Donald Trump is racing the United States into an utterly unnecessary, completely avoidable and certain-to-be-disastrous war with Iran.

With our backing, Congress can stop Trump.

Add your name now to tell Congress: Pass a War Powers Resolution to block Trump from entering military hostilities with Iran.

When the permanent war lobby is out pounding the drums of war, it’s important to remember three things:

First, there should be a heavy, heavy bias for diplomacy over war.

It’s not just that war is unspeakably horrible.

It’s that war is a very poor tool to address most problems, including security threats.

Lots of politicians like to posture that they are “tough” by supporting war. And a pathetic machismo is certainly a factor motivating Trump right now.

But in fact overreliance on the military is a sign of weakness and ignorance.

For two decades, the United States has fought wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and around the world in the endless war on terror.

Almost 20 years of war has not made us safer.

Endless war has, however, killed more than 800,000 people directly and many more indirectly. And it has cost $6.4 trillion, according to researchers at Brown University.

By contrast, while diplomacy doesn’t always work, its track record is much better, notably including the Iran nuclear deal.

In this case, it is a certainty that military conflict will threaten not strengthen U.S. national security.

Second, in moments of conflict, tension and uncertainty, the rule of law should be a touchstone.

Trump’s assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s security machinery, violated U.S. and international law.

Trump then threatened to destroy major cultural sites in Iran, also in violation of international law. He repeated the declaration before, apparently, being talked down.

Trump also has made a mockery of his duty under the War Powers Act to notify Congress of the rationale for military hostilities and has made it clear he has no intention of respecting the law going forward.

The rule of law is so important in military conflicts because it provides guidance for permissible conduct in times of extreme passion.

Trump’s disregard for the rule of law in the current Iran conflict — consistent with his overall philosophy that he is above the law — enables and courts illegal, immoral AND counterproductive activity.

Third, don’t trust military intelligence claims in wartime.

This is a lesson that we have been forced to learn over and over again in the post-World War II period.

The fraudulent claims of weapons of mass destruction as a justification for the Iraq War is only one such example.

The recently published Afghanistan Papers show that U.S. military and political leaders have consistently lied about the status of the war in Afghanistan, for virtually the entirety of the nearly 20-year conflict.

Now, former Raytheon lobbyist and current Secretary of Defense Mark Esper claims that Soleimani was orchestrating an “imminent” attack against the United States.

There is exactly zero reason to believe this after-the-fact justification.

Here’s a fourth thing important to remember in wartime:

Public resistance makes a difference.

Not only has it ended wars, it can — and has — stopped them before they start.

And we can stop this war before it starts.

Tell Congress: Act now to stop the war before it starts.

Peace,

- Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen

P.S. If at all possible, please also join one of the protests around the country tomorrow, Thursday, January 9, at 5:00 p.m. local time.
 
 
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