Vietnam was the same for me and I still carry at unjustifiable nightmare with me as representative as the nation's greatest mistake with its long term negative repercussions that still ring out today. Like you, I also dropped out of college and joined groups of protestors who also took up the civil rights demonstrations as well. The the US has cut its legs off and stabbed itself in the groin over and over never learning a thing from its worst errors is why the country has ultimately come to its final demise, turning itself inside out; into a third world nation where reason, law and order no longer exist.
Hello Larry... I Sympathize... I deeply Resent how Netanyahu is Manipulating DJT... Of Course the War Chicken-Hawks are Ranting that Israel has a Right-2-Defend itself by striving for Regime Change in all of its Neighbors, and to make the USA a Useful Tool for that....
In a way, we are all now having to deal with the repercussions of American's unfortunate meddling in Iran's affairs, placing Shah on its throne while over throwing its elected leader and then not liking the predictable outcome. Removing Saddam from his position after he spent years creating a nearly impenetrable barrier against ISIS and Al-Qaida infiltration, and then watching it all cave in to the inevitable infiltration by extremists and then complaining about that predictable outcome. Zionists journeyed ot the Middle East with the sole long term objective of eventually claiming all the land for themselves and now complains about the predictable outcome. Countries who think they are so wonderful that all other nations must be like them ... or else ... eventually reap the Karma. We never seem to stop reaping and civilization is being crushed by the consequences.
Yes and unfortunately we have a' head of state' who makes decisions based on whether it will make him appear 'strong' by his pathological standards rather than on its realistic long term effects on the nation and on others. I am hearing and reading about all types of debates concerning possible outcomes but the outcome is predictable. We have experienced it time after time. There is nothing to debate. We already know that it will only make things worse and for a longer period of time and lead inevitably to more catastrophe. Nor is Biden innocent in this by his enabling Netanyahu in his genocide and enabling him to believe he could get away with mass murder on any level ... and that the U.S. would applaud him and help out.
I agree... Zionism has not made the World a Better Place... So much for 'Healing-The-World', and 'Do-Unto-Others-As-You-Would-Have-Them-Do-Unto-You'...
It is almost as if being a blatantly obvious hypocrite is more convincing than being the real thing. Christian Nationalists, Zionists, Radical Moslems, on and on and on .... they all preach one thing and then do the opposite and everyone applauds. AT least some are just coming out with it, shouting "we hate everyone who isn't hateful, prejudice, accepts the facts instead of the myths." Something in the water? Is all this uninhibited aggression deriving from the widespread use of anabolic steroids? I have two friends (former friends) who were so great, then after taking anabolic steroids for six months, suddenly went MAGA! I thought at first they were joking ... but NO! Made me wonder.
Great piece, yet again Mike. This feels like it’s going to potentially create new coalitions. Those of us who feel like you just communicated - possibly joining up with those we have been on complete opposite sides of - who also feel this way. Is this what it’s going to take? Is it even possible?
For those who extend the narrative and talking points of the Zionist government of Israel I have one question. This country that has the right to exist and defend itself does it also have the right to attack another sovereign nation “preemptively” and if so what is that right based upon? Consider all the international humanitarian laws this government in Israel has violated and hasn’t been held accountable for violating and has been guilty of committing war crimes and thumbing their nose at countless UN resolutions over the past 76 years. Oh, the same leader of this government in Israel was also a major player drawing the US into the Iraq war with falsified so called “intelligence” about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq (which was a blatant lie.) Do we think so little of the value of the lives of our troops that our so-called leaders have our support to continue to aid the “bully” regime of Israel; which by the way is said to have nuclear weapons itself. US foreign policy has been laced with irrational hypocrisy that these current events only shine the light on the danger that Pres. Eisenhower warned of in his last address as the leader of America—the danger of the “military industrial complex.”
Where do you get your facts from? Democratic Socialists of America? SJP? As a Jew who is familiar with -facts- you are spewing Al Jazeera/Columbia student nonsense. Zionism is the desire to live in Israel, the Jewish homeland stretching back thousands of years. 20% of its population are Arab Muslims who participate in civil life, business, & govt, like any other citizen. Gaza until Oct 7 was UNOCCUPIED. They have a massive border with Egypt. Gaza could've been the Singapore of the Middle East, but instead Hamas squandered it on... tunnels and missiles.
As someone who's been a Democrat for decades, and has made it critical to learn deeply (either history or science) about the causes that matter to me (whether Environmental Science or Civil Rights), I am so tired of hearing complete and total propaganda nonsense. Accusing Israel of War crimes without context of the cultures they are surrounded by... (Syria who until recently had massacred half a million of its own population...just for starters)... to not mention the brazen "Slay and Pay" policy of Fatah to pay any civilian who murders Jews (or their family if they die in the process)... But to focus exclusively on Israel? This is a clutching of pearls disguising either ignorance or anti-semitism (yes you can criticize Israel without being antisemitic, but you better have been out in the street protesting the brutal war in Sudan, Yemen and Syria, Iran's massacres of protestors and women and Gays and been commenting on ALL this, JUST as much as anything you've written about Israel). If your primary focus is Israel: THAT's anti-semitism.
Hello 'negotiate88'... This is a Good Post... I concur... If the Ayatollahs in Iran are Evil, is Netanyahu Evil?... My Rule Of Thumb Regarding The Middle-East, There-Are-No-Good-Guys.... When you meet them, they all hate each other, and they have for Centuries....
I too became politically active for the first time when our government was planning the invasion of Iraq. There are so many frightening paralells in our current situation; nuclear weapons, WMD's. Netanyahu has been claiming Iran was close to building a nuclear weapon for 33 years. Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear treaty which was keeping the peace during his first term because he thinks he's the great negotiator & he can always make a deal. Israel's government has shown that its excuse of defending itself is more about imperialism & genocide. This is very very sad indeed.
Well said. An interesting and sad parallel between the Iraq fiasco and the potential Iran fiasco is that the attempted assassinations of George H.W. Bush by Iraq and of Donald Trump by Iran likely factor(ed) significantly into George W Bush and Donald Trumps decision process.
When will we learn. When will the GOP become wise leaders instead of reckless, selfish, irresponsible jerks.
Excellent comments. The war profiteers are itching for another war. While I don't want Iran to gain nuclear capability, it is easy to understand why Iran might want such weapons given the insane, bloodthirsty behavior of Netanyahu. Israel should not be permitted to violate international law by starving and murdering thousands of innocent children, women, and men with impunity. I am enormously disappointed that the US and European governments have let this happen.
Iran cannot have nuclear weapons. Full stop. I want peace as much as anyone, but it's easy to be a peace activist from the comfort one's own home, thousands of miles away, while no one is lobbing missiles at your family daily or raping your daughters. You can't make peace with people who are fighting a holy war, whose highest calling in life is to die as a martyr while killing Jews. And they hate the US too. Israel is doing the heavy lifting for the free world.
I am not defending Iran, nor do I think they should have a nuclear weapon—but I don’t believe this the way to do it. I also don’t believe they’re close. We’ve been here before.
I love this "I don't beleive they're close." LOL. Really? You know better than Israel, which has spies deep inside Iran? The fact they're willing to risk their entire nation? Do you think they're some kind of super power? You do realize that they are the size of El Salvador? A country willing to take such risks is a country that KNOWS.
Mike, I'm a Democrat (always have been)...for 5 decades. Unfortunately, details matter. The very reason that Iran doesn't have the bomb, is because Israel has a long history of sabotaging the Iranian process. From destroying labs, assassinating nuclear scientists, to cyberattacks. Each time, this happened it set Iran back years. Think about it: they set about developing a bomb decades ago, why is it that it took them so long to get to a high level of enrichment? However, despite all this, the Iranians finally reached a point (the IAEA agreed, and was not allowed to inspect Fordo and other keys sites - see link below) of nuclear enrichment capable of building a bomb... why else do you think they've developed ICBMs? For delivery. This is not a matter of conjecture. Iranian leadership have stated publicly for years that this was their intention: "To wipe Israel off the map." In Israel, the conclusion was clear: It's time to stop this or risk annihilation. No one in Israel WANTS this war, but as Maya Angelou has said: Believe them when they show you who they are. There are many on the Int'l world stage appreciate that Israel is doing the world the dirty job that needs to be done. Everyone condemned Israel for destroying Sadaam Houssein's Nuclear program. Do you not remember/know that? What would history have been like if HE had the bomb? Would the world have stepped in to stop him in Kuwait? Iran supplies the world's terror groups with military arms and finances. They are behind Hamas, and Hezbollah and the Houthis (and others). They are behind terror attacks in Europe. If the world turns a blind eye to terror regimes, we know what happens: Death on a mass scale, and the Jews aren't waiting around for 'world opinion' to decide whether they are going to live or die at the hands of a regime that has made it clear: Death to Israel.
I despise Trump. But if he goes with his gut and does the right thing: Destroy Fordo, he'll go down in history as having done the right thing, not just for the USA, but for the world.
IMPEACH AND DUMP TRAITOR , NAZIS , FELONS, AND CON REPUBLICONS EVERYWHERE. YES CON REPUBLICONS, CLIMATE CHANGE IS DANGEROUS, REAL, DISRUPTIVE WORLDWIDE, COSTLY, AND PREVENTABLE. STOP DENYING CLIMATE CHANGE AND FACE THE SCIENCE . DUMP THE CON RTRUMP AND CRONIES. DEPORT RTRUMP'S WIFE AND RELATIVES.
Vietnam was the same for me and I still carry at unjustifiable nightmare with me as representative as the nation's greatest mistake with its long term negative repercussions that still ring out today. Like you, I also dropped out of college and joined groups of protestors who also took up the civil rights demonstrations as well. The the US has cut its legs off and stabbed itself in the groin over and over never learning a thing from its worst errors is why the country has ultimately come to its final demise, turning itself inside out; into a third world nation where reason, law and order no longer exist.
Hello Larry... I Sympathize... I deeply Resent how Netanyahu is Manipulating DJT... Of Course the War Chicken-Hawks are Ranting that Israel has a Right-2-Defend itself by striving for Regime Change in all of its Neighbors, and to make the USA a Useful Tool for that....
In a way, we are all now having to deal with the repercussions of American's unfortunate meddling in Iran's affairs, placing Shah on its throne while over throwing its elected leader and then not liking the predictable outcome. Removing Saddam from his position after he spent years creating a nearly impenetrable barrier against ISIS and Al-Qaida infiltration, and then watching it all cave in to the inevitable infiltration by extremists and then complaining about that predictable outcome. Zionists journeyed ot the Middle East with the sole long term objective of eventually claiming all the land for themselves and now complains about the predictable outcome. Countries who think they are so wonderful that all other nations must be like them ... or else ... eventually reap the Karma. We never seem to stop reaping and civilization is being crushed by the consequences.
Thanks Larry, I concur... 'Short-Termism', and Selfishness are Major Sins... I agree that 'Karma' is a 'Bitch-Goddess'...
Yes and unfortunately we have a' head of state' who makes decisions based on whether it will make him appear 'strong' by his pathological standards rather than on its realistic long term effects on the nation and on others. I am hearing and reading about all types of debates concerning possible outcomes but the outcome is predictable. We have experienced it time after time. There is nothing to debate. We already know that it will only make things worse and for a longer period of time and lead inevitably to more catastrophe. Nor is Biden innocent in this by his enabling Netanyahu in his genocide and enabling him to believe he could get away with mass murder on any level ... and that the U.S. would applaud him and help out.
I agree... Zionism has not made the World a Better Place... So much for 'Healing-The-World', and 'Do-Unto-Others-As-You-Would-Have-Them-Do-Unto-You'...
It is almost as if being a blatantly obvious hypocrite is more convincing than being the real thing. Christian Nationalists, Zionists, Radical Moslems, on and on and on .... they all preach one thing and then do the opposite and everyone applauds. AT least some are just coming out with it, shouting "we hate everyone who isn't hateful, prejudice, accepts the facts instead of the myths." Something in the water? Is all this uninhibited aggression deriving from the widespread use of anabolic steroids? I have two friends (former friends) who were so great, then after taking anabolic steroids for six months, suddenly went MAGA! I thought at first they were joking ... but NO! Made me wonder.
Great piece, yet again Mike. This feels like it’s going to potentially create new coalitions. Those of us who feel like you just communicated - possibly joining up with those we have been on complete opposite sides of - who also feel this way. Is this what it’s going to take? Is it even possible?
It’ll depend on the sincerity of those opposing the conflict, tbh.
No Kings! No War! Sing the resistance anthem as we continue to defend democracy against fascism: https://democracydefender2025.substack.com/p/no-kings-anthem
For those who extend the narrative and talking points of the Zionist government of Israel I have one question. This country that has the right to exist and defend itself does it also have the right to attack another sovereign nation “preemptively” and if so what is that right based upon? Consider all the international humanitarian laws this government in Israel has violated and hasn’t been held accountable for violating and has been guilty of committing war crimes and thumbing their nose at countless UN resolutions over the past 76 years. Oh, the same leader of this government in Israel was also a major player drawing the US into the Iraq war with falsified so called “intelligence” about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq (which was a blatant lie.) Do we think so little of the value of the lives of our troops that our so-called leaders have our support to continue to aid the “bully” regime of Israel; which by the way is said to have nuclear weapons itself. US foreign policy has been laced with irrational hypocrisy that these current events only shine the light on the danger that Pres. Eisenhower warned of in his last address as the leader of America—the danger of the “military industrial complex.”
Where do you get your facts from? Democratic Socialists of America? SJP? As a Jew who is familiar with -facts- you are spewing Al Jazeera/Columbia student nonsense. Zionism is the desire to live in Israel, the Jewish homeland stretching back thousands of years. 20% of its population are Arab Muslims who participate in civil life, business, & govt, like any other citizen. Gaza until Oct 7 was UNOCCUPIED. They have a massive border with Egypt. Gaza could've been the Singapore of the Middle East, but instead Hamas squandered it on... tunnels and missiles.
As someone who's been a Democrat for decades, and has made it critical to learn deeply (either history or science) about the causes that matter to me (whether Environmental Science or Civil Rights), I am so tired of hearing complete and total propaganda nonsense. Accusing Israel of War crimes without context of the cultures they are surrounded by... (Syria who until recently had massacred half a million of its own population...just for starters)... to not mention the brazen "Slay and Pay" policy of Fatah to pay any civilian who murders Jews (or their family if they die in the process)... But to focus exclusively on Israel? This is a clutching of pearls disguising either ignorance or anti-semitism (yes you can criticize Israel without being antisemitic, but you better have been out in the street protesting the brutal war in Sudan, Yemen and Syria, Iran's massacres of protestors and women and Gays and been commenting on ALL this, JUST as much as anything you've written about Israel). If your primary focus is Israel: THAT's anti-semitism.
Ssdd
Hello 'negotiate88'... This is a Good Post... I concur... If the Ayatollahs in Iran are Evil, is Netanyahu Evil?... My Rule Of Thumb Regarding The Middle-East, There-Are-No-Good-Guys.... When you meet them, they all hate each other, and they have for Centuries....
Thank you. Fully agree with your description of the situation.
Thank you Jennifer!
I love the way you describe what's really happening and have history to back you up. God help us if you get into war with Iraq.
Hello Lil... "Iraq" S/B "Iran"...
I too became politically active for the first time when our government was planning the invasion of Iraq. There are so many frightening paralells in our current situation; nuclear weapons, WMD's. Netanyahu has been claiming Iran was close to building a nuclear weapon for 33 years. Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear treaty which was keeping the peace during his first term because he thinks he's the great negotiator & he can always make a deal. Israel's government has shown that its excuse of defending itself is more about imperialism & genocide. This is very very sad indeed.
Thank you for your experienced perspective. It isn't that I agree, but the way your were able to explain it
Joe Morris Doss
Well said. An interesting and sad parallel between the Iraq fiasco and the potential Iran fiasco is that the attempted assassinations of George H.W. Bush by Iraq and of Donald Trump by Iran likely factor(ed) significantly into George W Bush and Donald Trumps decision process.
When will we learn. When will the GOP become wise leaders instead of reckless, selfish, irresponsible jerks.
Well said!!
I forgot to add the bone spurs to get out of serving in the military. Just another family trait.
Excellent comments. The war profiteers are itching for another war. While I don't want Iran to gain nuclear capability, it is easy to understand why Iran might want such weapons given the insane, bloodthirsty behavior of Netanyahu. Israel should not be permitted to violate international law by starving and murdering thousands of innocent children, women, and men with impunity. I am enormously disappointed that the US and European governments have let this happen.
Such an excellent post, again laying out the situation so well. Thank you.
Thanks Mary
Your welcome
Iran cannot have nuclear weapons. Full stop. I want peace as much as anyone, but it's easy to be a peace activist from the comfort one's own home, thousands of miles away, while no one is lobbing missiles at your family daily or raping your daughters. You can't make peace with people who are fighting a holy war, whose highest calling in life is to die as a martyr while killing Jews. And they hate the US too. Israel is doing the heavy lifting for the free world.
I am not defending Iran, nor do I think they should have a nuclear weapon—but I don’t believe this the way to do it. I also don’t believe they’re close. We’ve been here before.
I love this "I don't beleive they're close." LOL. Really? You know better than Israel, which has spies deep inside Iran? The fact they're willing to risk their entire nation? Do you think they're some kind of super power? You do realize that they are the size of El Salvador? A country willing to take such risks is a country that KNOWS.
Mike, I'm a Democrat (always have been)...for 5 decades. Unfortunately, details matter. The very reason that Iran doesn't have the bomb, is because Israel has a long history of sabotaging the Iranian process. From destroying labs, assassinating nuclear scientists, to cyberattacks. Each time, this happened it set Iran back years. Think about it: they set about developing a bomb decades ago, why is it that it took them so long to get to a high level of enrichment? However, despite all this, the Iranians finally reached a point (the IAEA agreed, and was not allowed to inspect Fordo and other keys sites - see link below) of nuclear enrichment capable of building a bomb... why else do you think they've developed ICBMs? For delivery. This is not a matter of conjecture. Iranian leadership have stated publicly for years that this was their intention: "To wipe Israel off the map." In Israel, the conclusion was clear: It's time to stop this or risk annihilation. No one in Israel WANTS this war, but as Maya Angelou has said: Believe them when they show you who they are. There are many on the Int'l world stage appreciate that Israel is doing the world the dirty job that needs to be done. Everyone condemned Israel for destroying Sadaam Houssein's Nuclear program. Do you not remember/know that? What would history have been like if HE had the bomb? Would the world have stepped in to stop him in Kuwait? Iran supplies the world's terror groups with military arms and finances. They are behind Hamas, and Hezbollah and the Houthis (and others). They are behind terror attacks in Europe. If the world turns a blind eye to terror regimes, we know what happens: Death on a mass scale, and the Jews aren't waiting around for 'world opinion' to decide whether they are going to live or die at the hands of a regime that has made it clear: Death to Israel.
I despise Trump. But if he goes with his gut and does the right thing: Destroy Fordo, he'll go down in history as having done the right thing, not just for the USA, but for the world.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/iaea-board-declares-iran-breach-non-proliferation-duties-diplomats-say-2025-06-12/#:~:text=%22The%20Board%20of%20Governors&text=finds%20that%20Iran%27s%20many%20failures%20to%20uphold,activities%20at%20multiple%20undeclared%20locations%20in%20Iran&text=constitutes%20non%2Dcompliance%20with%20its%20obligations%20under%20its%20Safeguards
IMPEACH AND DUMP TRAITOR , NAZIS , FELONS, AND CON REPUBLICONS EVERYWHERE. YES CON REPUBLICONS, CLIMATE CHANGE IS DANGEROUS, REAL, DISRUPTIVE WORLDWIDE, COSTLY, AND PREVENTABLE. STOP DENYING CLIMATE CHANGE AND FACE THE SCIENCE . DUMP THE CON RTRUMP AND CRONIES. DEPORT RTRUMP'S WIFE AND RELATIVES.
Very Good Post Michael... I have a Son that came back Damaged from the GWOT that Netanyahu helped Instigate...