking lied about it and countless other things to avoid prison! All that voted for this dumbass fell for his lies hook, line and sinker!
His voters are just as bad and evil as he is!! 💯
Absolutely!
Yes it needs to be renamed The Epstein Files Distraction War. See the film Wag the Dog for the comparison!!
I'll have to check that film out! Thank you!
Who's to say whether it was us or Israel who actually killed their leader anyway. They were both bombing at the same time. This is Israel's war but trump wants credit. .. he'll do anything for that peace prize!
Spot on David
I agree.
It is not OK to function unconstitutionally 'just this once'. A link to a tough explosive report here https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/we-are-all-to-blame-for-the-attack-on-iran/ar-AA1XjYm7?ocid=socialshare#comments
As Pogo said: "We have seen the enemy and he is us."
Thank you David for your response! Perfectly said!
Can’t agree with you on this one…I see it as a desperate attempt to distract from the Epstein debacle, and worse, a sick attempt to find a way to stop the midterms. If congress doesn’t step up to shut this down immediately, results for our country and the world could be dire…
Spot on Sharon
It's also no coincidence that so many of these Gulf States have bribed Trump and his cronies to do their dirty work. Saudi especially.
And don't forget about controlling the production and delivery of natural gas and oil in that whole region. There's more going on than meets the eye...
Definitely, Mary! If we ever found out what was really going on in addition to what we already know, we'd all keel over in shock and horror. I've lately been remembering how some commentator said years ago that the US "needs" to have a war every 20 years, more or less (with of course "minor skirmishes" in between). The Trump regime is no exception, bumbling as they are. If anyone is interested in an eye-opening documentary about US wars, I'd recommend Why We Fight. Also here are some prophetic words of MLK that I heard years ago and have never forgotten: "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death." Strong words, but true, I think.
FWIW, more of that speech is here (and other places online): https://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/quotes/quotations/view/25756/spiritual-quotation
I'm with you Sharon!
Where's the confusion? Did this strike have Congressional approval? Was it popular with the majority of US Citizens? Was it done for the "safety of US/citizens"? The factual answers to these questions should resolve any remaining confusion.
I was wondering the same. Confused about what??
Four US military members dead and five additional seriously injured. I don't give a good god damn the reasons this administration is using for the strike. I didn't vote for Trump, much less his incompetence resulting in deaths, for any reason. Dead bodies stacking up, just like they did during the first administration of this Blithering Idiot:(
Amen! I didn't vote for him either; never have! He doesn't care about dead bodies piling up! All he cares about is himself! His death couldn't come any sooner! I'm so fucking sick of him and his stupid ass in politics!
I'm with you Lori. There isn't anything good about what he's doing and I don't agree with Michael on this one either.
We can agree to disagree, but I'm baffled by anyone taking the position that this strike was valid or good.
Amen
My thinking is somewhat similar, except I've started to think that chaotic daily news coverage we receive now, either from the Trump administration, or from other press organizations that kowtow to him, has a lot to do with my mistrusting almost everything now. I find myself second guessing any first release. Then I start searching multiple sources, including international ones, and decide which versions seem reliable.
Michael-
The risk is bigger than the Middle East. When we light up a region, the easiest retaliation isn’t a tank, it’s a keyboard. Homeland attacks don’t require armies; 9/11 proved how few people can exploit blind spots and change a country overnight.
That’s why weakening our security institutions and guardrails is not abstract. If we treat force as a shortcut, we invite asymmetric payback.
Watch cyber, infrastructure, and disinformation.
Mika-
Michael regarding your question how we would feel if this happened under a different administration. If Biden had done it at least I would’ve trusted his motives. And known it wasn’t to overthrow an election.
That's the key. Trump has suspended the Epstein investigation as of now as well. We are dealing with a malignant narcissist, not Joe Biden. Trumps plans are always nefarious. He cannot be trusted period.
I forgot to add that, 🙏🏽🙏
No!! No, no, no!!!! I do not and cannot agree with your argument. The end does not justify the means! Ever! Particularly between countries and when force and death and destruction are involved! You're conflating a completely illegal act with what you in your estimation is a good thing, or apparently so. And the net effect of your entire column is let's wait and see!
No, let's not wait and see!!! This was illegal from the get-go. The fact that the finest Military in the world aided and participated in the obliteration of the national leader of another country and his primary cadre does not justify doing what was done. PERIOD!
Finest military? It used to be. Not now. A military that clearly is now kowtowing to a man instead of the Constitution, as evidenced by their assent to carry out an illegal assault. They should have said no.
Barb, the United States military is the finest fighting force in the world today. Sorry you're wrong! Don't mistake following orders for incompetence!
It depends on your definition of "finest" as well as which parts of the military you believe actually do the fighting. I could easily argue that the part doing the actual fighting-- and dying-- are the finest, but the leadership, which would have to include the Commander In Chief, clearly no longer is. You need both.
Barb, you're talking about personalities and the fact that you particularly don't like our current Commander in Chief. I don't think much of him either.
My comment is about capabilities. There is no other military on the planet that is as capable as ours, including our leadership! As I'm sure you know, our commander in chief is not in the military. He is a civilian. Under our Constitution he gives the orders; he doesn't execute them. It is a critical distinction to keep in mind.
When you demean the military because you don't like what they're doing or don't like the person who is telling them what to do, you unfairly indict hundreds of thousands of the finest men and women in our country, those in uniform who are literally risking their lives for us! I don't think you mean to do that.
You aren't paying attention. I am not talking personalities. Your misogyny is showing. I am NOT demeaning the men and women who are doing the actual work. I said as much in my post. Pay attention. The military leadership used to be fully capable, until so many of the senior people were let go since felonhead got into office. Capable, Constitution loving personnel replaced as many times as needed until he got his sycophants into place. Along with dismantling so much of the support system that a strong, capable military requires--State Departments, ambassadors, intelligence personnel, soft power. Surely you have read Project 2025.
Thank you for that lecture, Barb. I believe you were a Nurse if I remember correctly from your profile. By bringing up Project 2025, You're simply proving my point. You don't like what's happening so therefore the Military has been degraded.
Wonderful thing about our country is that everyone is entitled to an opinion even when they don't know what they're talking about.
I spent 32 years in the Army. Which of us do you think is in a better position to judge our military leadership? Don't worry! Take your time! I'll wait?
Please have a very nice day!
Spot on Pete
Thanks, Howard!
Exactly. We should NEVER normalize a president treating our military like toy soldiers in a game of Risk. THE CONSTITUTION ISN'T A SUGGESTION!!!!!!!
You had me at Exactly, Gail!
I don't agree. It's not because which president did this, it's how it was done. Congress was not consulted. He is an unhinged dictator with a twisted, sick ego. He, no doubt, has dementia. This was done by a madman and his crazy war machine.
Perhaps if citizens had more confidence in the administration itself, we would not see so much dissent. But an administration that has personally profited immensely from illegal actions, staffed a cabinet with completely incapable sycophants, is actively participating in a massive cover up of child abuse, is literally abusing human beings in the name of immigration reform, is murdering US citizens without reproach and accountability and systematically dismantling our democracy, not to mention the people’s house (literally), does not deserve and has not earned our trust or respect. First and foremost, this war was a war of choice. From his own comments, he has no capacity to care about the loss of our soldiers. He has never served and he has no respect for our military. I am stunned by your post. I believe nothing and I trust no one and with good reason.
Ends justifies the means? This military tactic (U.S. and Israeli as partners, with the remaining Sunni Middle Eastern population cheering the thunder), may provide temporary comfort to some in the world, but I see it as yet another dangerous escalation of behavior by an unfit lunatic world leader that threatens our Constitutional and the International rule of law world order, whose primary personal goals to me are clear - deflect at home, play for time on the world stage, and win points for his ego and his ultimate legacy, while cementing personal business relationships and increased wealth pipelines with the Saudis and Middle East States, all in Agreement with one another that Iran must heal and be stopped from nuclear weapons achievement, by any means necessary. The immediate benefit may appear worth the risk to achieve that end, but the long-term damage to dedicated, careful diplomacy carried on by intelligent, true peace-seeking democratic partners should be the first priority of Trump’s newly founded Peace Board - not this farce. This is just one more big scam on an international level that will earn Trump future comparison to other word-class tyrants of the past. So, if Trump can not be the next Ghandi, why not compete with the likes of a Stalin. They are both in the history books. I suspect Stalin has more pages in his favor.
Negotiation was happening before the strike. The US and Israel struck anyway. The Iranian response was to attack 27 locations. I don't call that a request to negotiate. If Iran was a clear and present danger to the US, Congress should have been involved as it was with previous administrations. Americans don't hate trump because he's a terrible person, he's a loose cannon who causes problems so he can say he fixed them.
None of us knows how this will end, but either way lives are being lost needlessly.
Exactly, Deborah!
Thanks Michael: Thanks for your take of the situation. All I know is you is you can't bomb and idea .If the Iranian folks don't want to negotiate and change things it is going to take boots on the ground to root our the so called evil, stay a while and help the protesters rebuild. You can bet Trumps sons won't be wearing those boots. Trump cares not a whit for the American or Iranian citizen. Netanyahu has been begging the USA to do the deed for years. Killing 165 school children won't win the hearts and minds of the Iranian civilians.
Michael - this analysis is very flawed. The Constitution is clear; if a President wants to use our military for war, they MUST have Congressional approval, therefore We The People’s, approval. Debate, objectives, rationale are required. Iran is sovereign. They didn’t attack us. This war is 100% unconstitutional & will achieve zero for Iranian stability.
💯
Trump on the 3 US military personnel that were killed, 'that's the way it goes.' They have been dumped onto the pile of "suckers and losers." Anyone who makes excuses for this illegal war, or tries to find the "silver lining," is just as delusional as trump.
If you want to listen to someone who spent time in the Middle East, check out, “Black Man Spy,” Malcolm Nance.
Dianne, thank you!
For the sake of argument, if it was a correct move, it was still done the wrong aka unconstitutional way. Plus two (bajillion) wrongs don’t make a right. (And sorry, but the language of this essay screams “written by AI“)
Michael, I've supported you through some of your darkest moments and I do so still. That's exactly why I'm pushing back here. 💙
Your analysis is sharp as always. But I think you're asking readers to separate the action from the actor in a way that isn't possible with this particular president. "Wait and see" requires a baseline of trust in the decision-maker. Given everything you know about Trump, more than almost anyone, I don't think you actually have that trust. And I don't think your readers should either.
Watch closely. But eyes wide open!
This, Kate.
I'm not sure that the end justifies the means in this situation. People seem unable to connect the dots. To be selfish - how will this affect everyday Americans? The gas pump? Increased grocery prices? Security in our own country - Will we now have suicidal bombers in our streets and our establishments? Have we opened the doors to chaos in our own cities and streets like they have in Israel? Where are our bomb shelters? Every Israelis citizen knows where their bomb shelters are. What have we really done here?
I can answer the "gas pump" question. The price of oil has already started to escalate due to this war.