There They Go Again!

Back in 2016 I made a diary entry at Daily Kos in which I wrote that:

“As a Vietnam era vet I know too well what it is like to lose many of my friends in a needless war. As we celebrate them for their bravery and selfless dedication to this country, we should also honor them by asking ourselves how we can prevent other young men and women from paying the ultimate price for our folly.”

I then went on to list some of the lies used as an excuse for getting us into wars. Many of the classic examples of those lies involve alleged attacks on ships. Who can forget, “Remember the Maine!” Then there was our outrage over the sinking of the Lusitania, and the alleged attack on an American ship that resulted in the Gulf of Tonkin Resolutions and the Vietnam War.

Now we are approaching another Memorial day, and as Ronald Reagan would say: “There they go again!" Donald Trump is acting suspiciously like he is looking for an excuse to start a war with Iran. In addition to sending a large fleet to the Middle East and rumors that Trump is also going to send a large ground force there, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that U.SA. officials said two Saudi oil tankers and vessels from Norway and the U..A.E. were damaged, and that Iran is likely behind the attacks on those ships.

Be skeptical, my friends! Trump is dangerous. He is the master of distraction, and he is showing signs of desperation about what congress and the American people might find out about him. He is responding in part by stepping up his appeal to feelings of victimization and the fear and loathing those feelings engender in his base supporters. We cannot let him get way with it. The threatened exposure of Trump's corrupt behavior by the Mueller report and congressional hearings must not be hidden behind the smoke screen of another needless war. Good people must not be forced to sacrifice their lives to hide Trump's criminal acts or to fulfill his fantasies about being the great leader. It is time for all people of good conscience to stand up. “My country right or wrong.” be damned! The true patriot strives to make his or her country better. Let the diapers covering Trumps ass know that you will hold them accountable for any and all deaths caused by an avoidable armed conflict.

MSNBC just reported that Trump has denied the reports that he is thinking of sending a large ground force to the Middle East. Still the initial report and this latest accusation about attacks on ships are chilling, as is the erratic behavior of a president who lies about everything and seems to know no restraint.