I published a piece about this yesterday from the perspective of a daughter of a dad who fought in Vietnam and the mom of four disabled veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. “You can oppose this war and still love this country. You can oppose this war and still support the troops. In fact, opposing it may be the most patriotic thing you can do right now.
Not despite what history has taught us. Because of it.
We have done this before. Vietnam. Iraq. Afghanistan. We went in without a plan, without a defined objective, without an honest answer to how we'd know when it was over. Every single time, real soldiers paid the price for that failure. Real families were changed forever.
We have the receipts. We know what "we'll figure it out as we go" costs.
Seven service members are already dead. Congress was notified after the bombs dropped — not consulted, notified. No vote. No debate. And if you raise any of that out loud, you're told you don't support the troops.
I want to push back on that. Hard.
Supporting the troops isn't a bumper sticker. It isn't silence. It's demanding honest answers before more of them board the plane. It's insisting that Congress do its constitutional job before we commit American lives and American dollars to a war with no defined goal and no plan for the day after.
That's what patriotism looks like. That's what supporting the troops looks like.”
I've always found it odd that the people who claim to 'support the troops' are the ones who don't see them as real people. I'm the only male member of my immediate family that didn't serve. I have immense respect for those willing to put their lives on the line to protect or country. But respect also means not asking them to squander those lives for no good reason.
This war is different. It is clearly unconstitutional and seems to have been launched to distract from the President raping a 13-year-old. No justification has been offered other than 'bombing Iranians is cool'. We aren't even trying to accomplish some, possibly unattainable, goal. We're just causing destruction for destruction's sake without any concern for consequences. Anyone supporting this war cares just as little for our troops as they do for Iranian lives.
Well said. Anyone with the proper perspective and a sense of history knows that supporting the troops doesn't necessarily mean choosing to start a war or supporting a president who chooses to do so.
The people who wrote (and many who voted to ratify) our Constitution understood that choosing a war may be the fastest way possible to destroy the nation, itself, and to deprive its people of life, liberty and property without due process of law. They knew (and considered) the fact that the people of Athens, themselves, ended the Golden Age of Greece and essentially destroyed their own nation by choosing to attack Syracuse. See, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Expedition.
In Federalist No 6, Alexander Hamilton or James Madison wrote about the Peloponnesian War, the man who led Athenians into it, his petty motivations, and the war's devastating consequences in terms similar to those that apply to Trump today:
"The celebrated Pericles, in compliance with the resentment of a prostitute, at the expense of much of the blood and treasure of his countrymen, attacked, vanquished, and destroyed the city of the SAMNIANS. The same man, stimulated by private pique against the MEGARENSIANS, another nation of Greece, or to avoid a prosecution with which he was threatened as an accomplice of a supposed theft of the statuary Phidias, or to get rid of the accusations prepared to be brought against him for dissipating the funds of the state in the purchase of popularity, or from a combination of all these causes, was the primitive author of that famous and fatal war, distinguished in the Grecian annals by the name of the PELOPONNESIAN war; which, after various vicissitudes, intermissions, and renewals, terminated in the ruin of the Athenian commonwealth."
So in Federalist No. 69, Hamilton emphasized that the President's “authority” as Commander in Chief “amount[s] to nothing more than” being the “first General and admiral” of the U.S., in striking contrast with the power “of the British king [which] extends to the DECLARING of war and to the RAISING and REGULATING of fleets and armies, all which, by the Constitution [were vested exclusively in] the legislature.”
For good reason, our Constitution vested the power to choose to risk or sacrifice our lives, liberty and property on a war exclusively in those of our representatives whom we have the power to choose and remove directly. That's a big part of the reason our Constitution secures the right and power of the People to remove the entire House of Representatives and 1/3 of the Senate every two years.
There has never been a President responsible for as much waste, fraud, and abuse as Trump. The war is one example. He is also saying that the illegal tariff collections ordered to be refunded cannot be paid in a timely fashion because it will require 4 million man-hours of work at our expense. Then there is the DoJ which he has overloaded with frivolous, self serving lawsuits, even as lawyers quit in disgust. And they somehow can't manage to release the second tranche of Epstein files. ICE has a budget bigger than the Marine Corps. Then we have his hobby horse projects like the ballroom and arch. And all his grifting by the Trump Organization, taking in bribes through his crypto business and doing things like copyrighting designs for Trump to personally merchandise for America's 250th. I'm waiting until he's gone for good to celebrate, can't happen soon enough.
I would also add to that charge, that the Trump regime is also directly and indirectly responsible for the unnecessary murder of our precious military and civilians through their reckless use of force.
Unfortunately Thomas, soon enough means about 3 more years of what you accurately described. The midterm elections, if we have one at all, might help control the madhouse to a point and if the scumbag president gets more incapacitated than he is now or if he passes away, we'll be in deeper problems considering that the Manchurian vice-president will be un charge of the final destruction of what's left of this country.
Vance doesn't have the 'pulling power' that Trump does. By comparison, he's a lightweight, but if Miller, Vought and the rest of the flying monkeys are still in place, it's true, not much will change for the better.
Steve, all the ideologists you mentioned are going to keep doing their job and even that is true the Manchurian vice president doesn't have the pulling power, by then, I don't think he is going to need any since everything it's going to be under their control, even election Russian style. Appreciate your comment 😀
That's a grim attitude. I'm still optimistic enough to believe that this is an aberration, a speed bump in our 250 year history. I refer to Winston Churchill's words: "“You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing after they have tried everything else.”" This regime is unsustainable.
My attitude might be grim but it's realistic Steve. Realism is what gets you ready to confront the danger in front of you and not be paralyzed by surprised. Be hopeful but be prepared. Prepare for the worse if you intend to winn.
Hope is definitely not a strategy. Unfortunately, our elected representatives have lost any an to think strategically. They NEVER think in terms of tomorrow. Only in terms of getting elected again. In fact, I see the lack of strategic thinking across all levels of government. And with that comes the inability to to think about unintended consequences….
WHy does MSM not use the term illegal war...MSM has failed in normalizing everything the convicted felon and adjudicated rapist has done and continues to do....Every article should start with it is day 95, then 96 etc...of Trump DOJ defying the law he signed on Epstein...
We know where the waste, fraud and abuse is happening. As you said, Not another dime. And then get some of that Big Ugly Death Bill back to pay for the American people-- hospitals, health care, education, FEMA, weather, and the list goes on....
Excellent reporting, Ms. Rubin. This is the kind of information that we need to be well informed about all that is going on, much of it behind the scenes.
"“Hopefully,” he (Thune) will recognize he is the leader of a body that could do something about it."
All of the hope that he projects is nothing without action. He, his caucus in the Senate and the House Republican caucus could strangle this illegal and unconstitutional war by awarding no additional funding. Of course since they didn't address the War Powers Resolution, confidence is not high that they will not approve additional funding. Again, it is the constituents, the people who suffer.
Donald Trump’s Iran war is either “won” and ”complete” or just “beginning,” depending on which fragment of one of Trump’s incoherent run-on rants you focus upon.
Trump is one of the only people who can contradict himself 3 times in the same sentence. And it's not a strategy to keep us guessing. Rather, it's because he lacks a filter between his brain and his mouth, so he will articulate whatever thought happens to pop into his otherwise-empty head!
While the price of oil has dipped, it is rising again. As of 8:00 Eastern Time it is $92 a barrel.
Hopefully when the WPA is brought to a vote Rand Paul will again neutralized Fetterman’s vote of no. Fetterman unfortunately is not up for reelection till 2028.
You mean to tell me that we taxpayers paid for a $98K “piano” for the home of the Air Force chief of staff? And you’re telling me that we also paid $2M for lobster tails? Would I be wrong to assume that those lobster tails were consumed by nary an enlisted dude? Well, OK then, I can certainly see why the Pentagon needs more money for the “war.” No worries, it’s coming right up.
I published a piece about this yesterday from the perspective of a daughter of a dad who fought in Vietnam and the mom of four disabled veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. “You can oppose this war and still love this country. You can oppose this war and still support the troops. In fact, opposing it may be the most patriotic thing you can do right now.
Not despite what history has taught us. Because of it.
We have done this before. Vietnam. Iraq. Afghanistan. We went in without a plan, without a defined objective, without an honest answer to how we'd know when it was over. Every single time, real soldiers paid the price for that failure. Real families were changed forever.
We have the receipts. We know what "we'll figure it out as we go" costs.
Seven service members are already dead. Congress was notified after the bombs dropped — not consulted, notified. No vote. No debate. And if you raise any of that out loud, you're told you don't support the troops.
I want to push back on that. Hard.
Supporting the troops isn't a bumper sticker. It isn't silence. It's demanding honest answers before more of them board the plane. It's insisting that Congress do its constitutional job before we commit American lives and American dollars to a war with no defined goal and no plan for the day after.
That's what patriotism looks like. That's what supporting the troops looks like.”
https://danismart.substack.com/p/opposing-this-war-is-the-most-patriotic
Beautifully said.
Thank you, BoneSpurs Trump is very cavalier about putting our soldiers and sailors in harm’s way.
I sent part of your comments to my Republican senators. Yes, I completely agree with everything you said!
Thank you for stating this so clearly and beautifully.
I've always found it odd that the people who claim to 'support the troops' are the ones who don't see them as real people. I'm the only male member of my immediate family that didn't serve. I have immense respect for those willing to put their lives on the line to protect or country. But respect also means not asking them to squander those lives for no good reason.
This war is different. It is clearly unconstitutional and seems to have been launched to distract from the President raping a 13-year-old. No justification has been offered other than 'bombing Iranians is cool'. We aren't even trying to accomplish some, possibly unattainable, goal. We're just causing destruction for destruction's sake without any concern for consequences. Anyone supporting this war cares just as little for our troops as they do for Iranian lives.
Well said!!!
Well said. Anyone with the proper perspective and a sense of history knows that supporting the troops doesn't necessarily mean choosing to start a war or supporting a president who chooses to do so.
The people who wrote (and many who voted to ratify) our Constitution understood that choosing a war may be the fastest way possible to destroy the nation, itself, and to deprive its people of life, liberty and property without due process of law. They knew (and considered) the fact that the people of Athens, themselves, ended the Golden Age of Greece and essentially destroyed their own nation by choosing to attack Syracuse. See, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Expedition.
In Federalist No 6, Alexander Hamilton or James Madison wrote about the Peloponnesian War, the man who led Athenians into it, his petty motivations, and the war's devastating consequences in terms similar to those that apply to Trump today:
"The celebrated Pericles, in compliance with the resentment of a prostitute, at the expense of much of the blood and treasure of his countrymen, attacked, vanquished, and destroyed the city of the SAMNIANS. The same man, stimulated by private pique against the MEGARENSIANS, another nation of Greece, or to avoid a prosecution with which he was threatened as an accomplice of a supposed theft of the statuary Phidias, or to get rid of the accusations prepared to be brought against him for dissipating the funds of the state in the purchase of popularity, or from a combination of all these causes, was the primitive author of that famous and fatal war, distinguished in the Grecian annals by the name of the PELOPONNESIAN war; which, after various vicissitudes, intermissions, and renewals, terminated in the ruin of the Athenian commonwealth."
So in Federalist No. 69, Hamilton emphasized that the President's “authority” as Commander in Chief “amount[s] to nothing more than” being the “first General and admiral” of the U.S., in striking contrast with the power “of the British king [which] extends to the DECLARING of war and to the RAISING and REGULATING of fleets and armies, all which, by the Constitution [were vested exclusively in] the legislature.”
For good reason, our Constitution vested the power to choose to risk or sacrifice our lives, liberty and property on a war exclusively in those of our representatives whom we have the power to choose and remove directly. That's a big part of the reason our Constitution secures the right and power of the People to remove the entire House of Representatives and 1/3 of the Senate every two years.
Want to end the war? Say the magic word. EPSTEIN!
Really? I've suspected from the beginning, that that's what started it.
There has never been a President responsible for as much waste, fraud, and abuse as Trump. The war is one example. He is also saying that the illegal tariff collections ordered to be refunded cannot be paid in a timely fashion because it will require 4 million man-hours of work at our expense. Then there is the DoJ which he has overloaded with frivolous, self serving lawsuits, even as lawyers quit in disgust. And they somehow can't manage to release the second tranche of Epstein files. ICE has a budget bigger than the Marine Corps. Then we have his hobby horse projects like the ballroom and arch. And all his grifting by the Trump Organization, taking in bribes through his crypto business and doing things like copyrighting designs for Trump to personally merchandise for America's 250th. I'm waiting until he's gone for good to celebrate, can't happen soon enough.
It's no longer grifting. It's committing grand theft against the people of the United States.
I would also add to that charge, that the Trump regime is also directly and indirectly responsible for the unnecessary murder of our precious military and civilians through their reckless use of force.
Trump, like Netayahu, is a war criminal. He has no regard for human life, and those around him are no better.
Unfortunately Thomas, soon enough means about 3 more years of what you accurately described. The midterm elections, if we have one at all, might help control the madhouse to a point and if the scumbag president gets more incapacitated than he is now or if he passes away, we'll be in deeper problems considering that the Manchurian vice-president will be un charge of the final destruction of what's left of this country.
Vance doesn't have the 'pulling power' that Trump does. By comparison, he's a lightweight, but if Miller, Vought and the rest of the flying monkeys are still in place, it's true, not much will change for the better.
Steve, all the ideologists you mentioned are going to keep doing their job and even that is true the Manchurian vice president doesn't have the pulling power, by then, I don't think he is going to need any since everything it's going to be under their control, even election Russian style. Appreciate your comment 😀
That's a grim attitude. I'm still optimistic enough to believe that this is an aberration, a speed bump in our 250 year history. I refer to Winston Churchill's words: "“You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing after they have tried everything else.”" This regime is unsustainable.
My attitude might be grim but it's realistic Steve. Realism is what gets you ready to confront the danger in front of you and not be paralyzed by surprised. Be hopeful but be prepared. Prepare for the worse if you intend to winn.
Can someone, please, explain to John Thune - "Hope" is not a strategy!
Hope is definitely not a strategy. Unfortunately, our elected representatives have lost any an to think strategically. They NEVER think in terms of tomorrow. Only in terms of getting elected again. In fact, I see the lack of strategic thinking across all levels of government. And with that comes the inability to to think about unintended consequences….
The Democrats need to continually brand these wars as "Republican Wars", because they are.
Or, perhaps even more precisely, TRUMP's war.
Or ISRAEL'S war.
Trump is just the scapegoat.
He's the Commander in Chief.
Agreed. Especially when the entire political party does nothing to oppose it
Word to the wise: Democrats in the NC Democratic primary who voted with Republicans, lost their seats.
WHy does MSM not use the term illegal war...MSM has failed in normalizing everything the convicted felon and adjudicated rapist has done and continues to do....Every article should start with it is day 95, then 96 etc...of Trump DOJ defying the law he signed on Epstein...
Mainstream media is owned by large corporations whose intentions for mergers, etc. are controlled by the Trump executive branch agencies.
We know where the waste, fraud and abuse is happening. As you said, Not another dime. And then get some of that Big Ugly Death Bill back to pay for the American people-- hospitals, health care, education, FEMA, weather, and the list goes on....
Excellent reporting, Ms. Rubin. This is the kind of information that we need to be well informed about all that is going on, much of it behind the scenes.
"“Hopefully,” he (Thune) will recognize he is the leader of a body that could do something about it."
All of the hope that he projects is nothing without action. He, his caucus in the Senate and the House Republican caucus could strangle this illegal and unconstitutional war by awarding no additional funding. Of course since they didn't address the War Powers Resolution, confidence is not high that they will not approve additional funding. Again, it is the constituents, the people who suffer.
Could not have said it better myself.😎 NOT A DIME MORE FOR THIS WAR.
Donald Trump’s Iran war is either “won” and ”complete” or just “beginning,” depending on which fragment of one of Trump’s incoherent run-on rants you focus upon.
Trump is one of the only people who can contradict himself 3 times in the same sentence. And it's not a strategy to keep us guessing. Rather, it's because he lacks a filter between his brain and his mouth, so he will articulate whatever thought happens to pop into his otherwise-empty head!
Senile dementia is wasting away that filter.
While the price of oil has dipped, it is rising again. As of 8:00 Eastern Time it is $92 a barrel.
Hopefully when the WPA is brought to a vote Rand Paul will again neutralized Fetterman’s vote of no. Fetterman unfortunately is not up for reelection till 2028.
Fetterman is bondservant to Netanyahu. .
We CANNOT lose sight of the fact that THIS IS A WAR OF DISTRACTION to keep a rapist out of prison!!!
To keep TWO criminals out of prison. Don’t ever forget rump’s boss, Bibi!
You mean to tell me that we taxpayers paid for a $98K “piano” for the home of the Air Force chief of staff? And you’re telling me that we also paid $2M for lobster tails? Would I be wrong to assume that those lobster tails were consumed by nary an enlisted dude? Well, OK then, I can certainly see why the Pentagon needs more money for the “war.” No worries, it’s coming right up.
A Steinway for one’s house? Give me a break. I’m really pissed now.
And lobster tails are not even from the US or Canada. That's a lot of imported seafood.
That was the straw that broke the camel's back? Welcome to the crowd Michelle 😅👋
Dear Senator Thune, Hope is not a strategy.
Right Harold, people didn't vote them in to just "hope".
But a majority does vote WITH hope…