As concern about the US attacking Iran continues to grow, President
Trump added to tensions on Sunday, Tweeting out that such a fight “will
be the official end of Iran,” and demanding that Iran “never
threaten the United States again.”
Trump and his aides have tried to push the narrative that Iran is
“threatening” the US in some very vague but serious way, using the
potential threat to justify ongoing military buildups and threats
for war, even as Iran downplays the situation and insists there will
be no war.
In comments to reporters, Trump insisted he’s “not
somebody that wants to go in to war” with Iran, but that he
wants to ensure they don’t get nuclear weapons, adding another old
canard into the talk of war.
Iran hasn’t been accused of doing anything remotely nuclear related
during this recent build-up in tensions, and the IAEA is
consistently affirming that Iran is in lines with its safeguards
agreement. Raising nuclear weapons now is seemingly pointless.
Except that if history is any indicator, the fact that Trump mentioned
nuclear weapons, even if without evidence and for literally no real
reason, will be used by hawks in their talking points in the days to
come, until it’s been repeated enough that it becomes part of the war
narrative, much like all of the other things Iran isn’t really doing.
This is also a dramatic shift in Trump’s tone, as just days ago he was
saying very plainly he “hoped” there would not be a war, but is now back
to seemingly itching for an excuse. The false notion that Iran “wants
to fight” is back, seemingly out of nowhere, and again driving Trump
into another flurry of threats.
Trump has bragged in recent days of his Iran policy being so
inconsistent and confusing, declaring that there can be “no way” Iran
would have any idea what his intentions are, and that he thinks that’s
“probably a good thing.” While opaque policies seem to be an end unto
themselves in this administration, it’s hard to imagine that it isn’t
meant to indicate a hawkish intent.
Here’s a thought. Get Congress to declare war on Iran then have the UN Security Council authorize war on Iran.
Is that too much to ask or is Trump above the law and the US can wage unconstitutional, aggressive war if the spirit moves him or our political elites?
I hope you aren’t serious, Ace. None of us want a war with Iran; such a war would be disastrous. Do you know that Iran’s military is much better trained than that of the US? In case you haven’t heard, many US Army troops are overweight to obese, which means they’re unfit to fight.
Sorry to delay my response to you for so long, Eileen. I am serious but that process is what is overlooked by all these warmongers in our government. The point I’m making is that going to war based on a whim and/or the absolutely ridiculous allegations of Iran’s alleged perfidy is exactly what the Framers and Ratifiers wanted to avoid. If we should go to war then let Congress debate it and take responsibility instead of offloading it onto someone as flawed as a mere president, esp. this one. Then, since we are bound by the UN Charter, we go to the Security Council and get a resolution authorizing war against Dastardly Nation X. That’s what the efforts after WWII were all about — to establish a system of collective security and get away from morons playing at war.
I have nothing against Iran and, if anything, am tired of carrying Israel’s water on that score. They’re as hysterical and dishonest about Iran as we are and I damn sure don’t want to see our troops fighting their wars, which, of course, we do all day every day.
The foreign policy of the US can be summarized as “Kick every barking dog on the planet even if we are fiscally improvident, in debt up to the treetops, and are being overrun by third-world primitives while our troops are 10,000 miles away.”
I wouldn’t put too much store in what is said about US troops being unfit. Look at any picture of our troops in the field and you won’t see any Mack trucks.
trump is the George lll of the usa
https://www.nonproliferation.org/wp-content/uploads/npr/buntim11.pdf
Since then, all the NWSs have made unilateral statements
that they would not use nuclear weapons first, though
several of these had major exceptions and none constituted
a legal obligation. In 1978, and repeatedly since then, the
United States has said it “will not use nuclear weapons
against any non-nuclear-weapon state party to the NPT or
any comparable internationally binding commitment not to
acquire nuclear explosive devices, except in the case of an
attack on the United States, its territories or armed forces, or
its allies, by any state allied to a nuclear-weapon state or
associated with a nuclear-weapon state in carrying out or
sustaining the attack.”11
Iran is not protected or sponsored by any nuclear capable state, it is supposed to be protected from nuclear strikes, not threatened with them.
Congress needs to immediately re-claim its power to declare war.
Won’t be the only country facing ruin if there is a war. If we just multiply the Iraq war by 3x for population and size of the country we are looking at 15k dead soldiers and something like 18 trillion dollars of costs. If we try to fudge in that likely our enemy will get support from other states the cost may be way higher.
You got that right, John. Iran certainly isn’t the only country facing ruin if there’s a war. As you rightly said, if we just multiply the Iraq war by 3x for population and size of the country we’re looking at 15k dead soldiers and something like $18 trillion in costs. If we do try to fudge in that likely our enemy will get support from other states (China and Russia), the cost may be much higher.
DJT was right when he said he doesn’t want a war with Iran .. He’d certainly lose re-election in 2020 if he did start a war with the Islamic Republic. In addition, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini flatly said there’d be no war with the US. He, too knows what the consequences would be, otherwise.
The US created this mess ( + Venezuela, China) breaking a international/UN treaty, sanctions and war threats.
Just yesterday Iran again said “there will be no war, Iran seeks no war”
Reminds me of the stereotypical abusive father type: “I don’t want to hurt you, why are you making me hurt you?”
As if American sanctions against Iran are not highly aggressive and potentially acts of war.
Remind me what part of unilateral sanctions forced onto other members of the global community to uphold against Iran or Cuba or Venezuela or Syria or anybody else through threat duress and coercion is “potential”??? The fact that they are actually in effect and implemented isn’t “potential”, it is clear, unequivocal, ongoing, illegal un-provoked acts of war.
Real and serious punishment for such acts needs to be meted out by the World Community. The US has a serious bill to pay. Impunity to war crimes can not be tolerated by the rest of the world community and if they are, it is as good as succumbing to Thugs and Criminals and choosing to live in a lawless society. It is nothing less than the surrender of Culture and Civilization everywhere in the World to an entirely rogue nation state who is asserting that there is no Rule of Law but what is arbitrairily proclaimed by themselves and everyone else is subject to their diktats.
“Trump Warns Iran It Faces Ruin If It ‘Wants to Fight’ With U.S.”
But Iran has said repeatedly it does not … so …?
Is it even aware that situations can be defused ?
“I’m not somebody that wants to go in to war, because war hurts economies, war kills people most importantly” Trump said on Fox.
But the Donald doesn’t mind destroying their economy or killing their people with draconian sanctions. Maybe someone should cut off his cheeseburger supply or not let him play golf so he could feel real pain. Then maybe he could relate.
He’s projecting.
@realDonaldTrump
If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!
192K
9:25 PM – May 19, 2019
@JZarif
Goaded by #B_Team, @realdonaldTrump hopes to achieve what Alexander, Genghis & other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. #EconomicTerrorism & genocidal taunts won’t “end Iran”. #NeverThreatenAnIranian. Try respect—it works!
2,939
11:27 AM – May 20, 2019
Who is the fool?….Who is the grown up?
Dotard Trump, Zionist running dog.
Again, Trump’s tweets are irrelevant. What matters is US actions. Unless Trump officially declares war with Iran off-limits or suddenly opens official negotiations with Iran – as he did with North Korea – or Congress passes a bill which Trump does not veto which officially requires Trump to get Congressional approval for any military action against Iran – the US is going to war with Iran.
But before the US does that, it will be joining Israel in an attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon. That is a necessary precondition – from Israel’s viewpoint – before any war with Iran can break out. Or at the very least, if the US attacks Iran, Israel will expect the US to join it in retaliating against Hezbollah if Hezbollah directly supports Iran against Israel. And the US will do so, because there is no way either Trump or Congress will not support Israel in such an event.
Expect a war in Lebanon this summer or next summer, followed by a war with Iran if Trump is re-elected or some other President gets in.
Why does someone not stop this ridiculous twittering from a twit pretending to be POTUS? The whole bizarre situation is out of control, helped by the “US free media”, and along with Venezuela, shows the USA as a full-blown rogue state with no interest in the world which it seems determined to claim to control.
I’m pretty sure Iran will fight back when they’re attacked, and I guarantee you it will spun as a Polish attack on a German radio station. And every Iranian and American who is killed or injured in the ensuing sh*tshow can thank John Bolton. “It profiteth a man nothing to sell his soul for the world”….. but selling it for Iran is a good deal?
Most of the commentators who reviewed the movie “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” emphasized that the main theme was the absurdity of censorship. But my take on it was that, an equally important libertarian theme presented was the ridiculous reasons nations (in this case the US) concoct for going to war. Iran may be an embarrassment for the Trump Administration, but they have never, ever been militarily aggressive to the US, nor pretty much anyone else for that matter.
Our federal government has lost its collective marbles. I feel like I am living in the Twilight Zone, where life has become so confusing as to be meaningless.