Another War?

[LDAHL]

The deal does not seem to have slowed the Iranian nuclear program, however much the signatories would like to pretend otherwise. Most of our allies have even less capability to project power in the region than they did in the nineties even if the will was there. The British couldn't get much interest in their tanker escort proposal after the recent seizure.

With the economic and internal dissent problems Iran is currently experiencing, I would hope a major new commitment in the region would not be necessary to keep them off balance. Trump's recent pullback from Syria, while shameful, would seem to indicate he is not interested in a new major involvement.

[flowerseverywhere]

What should a Commander In Chief do when militants attack and siege US sovereign soil? It was a sad day the last time that happened and our Commander In Chief and Secretary Of State took the 3am call but then went back to sleep while our Ambassador and his security detail were killed. I'll bet this latest group is pissed that they didn't get the same cooperation.

i am not defending the Clinton/Obama era mistakes. However consulting with Lindsay Graham and Donald Jr. and who knows who else at Mar a Largo without informing the Congressional and Senate leaders before or even after the strike seems not the way to do things. Graham did not deny this and Jr. sent out an ominous tweet before the attack. While Trump prefers his military not to be captured, I prefer our leader to follow some type of established protocol. I only hope he followed the advice of our top military brass who have spent their lives studying and seeing firsthand military operations and has a clear exit strategy. Because as he claimed, he does not know more than the generals. The last thing we need is world war three or a never ending wars like we have now. I just cannot see how once we get involved with these religious zealots how there will ever be an end. But then again, Trump does have the nuclear codes and I am not confident he would show much restraint if insulted or egged on. Between the Middle East and N Korea threatening i hold little hope.

[pinkytoe]

I think it's very interesting to read the history of our relations with Iran going back to the 50s. We really need to stop poking our fingers where they don't belong in order to assert power and "protect our interests".

[JaneV2.0]

It's sad to see that our "commander in chief" threw an agreement regarding nuclear arms that included multiple other countries out the window to create a situation where now we'll be having to go it alone in defending ourselves. None of our allies are likely to want to participate in this sad pathetic situation so I guess we'll have to go it alone. Yay for dead american soldiers???

Exactly. IMO, Trump ginned up a phony threat to get the heat off himself, as he predicted President Obama would do to get re-elected. If he can do anything he wants, he can declare martial law or the equivalent--he certainly has no respect for our Constitution.

[bae]

If he can do anything he wants, he can declare martial law or the equivalent-

Well, he can't *really* do that, not with this remaining the United States.

What precisely do you mean by "martial law"?

I mean, he *could* declare himself President-for-Life tomorrow, and disband Congress, but that seems outside the bounds of our system, and would likely have some repercussions.

[JaneV2.0]

Well, he can't *really* do that, not with this remaining the United States.

What precisely do you mean by "martial law"?

I mean, he *could* declare himself President-for-Life tomorrow, and disband Congress, but that seems outside the bounds of our system, and would likely have some repercussions.

I hope you're right. I would put nothing past him (and Putin, his puppet master); he's basically ignoring Congress already. I hope repercussions come with the next election--at this point, he seems unstoppable.

[LDAHL]

-at this point, he seems unstoppable.

Unstoppable? His approval numbers wouldn’t seem to indicate that. The media and popular culture manufacturers seem pretty much up in arms against him. The federal bureaucracy seems to regard him as the enemy. The military consensus seems to be one of polite disrespect. The House has spared no expense searching for a rope to hang him. What makes him such an irresistible force?

Where do these perfervid fantasies of coups and martial law come from? It would seem that even a marginally acceptable opponent could knock him off his perch in November.

[jp1]

Well, he does routinely talk about being president for more than 8 years. He claims he's joking, but given that he is completely lacking a sense of humor he probably actually means it and would make it happen if he could come up with some way to do it.

[LDAHL]

Well, he does routinely talk about being president for more than 8 years. He claims he's joking, but given that he is completely lacking a sense of humor he probably actually means it and would make it happen if he could come up with some way to do it.

Perhaps, but if a bloated ego and poor impulse control were all it took to be unstoppable, Bill Clinton would still be President.

What is it about our current clownish incumbent that drives otherwise rational people to rant about some kind of putsch? Why such a lack of faith in our institutions and his political opposition? What is it about him that triggers such derangement?

[Teacher Terry]

Maybe because we have never had a unhinged maniac that expresses desire to be a dictator and admires them for a president.