Citizens, Not Subjects, Go to War
In 1947, as the world recovered from the devastation of World War II, Winston Churchill stated in the House of Commons, “democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried.” Churchill was a monarchist and an imperialist at heart but recognized, that democracy, even with its flaws, was the only way forward. We are now being reminded of that again because we have gone to war like a monarchy not a democracy.
What was so revolutionary? Americans declared that we are citizens not subjects. No one had ever claimed that. One of the factors that drove us to this idea was the rejection of how monarchy operated - especially in wartime. We were to be given the freedom to avoid the devastating religious wars of the 17th century and the arbitrary wars (for marriage, monarchical successions, commercial interests, ego…) that sacrificed subjects to the whim of a monarch. The people whose taxes would be used and who would have to do the fighting and dying had to consent and have a say. And yet, here we are with an arbitrary war of the leader's choosing.
Iran A very brief history for context: Iran went from being a constitutional monarchy and rescuer nation of Jews during the Holocaust to a terror regime of extremists with the 1979 Islamist Revolution, sometimes informed by Nazi ideology and antisemitism.
In between, Iran, due to its proximity to the USSR (Soviet Union) and because of its oil, was treated as a piece in geopolitical maneuverings – in either the British or Russian sphere of influence.
After World War II, Iran expanded its democracy but remained under the control of British oil companies. In the 1950s the U.S. negotiated with the Saudis to conclude a 50/50 profit sharing of their oil revenues. When the Iranians asked the British for a similar deal, the British, still reeling from World War II, said no.
The Iranians nationalized their oil industry. The Brits worked with the CIA to overthrow Iran’s democratic leader in Operation Ajax. They succeeded and elevated the Shah to full authority. Iran became one of the largest buyers of U.S. military hardware, rapidly modernized, and began to repress their people with secret police while oil revenues went to the few as the wealth gap expanded rapidly. This eventually led to the 1979 Revolution that has wreaked so much disaster, twisting of Islam, terror, and horror. It created an existential threat to the democratic state of Israel and the world. The Iranian government had contempt for liberal democracy.
Above: The U.S. hostage crisis (1979-1981). Iranian revolutionaries kidnap American embassy personnel in Teheran.
Americans Go to War Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the exclusive power to "declare War". It is in the first article because the American Revolution believed that sovereignty, the authority to run a state, rested with the people. The king was no longer the sovereign authority and specifically could not unilaterally involve the nation in conflict. Since World War II each president has to various degrees ignored this. This is the first time that a president and his political party simply didn't care.
Callous disregard for Americans I would argue that we are witnessing an attempt to wrestle sovereignty away from the people and reinstall it in the hands of oligarchs and kleptocrats. We see this when Supreme Court justices like Justice Neil Gorsuch site precedents that preceded the American Revolution and argue in favor of corporate power over individual rights, the right to discriminate and racially profile, and loosens protections against sexual harassment. It is as if we too have contempt for our democracy.
And now, Secretary of Defense (not War as they arbitrarily renamed it) Hegseth dismisses conventional "rules of engagement" as "stupid" and quaint. But restraining military action, protecting civilian life, and honoring international law is what distinguishes us from Iran or Russia. It is also practical. These conventions have kept us safe and have protected our own service members and citizens who are in harm’s way. Law matters because humanity matters.
On March 4, Hegseth attacked the media who dared to ask why he did not recognize the deaths of six service members in the opening phase of the war. Hegseth was annoyed that covering troop deaths would be some sort of distraction. It was as if real people dying made no sense to him and was a PR problem. A distraction?! He referred to reports of the deaths as "fake news," stating, "When a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it's front-page news. I get it, the press only wants to make the president look bad but try for once to report the reality". Mr. Hegseth, service members did not sacrifice their lives to make the president look bad. The president and you represent us not just yourselves. Do you have contempt for the very people you are asking to sacrifice so much?
Leaders know the gravity of ordering people into combat. But Hegseth and others in this administration dismiss the sacrifices of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen and women while seemingly enjoying waging war. It all appears to be like a game to them, with blustering "tough guy" language - reinforced by the White House posting videos that in one case combined "Call to Duty" gaming graphics and hip hop music with real war footage. I was eerily reminded of Hamas or Isis recruitment videos that encourage killing as spiritual sport. Who would think this is fun or a moment to posture or "look tough" while reveling in killing? This is serious and their decisions and attitudes are insulting and disgusting. Real lives are at risk here. We, and they, deserve much more.
War of (Whose) Choice We are spending billions and killing many in a war the American people have yet to authorize let alone understand. War should be the last recourse not the first reflex. This blog will not assess the devastation and unpredictability of war or the decision-making other than to point out that we are at war because the president just decided it was a good idea. That is not how Americans go to war. It is how gangsters go to war.
The administration’s anger and annoyance at the media and the public for daring to ask why, reveals their contempt for their own people. Their children are not in the service, (indeed military service is insulted as something “suckers” and "losers" do), their kids are safe and prospering (even profiting), and it appears they have little concern for other people’s children.
Above: In 1964 President Eisenhower visited the graves of those he ordered into battle at Normandy. He knew what war meant. Had the invasion failed he would have resigned and taken responsibility because he knew what they had sacrificed. "If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone." Feeling the gravity of responsibility to those soldiers, the Supreme Commander broke into tears in 1952: [They] "never knew the fear that grips your insides", then correcting himself, "They knew it. But they went ahead anyway." War is no game. Responsible leaders know the gravitas of their decisions.
Trump did acknowledge the casualties, but in passing, and quickly moved on to tell us that deaths are “likely” and that we will just have to accept more. Get over it, in other words. He then used a Medal of Honor event to talk about draperies and his ballroom for the wealthy. At the dignified transfer of those soldiers whose deaths were annoying, he refused to remove his cap.
Guns or Butter In 1953 President Eisenhower warned, "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed".
We must defend ourselves with the Department of Defense and an effective Homeland Security and find a balance. And yet, the intelligence services have been purged while the president dismisses the fact that the Russians are helping the Iranians potentially target our servicemembers. FBI director Patel has his own personal and self-serving priorities. He fired the counter terrorism experts focused on Iran in the CI-12 squad in an attempt to demonstrate his loyalty to the president over protecting the homeland. Former Homeland Secretary Noem was exposed as corrupt and incompetent. She also directed ICE away from their charge to protect the borders and directed them to attack U.S. cities instead. Thomas Fugate, a 23-year-old, is in charge of combating violent extremism - likely the very threat of Iranian terrorism. His qualifications? He was a Trump campaign worker who interned at the Heritage Foundation.
My Turn We are witnessing the gutting of and purging of our security and government officials because they are not seen as loyal enough to the leader. Senior officials are hesitant to cooperate with each other or to disagree when needed because they do not know if their colleague is loyal to the Constitution or loyal to the president. That is how monarchies and authoritarian systems operate - and fail. That is why democracy, oversight, sovereignty with, of, by, and for the people, is so much better.
We have seen Americans forced off health care, taxes raised as corporations and wealthy benefit, while education and free speech are attacked. It is a massive wealth and opportunity transfer that will continue to destabilize the nation because it is fundamentally anti-democratic. We are less safe, less confident, less happy.
To site, again, the preamble of our Constitution, the statement of what our revolutionary idea is:
We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution...
Our leaders' sovereignty comes from us, we the people. We are not subjects. We cannot betray this noble experiment by ceding our humanity to those who abuse their power.
We are being challenged to reaffirm and maybe even rediscover what our ideals are. We still have elections where our sovereign voice can be heard. That voice is complex and pluralistic.
Kintsugi The Japanese, like so many in our diverse society, have contributed new ideas and other ways of looking at things. This is what strengthens us and gives us resilience. Kintsugi (golden joinery) is an art form that repairs broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. The art, the beauty, is in the repair. The imperfections aren't hidden. The vulnerable places are what you pay attention to. We see the flaws and by doing so build something from the brokenness. This metaphor for beauty is similar to the project of our democratic experiment - bringing vulnerable humanity together. As we are all in need of some sort of repair, it is nice to know that brokenness is not the end. We need to tap into this wisdom and not despair.
There are many breaks in our democratic experiment. Our Republic is cracking but it is not shattered. When we are honest and face the flaws we can build something better.
