Iran Situation

[Benton]

(01-18-2020, 01:19 AM)bfine32 Wrote: I have no doubt that you, Fred, and many Iranians consider it an Act of War. 

Is that even debatable?

Soleimani was assassinated. He wasn't killed in battle, he wasn't killed resisting detainment. From the sound of things, he wasn't even killed to prevent a known attack against the US. There's a handful of questions on legality there, but I don't see how there's any question that it was an act of war. 

I think it falls under the same kind of logic as getting punched in the nose. The one getting punched can call it assault or chose not to; the one punching can't say it was just involuntary nasal reconstruction.

And, to most people, it doesn't matter. I think most people realize Solemaini was a killer and the Iranians don't seem to have any issue killing Americans. But it does matter to our allies. If we allow the POTUS to go around randomly assassinating people, then we potentially bring those allies into conflict, too. Which makes it harder to maintain those relationships. And those ties should be what we're working toward, not severing. Our national debt is approaching levels they don't have names for, largely because we're cutting taxes and engaging in more fighting; having allies working to deal with problems like Soleimani is more effective than hoping Joe the Plumber can work the next 50+ years to afford the bombs we used.