I woke up, took a shower, stepped outside in the sun for a few minutes with tea, then went upstairs to my office and checked the news. And BAM!, the United States had bombed Iran again.
My first reaction was anger – and disbelief. I didn’t vote for President Donald Trump, but I didn’t vote for his opponent either. I’m not someone who reflexively opposes everything he does. In fact, I have supported some of his policies. But this decision makes no sense to me.
We were told last year that Iran’s nuclear capabilities had been destroyed or at least set back significantly. If that is the case, what immediate threat justified this latest military action?
The president says Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon. That goal is widely shared. But launching another Middle East war without clear evidence of an imminent threat – and without serious debate in Congress – is deeply troubling.
We have seen the consequences of regime-change wars before. Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya were all supposed to produce stability and security. Instead, they cost thousands of lives, trillions of dollars and left lasting instability across the region.
Iran is not a small or fragile country. It has nearly 90 million people, significant industrial capacity and a long history of resilience. Escalating conflict there risks a wider regional war with global economic consequences.
Americans were promised fewer foreign wars, not new ones. Before we repeat past mistakes, we should pause to ask whether this war truly serves U.S. national interests.
Mike Just
Mancos
