"No stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy building exercise, no politically correct wars. We fight to win"
How utterly embarrassing and toxic. He may as well have said, "We're just going in because I think it's fun to kill people for no reason". But then that "ethos" seems to be rampant throughout this administration from ICE to Lindsay Graham. We don't need a reason. We just enjoy being psychotic bullies.
And boy are we going to pay for catching that bus this time. American has been asking for, and deserving, a 'comeuppance' for a long, long time. And we have no friends left. I actually saw a post by someone stating how far an Iranian drone can travel and how much farther than that our shores are. *SMH* It's sad what is coming but not undeserved. Whatever lessons we should have learned from 9/11 were clearly lost.
It's the void that troubles me most. The void will be filled, but will the US have any positive influence on how it will happen. If not the "war" will have been a multi-billion dollar flash-in-the-pan with an impact that will only hurt our country other than creating economic hardship.
We will have no bases left in the Middle East and 0 influence. We have 0 trust or respect left in the world and that won't be so easily salvaged as it was after Trump 1.0 when the world thought he was a fluke & a joke but there were still some guard rails. We have no integrity, disappearing weaponry stores, no one to come to our defense, and Americans are tired of being bled dry of everything resembling 'quality of life' to pump & dump money into our military machine. I guess the Rome analogy has been right all along.
Frankly I think it is a great time for new leadership to completely rethink our financial priorities as a country but I'm not sure if they are capable of that, especially if surrounded by smoldering ruins here while also watching Israel turned into dust.
Historical comparison points appreciated! I am troubled by how few people are following any of this beyond a shrug. I’m in “Red Iowa” that has received home multiple killed soldiers and still— even with that direct connection— people pick and choose why they back Trump (or, if they are second-guessing him, feel there’s nothing to be done now so they change the subject). Being frustrated and concerned on a world, national, and state level is disheartening (and exhausting)! Every bit of solid sourced think-through helps! Thanks Jon… and in the comments by writers too! 🙏
Thank you for another very valid historical comparison to our current conflict with Iran. Overwhelming might will achieve victory in a combat video game, but achieving “victory” in the real world is complicated and difficult. At this point, our administration has not even provided a clear definition of what would constitute a “victory” over Iran. I agree that the German Blitz and our intense bombing campaign against North Vietnam likely increased the resolve of those under attack to continue to fight on. In WW2, we had destroyed the Japanese Navy and firebombed most of their cities into ash. Yet after we dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, some of the military leaders opposed any surrender, and some even attempted a coup. They agreed to the Allied demand of unconditional surrender only when ordered to do so by their supreme leader, Emperor Hirohito. As our President has proudly announced that we have killed most Iranian leaders, it would seem unlikely there is currently an Iranian leader possessing enough support and power to help reach an agreement to bring an end to the conflict.
We killed the new Ayatollah's father and wife. The lust for revenge is palpable and the justification for attack nonexistent. All because Trump loves Bibi and hates Obama. I doubt there will be agreements anytime soon even IF stronger minds can pull Trump back from the abyss.
Thank you for another very valid historical comparison to our current conflict with Iran. Overwhelming might will achieve victory in a combat video game, but achieving “victory” in the real world is complicated and difficult. At this point our administration has not even provided a clear definition of what would constitute a “victory” over Iran. I agree that the German Blitz and our intense bombing campaign against North Vietnam likely increased the resolve of those under attack to continue to fight on. In WW2 we had destroyed the Japanese Navy and firebombed most of their cities into ash. Yet after we dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki some of the military leaders opposed any surrender, and some even attempted a coup. They agreed to the Allied demand of unconditional surrender only when ordered to do so by their supreme leader, Emperor Hirohito. As our President has proudly announced that we have killed most Iranian leaders, it would seem unlikely there is currently a Iranian leader possessing enough support and power to help reach an agreement to bring an end to the conflict.
"No stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy building exercise, no politically correct wars. We fight to win"
How utterly embarrassing and toxic. He may as well have said, "We're just going in because I think it's fun to kill people for no reason". But then that "ethos" seems to be rampant throughout this administration from ICE to Lindsay Graham. We don't need a reason. We just enjoy being psychotic bullies.
And boy are we going to pay for catching that bus this time. American has been asking for, and deserving, a 'comeuppance' for a long, long time. And we have no friends left. I actually saw a post by someone stating how far an Iranian drone can travel and how much farther than that our shores are. *SMH* It's sad what is coming but not undeserved. Whatever lessons we should have learned from 9/11 were clearly lost.
It's the void that troubles me most. The void will be filled, but will the US have any positive influence on how it will happen. If not the "war" will have been a multi-billion dollar flash-in-the-pan with an impact that will only hurt our country other than creating economic hardship.
No. And yes to your last comment.
We will have no bases left in the Middle East and 0 influence. We have 0 trust or respect left in the world and that won't be so easily salvaged as it was after Trump 1.0 when the world thought he was a fluke & a joke but there were still some guard rails. We have no integrity, disappearing weaponry stores, no one to come to our defense, and Americans are tired of being bled dry of everything resembling 'quality of life' to pump & dump money into our military machine. I guess the Rome analogy has been right all along.
Frankly I think it is a great time for new leadership to completely rethink our financial priorities as a country but I'm not sure if they are capable of that, especially if surrounded by smoldering ruins here while also watching Israel turned into dust.
Probably more like trillions, again, unless someone reels in Trump and his drunk pal.
Historical comparison points appreciated! I am troubled by how few people are following any of this beyond a shrug. I’m in “Red Iowa” that has received home multiple killed soldiers and still— even with that direct connection— people pick and choose why they back Trump (or, if they are second-guessing him, feel there’s nothing to be done now so they change the subject). Being frustrated and concerned on a world, national, and state level is disheartening (and exhausting)! Every bit of solid sourced think-through helps! Thanks Jon… and in the comments by writers too! 🙏
Thank you for another very valid historical comparison to our current conflict with Iran. Overwhelming might will achieve victory in a combat video game, but achieving “victory” in the real world is complicated and difficult. At this point, our administration has not even provided a clear definition of what would constitute a “victory” over Iran. I agree that the German Blitz and our intense bombing campaign against North Vietnam likely increased the resolve of those under attack to continue to fight on. In WW2, we had destroyed the Japanese Navy and firebombed most of their cities into ash. Yet after we dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, some of the military leaders opposed any surrender, and some even attempted a coup. They agreed to the Allied demand of unconditional surrender only when ordered to do so by their supreme leader, Emperor Hirohito. As our President has proudly announced that we have killed most Iranian leaders, it would seem unlikely there is currently an Iranian leader possessing enough support and power to help reach an agreement to bring an end to the conflict.
You know it's bad when Americans are landing on the side of Iran despite their horrid history.
We killed the new Ayatollah's father and wife. The lust for revenge is palpable and the justification for attack nonexistent. All because Trump loves Bibi and hates Obama. I doubt there will be agreements anytime soon even IF stronger minds can pull Trump back from the abyss.
Yes, the question is who is holding the f*cking leash?! I’m afraid the answer is nobody.
Thank you for another very valid historical comparison to our current conflict with Iran. Overwhelming might will achieve victory in a combat video game, but achieving “victory” in the real world is complicated and difficult. At this point our administration has not even provided a clear definition of what would constitute a “victory” over Iran. I agree that the German Blitz and our intense bombing campaign against North Vietnam likely increased the resolve of those under attack to continue to fight on. In WW2 we had destroyed the Japanese Navy and firebombed most of their cities into ash. Yet after we dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki some of the military leaders opposed any surrender, and some even attempted a coup. They agreed to the Allied demand of unconditional surrender only when ordered to do so by their supreme leader, Emperor Hirohito. As our President has proudly announced that we have killed most Iranian leaders, it would seem unlikely there is currently a Iranian leader possessing enough support and power to help reach an agreement to bring an end to the conflict.