Friends + Interlocutors,

U.S. President Donald Trump has no authority to attack Iran. He cannot do it just because he wants to. The N.Y. Times article today never brings up this fact. Where in the world is the U.S. Congress? Is the U.S.A. now living under a dictatorship? Are we all along just for the ride?

In the Iraq adventure, recall that G.W. Bush felt compelled to get Congressional authorization for the attack. He and Dick Cheney lied about the danger to get that authorization. Here, Trump feels he can do as he pleases. And why not? It must be noted that we don’t hear a peep out of the U.S. Congress. 

No voices of opposition whatever. Are the Democrats deliberately giving Trump the rope in the hope that he hangs himself? Are the Republicans too cowardly to oppose a war which has no rational justification? 

Or, more likely, are both political parties doing nothing to stop a war simply because they know this war is what Bibi Netanyahu wants? Is this yet another example of the Israel Lobby in action? Of course. Just like the Iraq crusade to nowhere in 2003. It was your country.

Patrick

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