Iran: Trump’s War of Annihilation

Donald Trump has thought the unthinkable, spoken the unspeakable, imagined the unimaginable.  He has crossed a threshold that should never be crossed.  He has struck a course toward Iran’s annihilation.  He has mounted the full force of US might against a country barely able to defend its sovereign territory. He has killed thousands of Iranian civilians–the very ones he claims to cherish as he urges them to rise up against their so-called “tyrants.”

He is, as usual delusional about his forays into what he calls peace-building. For example, this was his summons to the Iranian people to throw off the yoke of tyranny:

“Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take; this will be probably your only chance for generations,” Trump said. “America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny.”

During round the clock bombings, how will Iranians do anything but hunker down and try to save themselves?  How will they rally to do anything like what Trump envisions? Even if they wanted to, they couldn’t.  Will US warplanes distinguish them from their targets when they come out to the streets?

This is empty rhetoric from a blithering fool.  He doesn’t care about Iranians. He doesn’t care who rules Iran after he is done with it.  He is the master of cruelty: goad a people into action, then abandon them when they no longer serve any useful purpose.  This is Trump through and through.

He and his partner in [war] crime, Bibi Netanyahu have wiped out much of the senior Iranian military and civilian leadership. Most importantly, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei.  Their plan was to decapitate the leadership, with the assumption that this would leave the country in turmoil.  Somehow, this would in turn lead to the people rising up and toppling the regime.  Following which Shah 2.0, Trump and Bibi’s chosen one, would triumphantly return to take the reins.

They use words like “freedom” and “destiny” to describe what they anticipate the outcome will be for Iran.  Giving not a thought to the aftermath of the suffering they have inflicted.  Neither of them has any sense of history, no appreciation for lessons of the past.  Remember Iraq? Remember Afghanistan?  Remember Libya?  In each case, we deluded ourselves into believing we would bring freedom and democracy to nations that sorely needed and clamored for it.  It turned out what they needed was continuity of leadership, a unified sense of authority. All issues the conquerors didn’t understand, which led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands in virtual civil wars.

The US decided in each of these cases, to eliminate the former regime and begin anew.  The result was a huge power vacuum into which swept all of the internal forces which had been held in check by Sadaam, Ghadafi, and Mullah Omar.  Without them, all hell broke loose.  Every warlord and disgruntled ethnic or religious figure took up arms against their enemies.  The result was years and even decades of civil war.

You can kill a dozen Ayatollahs, but you will not kill the force represented by the Islamic Revolution. A Georgetown University professor even sees the possibility that it could survive this assault:

“The regime still might be able to stay in power, even if the United States and Israel inflict significant damage on the regime’s leadership and military forces,” Mr. Byman said.

You can even impose a new tyrant, Reza Pahlevi on this restive country, and even give him full military support–but you will not quell the remnants of the ancien regime.  No matter its sins and crimes, it ruled the nation for 50 years. It developed deep roots in the hearts and minds of its citizens.  They will not give up. They will not accept an imposed foreign figurehead, doing the bidding of those who humiliated the nation, as Trump and Netanyahu did.

The AP has falsely reported that Ayatollah Khamenei has no chosen successor. In fact, he has designated not only his own successor, but those of all the major political and military leadership:

Ayatollah Khamenei has instructed Mr. Larijani and a handful of other close political and military associates to ensure that the Islamic Republic survives not only American and Israeli bombs, but also any assassination attempts on its top leadership, including on Ayatollah Khamenei himself, according to the six senior officials and the Guards members.

This flies in the face of the AP claim the Grand Ayatollah’s death would threaten the regime’s future.  In fact, it could do just the opposite. It could strengthen the resolve of the surviving leadership. Hardship does not make people give up and do your bidding. Often, it does precisely the opposite.

Even with a diminished capacity to fight, the survivors will wreak as much havoc as they can. Both inside and outside the country.  They will target US and Israeli assets throughout the region.  Organized attacks. Lone wolf attacks. Assassinations. Bombings.  They will kill individually and by the dozens.  They will kill high and kill low.  The goal will be revenge.

The world will react with shock and horror when the bloodshed happens. It will denounce the perpetrators as terrorists, cold-blooded murderers.  But they will not be. They will creatures of our own creation.  We wrought havoc on their country. We laid them and their leaders low.

National pride demands retribution. And it will come. Let us not hear cries of horror and indignation when this happens.  Let us not be hypocrites.  We will have brought this on ourselves and have only ourselves to blame.

Contrary to Trump, Americans don’t want war

Trump, living in his echo chamber, believes Americans and the rest of the world will rejoice at his achievement. Ridding the world of Iranian “tyranny” means doing the world a favor. It burnishes his credentials as a peacemaker.  The Nobel Prize is waiting for him in Oslo.  He has his tux packed for the ceremony.

The truth is quite different: only 20% of Americans have faith in Trump’s use of the military in foreign countries (like Iran).  A University of Maryland poll found that 50% oppose Trump’s war on Iran. Even a surprisingly low 44% of Israelis want such a war.

Americans do not want a war with Iran. They don’t want a war with any country.  They want good pay, decent jobs, affordable healthcare, good schools.  None of which Trump has provided.

Trump, on the other hand, never met a war he didn’t like.  Never met a country he didn’t want to screw over.  He prefers the weaker ones that can’t fight back, like Venezuela and (he thinks) Iran. But the strangest thing happens when you stomp your foot on the lowly creatures: they sting your heels and hobble you.

Who needs this war?

Why war?  There is no strategic reason for this conflict.  Iran poses no threat to anyone, including Israel.  Despite lies to the contrary from Congressional Republicans, Iran has no nuclear weapons.  Even the missiles it does have to retaliate for this war, are almost all unguided.  They are as likely to land in a hayfield as on Mossad headquarters.

Aside from destroying the Islamic Republic, the aggressors have no further plan for the country. They don’t know who will rule it or how he will rule.  They don’t know how they will treat newly “liberated” Iran.  Will they resume recognition and diplomatic relations?  Will they resume trade?  Will they lift sanctions?  They’ve thought out none of this.  Which is why disaster looms over the future.

There is only one reason for this war and it has little to do with Iran.  Both Trump and Netanyahu face plummeting political prospects. Trump is beset by the Epstein scandal and his nationwide assault on immigrants.  He’s taking a beating on both fronts.  His favorability rating is down to 39% in several polls.  He faces the prospect of the 2026 midterm elections with dread.  One retiring Congressmember warned the Party faced a “terminal diagnosis.”  No doubt, that House member is heading for the exits of a sinking ship.

Likewise, Netanyahu is detested by most Israelis: blamed for the 10/7 debacle and security lapses which led to it.  Hated for prolonging the war and refusing to negotiate to free the hostages until forced to by Trump.  Reviled for a judicial coup which attempted to eviscerate the court system and impose total political control over the judiciary. His approval rating parallels Trumps–at 40%.  64% of Israel want him to resign and take responsibility for 10/7, which he has repeatedly refused. He faces four different corruption charges. Israelis believe he’s a grubby crook.

Both desperately need a distraction to divert attention from their woes. What better way than a war?  It generally unites a divided public. Arouses patriotic fervor and support for national leaders.  Any prior doubts citizens may have, evaporate in the face of a call to defend the nation against a foe.

This strategy has one major weakness: both leaders start from such a low bar in terms of popularity that the public will have far less patience for their machinations–before deciding they’re being manipulated by a shrewd conman.

These megalomaniacs are inflicting immense suffering on the Iranian people and the entire region–all in the name of preserving their own power. Their claim that Iran poses an existential threat is false.  They themselves face a political existential threat.

War is the answer. To hell with the cost: some estimates put the cost at nearly $1-billion per day for Israel, the US and their regional allies.  Despite Trump’s blithe claims that the fighting will last “days, possibly a week or more” a full annihilation of the Islamic Republic will requires weeks, if not months of repeated attacks.  Who will absorb that cost?  Not Trump. Not Bibi. Rather, their citizens, the taxpayers.  Paying for their leaders’ folly.

Even if they succeed in toppling the government and installing the Shah 2.0, this will commence years of additional conflict in the region. Already, Iran has unleashed barrages of rockets at US targets in Bahrain, UAE and Qatar. Even if the missiles are eventually silenced, this will be only the beginning.

The only party to benefit will be Israel, whose interest is in a weak, divided, dysfunctional Middle East. Over the decades, it has left a trail of assassinations, invasions and occupation from Lebanon to Syria to Palestine.  All in name of weakening any nation threatening its regional hegemony.  Just as the US is a global hegemon, Israel is a regional one.  The surest path to maintaining such domination is sowing discord and chaos.  A weakened Iran, perhaps divided into separate mini-ethnic states, will deny it from ever again posing as a rival to Israel. Or so it hopes.

American support for Israel sinks to new lows

In the meantime, with each new war that Israel wages, it loses support in the US.  A 2025 Pew poll found that 53% of Americans held negative views of Israel. Among Democrats, it was 69%.  59% of Democrats are more supportive of Palestine than Israel.  Only 21% are more supportive of Israel.  In a shocking finding, 40% of youth say they are support Hamas over Israel.

Last month, a Gallup poll showed that 65% of Democrats (and 41% of Americans overall) view Palestine more favorably than Israel.  This is the first time in such polls that a plurality favored Palestine over Israel.  Most importantly, this is not an outlier. This represents a downward trajectory that has continued over years.

In every one of these polls, the age cohort least supportive of Israel is the younger generation.  They are the future. Once you’ve lost them, you’ve lost them for life.  The older generation, which tends to support Israel, will die off. To be replaced by those without the loyalties of their elders.  Even among evangelicals, the group most supportive of Israel, the youth are peeling away.

In coming years, Israeli support will ebb; and with it will evaporate that inbred allegiance held by much of our political class.  Then, even Lobby cash won’t make up for this deficit.  In fact, this phenomenon has begun with Aipac obscuring its campaign fundraising behind stealth PACs whose affiliation with it is hidden.

Once its support reaches a tipping point, Israel will be on its own to navigate a region it has made treacherous for itself. It will bitch and moan about how the word hates it: the UN, the Democrats, the human rights NGOs, the college students–they all hate us.  But as I wrote above, it will have only itself to blame.