President Trump's abandonment of the Iran nuclear deal is appalling; it may signal yet-another effort at Middle Eastern "regime change." The war in Iraq has been a disaster; a war in Iran will be even worse.
There is only one reason to put US. troops in harm's way: to protect the nation. As in the war in Iraq buildup, we're going to see a hysterical campaign to portray U.S. aggression as national defense against WMDs. Not to invade, we'll be told, is "weakness." No, this would be a war of U.S. empire, a shameless attempt to control Iran and its oil resources, nationalized since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 — a neo-colonial war of conquest and occupation which makes America a modern Rome.
Everywhere we've tried regime change (Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, the U.S.-backed Saudi war in Yemen), we've only made things worse. Although it will be touted as a heroic war of "liberation," as a way to "Make America Great Again," as a way to keep us safe, a war in Iran will be a gargantuan mistake. It will cost trillions of dollars and thousands of lives in an unwinnable, Vietnam-type war that will drag on for years; it will enrage world public opinion and encourage anti-American jihadism and terrorism; it will encourage the use of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons; it will kill millions of Iranians and devastate that nation — a massive crime against humanity; it will further de-stabilize the Middle East. It will tear our country apart by creating a huge anti-war movement and undermining an already unpopular president who will respond with repression; so, it won't protect "freedom" either here or in Iran. Worst of all, it will be completely unnecessary. Have we learned nothing? Defend America, not American empire.
Paul Dougan
Boulder