Undeclared War
To the Editor:
In November 1979, I was flying from New Delhi to London; the flight went over Iran. Before I left India, I read in the Times of India that there was a revolution in Iran, and American embassy officers had been taken hostage. There was a picture of blindfolded American hostages in the paper. I remember hoping we didn’t have to land in Iran.
Now 47 years later, Iran has another hostage, Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump started a war he thought he could quickly win. I don’t think he did his homework on Iran. Instead, this unsanctioned war has been going on for weeks, months. It’s affecting almost everyone in the world. The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, virtually shut to shipping. No oil, no liquefied natural gas, no fertilizer, no helium is passing through the strait, all things that the world uses and needs.
The Iranians have a big lever to use against the world. Just a reminder, the Strait was open before Mr. Trump started this war of choice. I believe the Iranians see that this war is unpopular in the U.S. and around the world. With the rising price of gasoline, diesel, fertilizer, liquefied natural gas, Iranian leaders think they can wait this out; they have nothing to lose.
I suspect Iran really doesn’t trust us. Twice in the past year they have suffered surprise attacks—bombed by the U.S., in the middle of diplomatic negotiations with the U.S. Who does that?
Iran is an ancient culture with both a long history and a long memory. It will not forget these attacks and the deaths of women and children.
I’m not a fan of Iran, nor the terror they create. It is an authoritarian regime that will do anything to stay in power. Iranian leaders are willing to sacrifice their people’s well-being to make a point. They have killed protesters, controlled the media, enforced faith-based rules for all citizens, threatened their neighbors, and empowered their military.
So far, we’ve spent around $50 billion on this conflict, not counting the higher costs we all are paying for gas and other items. That’s $50 billion that won’t be used for food aid, healthcare, education, infrastructure, support for small business and farms, or even just lowering the deficit.
Mr. Trump says he “holds all the cards” in negotiations. Well, if that is true, then end this conflict that is raising gas prices and cutting off critical resources around the world, and do it without killing any more civilians, any more women and children.
At the time of this writing, according to the War Powers Resolution of 1973, Mr. Trump is now illegally continuing this war. He says because the war is now over, the Act does not apply. Our fleet is still blockading Iran, tens of thousands are deployed, gas prices are still high—collectively costing Americans $500 million a day in higher gas prices. And where is the enriched uranium? Isn’t that why we’re attacking Iran?
Richard Chamberlain Colchester,
