War With Iran/Opening Pandora's Box

Early Saturday morning Trump and Netenyahu declared a preemptive war of aggression against Iran, launching a large-scale bombing campaign which quickly killed several dozen high level Iranian officials, including the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, and a school full of children. Who cares that we were in the middle of negotiations, and the Iranians had already agreed to Trump’s demands for a deal? The Trump regime has repeatedly shown America to be a rogue nation, using diplomacy in bad faith as cover for further violence. Or that less than 25% of Americans wanted a war with Iran with 59% disapproving? Since when has Trump listened to the people? As Ken Klippenstein reported: “It was an opportunity too good to miss,” for Trump. This is a disaster. What a stupid, illegal, and dangerous act. And now Pandora’s box is open…

This war, and it is a war, followed the Trump regime decapitation playbook: They attacked Iran without any of the prerequisite legal authorizations or justifications, and quickly killed the leadership before anyone at home or abroad could react (although we also know this impotent Congress is unable or unwilling to stop the madness with many even supporting it). They did the whole thing on a Saturday, after the Stock Market had closed for the weekend. Trump thought it would be “easy” like Venezuela, but this was a grave miscalculation, somehow made despite top members of his military openly warning against attacking.

This won’t go how Trump hopes, no matter what reassurances Israel and Netanyahu have given him. It will be neither quick, nor easy, and could very well hurt him politically, either by splitting his base or dragging him into a long bloody conflict. And the US isn't ready for protracted war. The Iranian military has yet to be defeated by these decapitation attacks despite heavy losses and have nothing to gain from diplomacy. They’ve learned talks from this administration are nothing but a ruse. Counter attacks from Iran have been widespread, hitting countries across the region, quickly escalating the violence into a regional conflict. The straits of Hormuz have been closed, affecting trade globally.  With casualties mounting on both sides, including hundreds of Iranian children in the first couple of days it’s hard to see how even greater conflict can be avoided.

It is imperative we find a resolution., And quickly. We’ve seen how this plays out if not; decades of conflict, hundreds of thousands dead, millions of lives ruined and trillions in capital destroyed. We are literally vaporizing billions of dollars everyday in this war, while millions of Americans struggle to pay the bills, our infrastructure crumbles, the Epstein class preys on the lower and middle classes at home. It is the unrepresentative government DSOT fights against shown in stark relief. One that callously claims there is no money for healthcare, or higher wages, then spends freely to attack sovereign nations. One that doesn’t believe in norms and thinks the rule of law only applies to the weak. That might makes right.

Well Americans disagree. From Minnesota to Iran, Americans are fed up with the Trump regime’s penchant for violent occupation. They don’t want this lawless aggression and war. They don’t want their hard-earned treasure wasted on oppression. Unfortunately, some people are getting very wealthy from this grift, and that’s all people like Trump need.

There is so much work to be done, it’s exhausting to even think about. Each week we add new challenges to the pile and don’t seem to take any off. But a reckoning is coming if we can harness the energy. People are tired of war, tired of life being unaffordable, tired of being afraid, tired of Trump. However, those sentiments won’t translate into public action without combined political and economic power. We need new political leaders in office and strong broad based movements with the economic heft to fight the corruption, and political chicanery of the oligarchy. So, call your representatives and demand and end to this war, get out in the streets in protest, and make your voice heard in the public square, and also join us each Tuesday in growing solidarity, as we build an economic cudgel to fight the war machine and bring back peace!

Don't shop on Tuesday.

#DSOT #UPM