So, Joe Biden has done what every
new U.S. president has done for decades. Shortly after entering office, they
have all ordered the U.S. military to drop bombs that take the lives of people
thousands of miles from our shores; people who have done nothing to attack or
threaten our country. This is supposed to show that they are tough. It’s a
“don’t mess with me or else” sort of message. A way of showing they’re not
“soft.”
Biden ordered the attack on a Shiite militia that he and the Pentagon allege
was responsible for attacks on U.S. bases and facilities in Iraq, but this begs
two questions:
First of all, is there any legitimate reason why the U.S. would have any troops
or contractors based in Iraq, many thousands of miles from the USA? It seems
the U.S. presence in Iraq is an artifact of the illegal, immoral and
counter-productive U.S. war on that now beleaguered and divided country. There
is no defensive reason for the U.S. to project military force into Iraq
specifically or the Middle East in general. Their presence in Iraq or any other
country in the region has no legitimate purpose.
Secondly, while the Biden administration claims this action was a measured,
retaliatory response, this ignores the nature of cycles of violence. The U.S.
perspective takes things back to the last action, one allegedly taken by this
militia, but that ignores the actions of the U.S. This includes the 2020 U.S.
assassination of Iranian military commander major general Qasem Soleimani.
Cycles of violence are incredibly destructive and have no winners. Given the
stature of Soleimani, the Iranian response has been very measured. Can you even
begin to imagine the U.S. response if Iran launched a missile that killed the
chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff while on a visit to France?
What’s most relevant right now is
getting back on track with the Iran Nuclear Agreement, which Trump withdrew
from, and ending the proxy war in Yemen. Unfortunately, Biden and the Iranians
are playing a high-stakes game of Chicken, with each insisting the other go
first; the U.S. saying Iran has to get back in compliance with the nuclear
agreement (they were in compliance when the U.S. withdrew) before sanctions are
lifted, and the Iranians insisting that the U.S. lift the sanctions, which
violate the agreement, and then they will come back in compliance. In the
interests of peace, it’s rather obvious that both sides should take these steps
simultaneously.
Biden should be given credit for halting the sale of offensive weapons to Saudi
Arabia and the UAE that would be used in Yemen, but this alone won’t end the
war there; the world’s most serious humanitarian crisis. It’s high time a cease
fire and comprehensive halt to arms shipments is initiated and a conference of
all concerned parties is held. Pursuing such a path would be a wise step for
our new president. Dropping bombs on Shiite militias is not.
A true sign of strength would be turning to peacemaking and away from lethal
use of force. The U.S. can, and must, do better.
