The coming mass murder of Iranians will have been entirely avoidable

A couple of headlines caught my attention:

Trump approved Iran attack, but pulled back at the last minute The planes were apparently in the air and ready for a strike in retaliation for downing a U.S. spy drone. Trump had the presence of mind to take into account the possibility that Iran’s attack might have been a mistake, and probably realized that a hasty strike that would purposely kill Iranians would not only drag us into an unnecessary war, but one that could have been easily avoided if the truth about the drone had been given time to emerge. Would Hillary have called off the strike? Being used to the business of murder, it’s doubtful.

And here is a great piece in Rolling Stone: Next Contestant, Iran: Meet America’s Permanent War Formula

It is mind-boggling to think that we are yet again on the cusp of another war in the Middle East. After 18 years of an endless procession of devastating conflicts, instigated and inflamed by the U.S. government, and all ginned up with the same dirty tricks, we are again facing those tricks and false narrative as our murderous and cowardly elected leaders allow our country to arrive at the brink of quite possibly the most avoidable war in history. How can anyone fall for the propaganda? Why does anyone listen to those who lied us into every other conflict?

The U.S. has wanted a war with Iran my entire adult life. For at least thirteen years we’ve been told that Iran is hell-bent on acquiring a nuke and blasting it at either Israel or the eastern seaboard. It has prodded, provoked, sanctioned, and sabotaged the Islamic Republic at every opportunity, goading Iran into a first-strike. Iran has never taken the bait. Instead, it has borne up admirably under the economic sanctions imposed by the U.S., jumping through the arbitrary hoops in order to hopefully relieve its people of the suffering. Despite Iran’s compliance with the nuclear deal, the U.S. has reneged on its side, proving to the entire world that it can’t be trusted.

There is only so much a nation can take, only so many slights to its dignity, only so much deception, and only so many passive acts of war such as economic sanctions before they draw their own line. If Iran is attacked, it will be an all-out war. Thousands of Iranians will die, and our government will be committing mass murder. The U.S. soldiers will not be defenders of the liberty of their native country, but invaders and murderers. It should be infuriating to many more people to see of how little value our Political Class holds innocent life.

Iran has supposedly shot down a U.S. spy drone near its border, and the Political Class is clutching its pearls, crying crocodile tears as it claims that this is the moment we’ve been waiting for, this is the time to launch the war.  The real reaction should be: so what? Iran has been the target of devastating economic sanctions, which are an act of war. They’ve had to sleep with one eye open for years, waiting for the next provocation on the part of our government. They are sick unto death of being in the crosshairs, of the overt spying and sabotage. We are told by professional liars that the drone was in international airspace. If indeed it was, then it was within a hair’s width of Iran’s border, the place where our government parks its warships, nuclear submarines, and other weapons of war.

The war will be fought for Saudi and Israeli interests, which also align with many of the interests of our own Political Class. Yet middle class Americans and their kids will be the ones doing the fighting and dying, and picking up the tab after the smoke clears.

Author: S. Smith