“Trying to ascertain Trump’s motivations for this attack is like trying to peer into the bottom of a bowl of mud … or blood.” William Rivers Pitt, Truthout
Some outlines of the situation Donald J. Trump has thrust the United States into are starting to become visible. The Iraqi parliament votes to oust US forces from the country. Iran says it’s stepping away from the JCPOA. Tens of thousands of Iranians flood the streets; US flags go up in flames. As always, the US corporate media is poised to jam the gearshift into War mode. Bibi Netanyahu whispers in Trump’s ear; MBS praises Trump for his decisive leadership. The sycophants around Trump hail their hero. Christian warriors Pence and Pompeo pray for Armageddon and the rapture they believe will follow.
America is addicted to war as sure as millions of Americans are addicted to opioids, and for the same reason -- the profits are fantastic. Both political parties worship at the altar of the War Machine, as evidenced by the recent bipartisan vote to hike the military budget to an even more obscene level. The question of how we pay for our habit is never raised; there’s no pay-go mechanism for war as there is for social programs that improve the lives and well-being of ordinary Americans.
If the US is forced to leave Iraq, kicked out like a bad tenant, it will have repercussions across the region, from Syria to Yemen. What if other nations that play host to American bases decide that America is no longer a trustworthy and reliable ally, and tell us to pack up and get out?
From his first day in office, Trump has waged war on the truth and the rule of law, domestically and internationally. By authorizing the assassination of General Suleimani and a high-ranking Iraqi official, he has signalled to the world that we’re now playing by the law of the jungle. If the US can take out a high profile leader like Suleimani, what’s to prevent China or Russia or Turkey from doing the same? After our illegal invasion of Iraq -- the greatest strategic blunder in US history, for which none of the architects have paid any price -- our actions at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo signalled our approval of torture. We have adopted the barbaric tactics of our so-called enemies, as well as the tactics of the State of Israel. International law is something other countries must abide by; Israel and the US claim an exemption.
The foolish and grandiose decisions of the past haunt us. The US declared global war on terrorism and in the process we have become terrorists. The great beacon of freedom, democracy and the rule of law is revealed as murderous and lawless.
Addiction to war is killing this country, destroying the alliances and security frameworks that kept the world relatively peaceful since 1945; it’s also decimating the environment because the Pentagon is a major consumer of fossil fuels and producer of greenhouse gas emissions. Iran will build a nuclear weapon, and likely do it sooner than later. Saudi Arabia will have to follow suit. A nuclear arms race in one of the world’s hotspots will begin.
Trump bounces around like a beachball in a windstorm, threatening to attack Iran’s cultural treasures, responding to the Iraqi parliament’s vote to expel US forces by demanding Iraq pay for the bases and facilities the US built during its long occupation or face economic sanctions. Think about this for a moment. The US invaded and occupied Iraq in 2003 based on lies and fabrications. First, that Iraq had a hand in the 9/11 attacks, and second, that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. The US destroyed Iraq, unleashed sectarian violence, and killed, directly or indirectly, hundreds of thousands of people. The US had no right to be in Iraq in the first place, and building bases and pretending to partner with Iraq’s political leaders was a risk the US took on. Take the risk, accept the consequences. Allstate doesn’t peddle imperial insurance.
First lesson of superpower leadership: don’t open Pandora’s Box unless you have a plan to deal with the consequences.
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