War with Iran

As you probably know, our president is trying to start a war with Iran, without congressional approval. He has assassinated a military commander whom Iranians considered a hero for keeping ISIS out of Iran.

Assassinating another country’s leader is officially a war crime. Even if this commander was as bad as the establishment is telling us, the United States cannot simply assassinate every person in the world who does horrible things. We cannot be the world’s police.

Even if our “leaders” were saints, and always made completely justified and unbiased decisions, the next “leaders” may have a completely different idea of justice. That’s why it can’t ever be up to one individual, or group of individuals, to play God with other countries’ political and economic systems. We also don’t have the cultural context to make these judgments for every country.

Because of Iran’s geography, surrounded by high mountains and water, a war probably means bombing population centers, meaning not thousands of deaths, but tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands.

Keep in mind that, contrary to popular opinion, most Iranians are just trying to live happy lives, feed their children, etc. Most Iranians do not support their government. Iranian citizens are not our enemy. If we go to war with Iran, we will be killing children and seniors, families just like yours that have committed no crime against the United States.

The Muslims of Iran, by the way, are 90% Shia Muslims and almost all of the American deaths in the Middle East caused by terrorism or wars were at the hands of Suni Muslims. Not Iranians at all. Iran, in fact, has been working with the United States and other countries to rid the world of ISIS.

And let’s not forget that our government lied us into Iraq, lied throughout Afghanistan (see: Afghanistan Papers), lied to us about Venezuela, lied about Bolivia, lied about Grenada, lied about Vietnam, lied about Cuba. Why would anyone believe what they are saying now? — Jason Kishineff/American

Canyon Democratic Congressional candidate, CA-5