When President Trump decided to attack Iran without consulting our allies around the world, it seem that the state of thought was similar to the relatively easy way that our military and security services had dealt with Venezuela. However, despite the devastation that the United States and Israel inflicted on the country, Iran was able to respond in dramatic ways and to this point appears to winning by not losing the state.
When the Trump administration began to move military troops toward the area and talk about an invasion, I felt the sting of the familiar concern that comes when family and friends are called again to go to war. I have been there in every major war fought by the United States and its allies since 9/11.
This time, the first contingents en route were the thousands of Marines on amphibious ships. It so happens that the Marines are the favorite service branch of Raza as they on average constitute one third of the service force.
The war with Iran appears to be creating a sense of urgency and even panic in the Trump administration as they have realized that despite the military superiority of the American military, Iran has the upper hand. The simple issue of not having a nuclear Iran has escalated to what can become an economic disaster that is already affecting the United States in very visible ways.
President Trump does not appear to know what to do to get out of the mess he created with his friend Benjamin Netanyahu. Among the conditions Iran has put on the table are a 300 billion dollar fund to repair the damage done by American bombing and the unfreezing of 24 billion in Iranian assets.
President Obama negotiated a nuclear deal with Iran, which Trump threw out, that included the removal of 97 percent of the enriched uranium in return for unfreezing assets worth 1.7 billion dollars.
I remember Donald Trump pretending it was American money being returned and ranting about the fact that some of it was transferred in cash.
The image he painted at the time was of bundles of cash transported to a vile enemy resonated with the American people. Now Trump may be left with little choice but to accept the “Obama plan” on steroids just to get to the point of opening the Strait of Hormuz and a promise to discuss the nuclear issue later.
The humiliation of America will become very apparent when everyone realizes that in addition to high prices, inflation and trillions in increased debt, the taxpayer will also have to foot the bill that may go into the hundreds of billions, to get its President off the hook. This is the ultimate in incompetency and lack of leadership.
Internally, Trump is obsessed with his vanity projects like putting his name on everything he can, pay for a ballroom at the White House, have Navy ships named after him, put his name on the Kennedy Center and construct an arch that threatens to diminish the stature of Arlington Cemetery that holds our military heroes. But this is small compared to the many billions of dollars being wasted on an unnecessary war and the price our county has to pay to an enemy just to let everyone go by.
There are times in our democracy when the people make choices about things that later turn out to be just shiny objects. Democracy also allows for second looks at our mistakes with opportunities to correct them.
The views expressed by David Conde are not necessarily the views of LaVozColorado. Comments and responses may be directed to News@lavozcolorado.com.
