The Tribune Editorial Board rightly points out the risks facing the United States and the world surrounding President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran (“We won’t miss the Supreme Leader of Iran. But does Donald Trump have a real plan?” March 2). Opening the path to a different Iran and stability in the Middle East is something everyone on the planet should be wishing for, but this operation has enormous risks. Well said.
Unfortunately, the editorial board can’t help itself. It writes that leaders who shoot from the hip and operate on hunches, as Trump is often seen doing, “are always vulnerable to outside manipulation,” then the board states that “in the era of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli and U.S. interests are not always the same.” The clear implication is that Israel is pulling the strings and Trump is being manipulated.
That sort of characterization (often found in crazed rants on social media) completely misses what is going on here. Israel surely wants regime change in Iran. Under the supreme leader, Iran would have wiped Israel off the map if it had the ability to do so.
So yes, Israel fully supported not just limiting Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon but also, if possible, creating regime change. Jews and Persians have a long, vibrant and positive history together since biblical times, and only since 1979, the Iranian Revolution, has this relationship soured. The brutal Iranian regime posed a threat to Israel’s existence, and Israel is merely acting as any nation-state would — to protect itself and its citizens.
But to think that Donald Trump is a mere puppet of Israel and its supporters misses the bigger picture involving the United States and the region. Iran provides weapons to Russia and supports its war machine in Ukraine. It also provides oil to China in violation of the sanctions we imposed. The relationships Russia and China have with Iran have allowed them to gain a stronger geopolitical foothold in the Middle East, which challenges American influence in the region.
You may not think these issues are worth starting a war over, but there are plenty of smart people in Washington who do.
So yes, Israel is happy to see the Iranian leadership taken down in order to better protect itself, but U.S. interests in the region are broader. To suggest Trump is merely doing Netanyahu’s bidding really misses the mark.
— Dean Gerber, Chicago
Breeding instability
The United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran reportedly to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. President Donald Trump asserted that in his statement on the attacks: “To the great proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. … When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”
Notably, the United States and the CIA carried out a coup in Iran in 1953 that overthrew popular Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh to protect British and U.S. oil interests. With approval of the Iranian parliament, Mossadegh had nationalized the Iranian oil industry. Iranian oil had been controlled by the British Anglo-Iranian Oil Co. (later known as BP).
After the shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, was reinstated as authoritarian ruler, he signed over significant portions of Iran’s oil fields to U.S. companies.
The coup ended Iran’s first experiment with democracy and ushered in over two decades of dictatorship under the shah. His regime was notorious for human rights abuses conducted by the secret police (SAVAK), which was trained by the CIA and Israel’s Mossad.
In the words of Mosaddegh: “Yes, my sin … is that I nationalized Iran’s oil industry and discarded the system of political and economic exploitation by the world’s greatest empire.”
Until the U.S. confronts its record of overthrowing other nations’ governments, its claims to defend freedom will ring hollow. It cannot expect to gain the world’s trust, and its wars will keep breeding the very instability it claims to prevent.
— Terry Hansen, Grafton, Wisconsin
So that wasn’t the case?
Oh, so President Donald Trump lied to us (again) when he told us in June that we had destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities?
— Dorothy Grossman, Chicago
Foresight and fortitude
Iran has often chanted “death to America.” In that respect, President Donald Trump is putting America first and will continue to put America first.
Meeting the goals of Operation Epic Fury (destroying Iran’s nuclear program and dismantling its army, missile and drone capabilities) will put the Middle East on the cusp of historic change. And America as well as the rest of the world will be safer.
Amen to peace through strength. No other U.S. president would have the foresight and fortitude to embark on such a dangerous mission in efforts to bring about regime change.
— JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater, Florida
A win for good guys
The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is a win for the good guys.
— Bruce R. Hovanec, Chicago
Where is Congress?
One of the Founding Fathers’ greatest fears was the concentration of too much power in any single branch of our government. Today, that fear is clear in the failure of Congress to make any effort to rein in the seemingly endless power grab by President Donald Trump.
Even the U.S. Supreme Court recognized the power play by Trump when it chided Congress for not doing its job. So where are our elected officials? Little has been heard from Congress in the face of Trump’s declaring war on Iran. Trump’s behavior is that of a dictator. He has no regard for the will of the American people and is quick to push ahead with an agenda that is his alone.
Topping his megalomania are reports that he is considering using his executive power to control the upcoming midterm elections and pressure Congress to go along with him. We who love America and know that our true strength is found in the will of all the people can’t let that happen. No matter what political party we belong to, we must demand that our representatives in Congress speak up and take back the job the Congress was created to do.
If they don’t, it is our obligation to vote them out of office.
— Linda Kravitz, Chicago
Is this a diversion?
Why are we worried about Iran’s nuclear powers? According to President Donald Trump, eight months ago, Iran’s nuclear capabilities were “obliterated” (his word) by bunker-busting bombs. And yet the U.S. has started another confrontation with this country.
It is sickening that this draft dodger is in charge of the most powerful military in the world. It couldn’t be a diversion to keep people from wanting information about Trump’s involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, could it? Imagine that. It couldn’t be because he is mentioned more than 1,000 times in the Epstein files that were released. And it is amazing that files have gone missing that are pertinent to Trump.
This administration will go down in history as one of the most corrupt. Trump has gained at least $1 billion just in the last year. That is against the law per the Emoluments Clauses. I will never understand how fools think this person is a great leader when what he is is a great liar.
I hope this country can take three more years of this traitor.
— Ron Morgucz, Willow Springs
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