We’re at war in Iran because in 2011, President Obama joked about Trump at a Washington dinner.
That made Obama his bête noire (almost literally, for racist Trump). Obsessed with getting even by reversing everything Obama did. Including tearing up his 2015 deal to curb Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Had Trump not done that, there’d be scant pretext now for attacking Iran.
After last June, when he said he’d “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capability, U.S. intelligence judged that Iran is not seeking a bomb. But our latest attack could actually convince them they need such weapons after all.
Trump also trumpets Iranians’ freedoms. More bullshit, with no organized and armed Iranian opposition; no path for a democratic transition. When protesters did rise up in January, Trump said he had their backs, but did nothing when the regime killed tens of thousands. (And when he did take out Venezuela’s dictator, he then sidelined the organized and popular democratic opposition to instead back another dictator.)
But he really attacked Iran because he thinks it “fun.” He’s said that. Didn’t need much logic for it. While “war” secretary Hegseth is a cartoon caricature of a macho blowhard, reveling in talk about “lethality” and “killing bad guys.”
The global economy (and our own) were already messed up by Trump’s insane tariffs. He launched the Iran war with no idea of the further economic harm. With curtailed energy supplies sending prices through the roof. As if Iran would never have thought of using the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic weapon when attacked. This is already history’s biggest disruption to global oil supplies. An oil spill in the Strait would close it for months.
Trump asked our “allies” to help in the Strait. Our former allies, whom he’d previously totally antagonized. Now he’s berated them for not rushing to help. While saying he doesn’t need them anyway.
So far our actual military casualties have been limited. But I’m recalling the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, killing 241 U.S. soldiers. Isn’t Iran, for all the damage we’ve inflicted, still capable of a devastating strike, against various U.S. assets throughout the region? We’re whistling past a graveyard.
And the direct cost is huge. Our military power is not infinite. We’ve used up a lot, already running short on some key munitions. Plus concentrating forces in that region, drawing them away from the Pacific — all crippling our ability to deter China from invading Taiwan, which Xi Jinping itches to do.
Meantime, because Iran is fighting us by blocking the world’s access to oil, a Trump counter-measure, to get more oil onto the market, was to lift sanctions upon Russia’s oil sales. Putting billions in Putin’s pocket to help fund his Ukraine atrocities.
And now, guess what other country’s oil sanctions have also been lifted? Wait for it . . . Iran!
Yes; because Iran is fighting us by curbing oil supplies, we’re fighting that by enabling Iran to sell more oil.
A month ago, MAGA ranks overwhelmingly opposed war on Iran, a big reason why they’d supported Trump. Now that he’s done it, they overwhelmingly back it.
Trump says the war is winding down — while our forces there are ramping up. Pundits struggle to parse his thinking. Hello — there isn’t any.
Almost three years to go. It will get worse.
The Rational Pessimist 
