Trump's Decision Was Political Not Ethical

Keep in mind that Trump does everything to benefit himself or his image. He usually doesn’t see the consequences of his actions. His motto is ready, shoot, aim! He did not include Congress in his decision to attack Iran, and he didn’t trust his Director of National Intelligence’s opinion that Iran was not near making a nuclear bomb. Since everyone including the Democrats were not informed, he made this about him, further dividing the nation. Hegseth made his announcement regarding the attack with such suppressed glee that he seemed to be opening a birthday gift. Scary!

We have been taught that one must learn from history or repeat it. Netanyahu has been saying since 1996 that “time was running out.” Trump forgot about Iraq where George W. Bush sent forces to invade Iraq in March 2003, claiming that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. There were none. Months later he declared, “Mission Accomplished.”  4700 USA and allied troops died, and 100,000 civilians were killed. The war cost 3 trillion dollars. Countries accused us of committing a war crime.

What the decision makers who thought about destroying Iran’s nuclear weapons forgot was that they had no plan for what follows. Vance made the incoherent statement that we were not at war with Iran, but we were at war with their weapons of mass destruction as though they were not one in the same. But Trump and his minions forgot the most important thing that has shaped the criteria for going to war found in the Just War Clause which we have followed throughout our history. President Bush forgot this as well. That was a lesson never to be repeated until now.

The Just War Clause, Jus in Bello, had its origin in the 4th century by St. Augustine. It is a subdivision of Natural Law which believes that there are absolutes that should guide our decisions. It is the philosophical underpinnings of the Roman Catholic Church. It is like a proof in Geometry where you start with a guideline that is a universal truth such as killing of others is wrong. But you must go to war so you need guidelines under which a war should be fought for justice is one of the two major pillars of ethics, the other being love.

The Just War Clause provides a framework under which a war can be fought. Consider Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as well as you go through these requirements below.

The war must be fought out of self-defense. It must not be provoked. All the ways to solve the problem should have been exhausted. It cannot be for revenge or material gain. The war must be proportionate with a clear indication of how a country can succeed with goals, and it must be fought using conventional weapons so there is a level playing field to conduct the war. It must be done in a manner to cause the least harm. Unconventional means (guerilla warfare) were used in Vietnam.

At 2:37 pm Monday, 6/23 Putin condemned USA strikes, and he claimed that multiple countries prepped to provide Iran with nuclear weapons.

On 6/24 the following things happened: President Trump declared a ceasefire between Iran and Israel that will last;  the Pentagon Intelligence Agency indicated that the nuclear sites in Iran were not obliterated as Trump and Hegseth stated; General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff indicated agreement that we need to wait until more intelligence reports come in to get a full assessment; Trump and Hegseth stated that the Intelligence Agency got it wrong. A meeting to report to Congress was postponed. Everyone other than Trump and Hegseth stated that many additional intelligence agencies have to give their perspective.