Middle East

The decision of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu to wage war on Iran is causing a major political split.

The fact that Trump and his Cabinet did not consult with Congress up front and ask for backing through the War Powers Act of 1973;

that Trump has lied about the so called “imminent” threat Iran presented to American national security;

that Trump and his Cabinet chose not to be interviewed by news media this weekend after the first day of military action;

that Trump has totally reversed his former stand against getting involved in military interventions as a critic of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars in the past;

that anger is rising among the general public, as early polls show only 25 percent of those polled support the intervention;

that Trump seemed not to have much empathy about the loss of life of military personnel, when he personally avoided military service by claiming “bone spurs”;

all this and more is creating a major political crisis that is unlikely to go away anytime soon, and the prospect of greatly increased oil prices as a result of the widening Middle East War, with other nations in the area being drawn into it, adds to the complicated crisis.

Already, within his party, Trump has angered Kentucky Senator Rand Paul; Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie; former Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene who was a MAGA supporter, and also, commentator Tucker Carlson, and this is just the beginning, in less than 48 hours after the war has begun.

At the same time, while most Democrats are opposed to the war, some are supportive, causing a split in that political party as well, including

Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania
Congressman Jared Moskowitz of Florida
Congressman Tom Suozzi of New York
Congressman Greg Landsman of Ohio
Congressman Henry Cuellar of Texas

The fact that some Democrats are supportive of the war means when and if a War Powers Resolution comes up for a vote, it could undermine the ability to gain a majority of support for such action.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made clear on Monday morning, the third day of the war, that there would be no holding back on the war effort, creating a likely constitutional crisis as Donald Trump and company pursue their goals in league with Israel, despite the fact that diplomacy was in process, and had not been given a full chance to work.

So the image of Donald Trump, “The Dove”, which caused many MAGA Republicans in the voting population to support him in 2024, is in tatters.

A major political division is likely to grow wider as the war continues, without any assurance of avoiding disarray in an area of the world notable for instability.

That only complicates the issue of what will happen politically in the Midterm Elections of 2026 and the Presidential Election of 2028.

And the announcement by Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom that the British government is not in support of the war, and believe in a negotiated settlement, is a stunning blow to the mission pursued by Trump and Netanyahu. It is highly unusual, that our closest ally in Europe would come out openly in the House of Commons and criticize and refuse support of the war effort.

Donald Trump has made clear in his press conference that there is the possibility of ground troops being sent into combat in the Middle East if that is seen as necessary.

So it seems potentially possible that America could be engaging in what will become a major long term conflict, similar to what occurred in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq, further dividing and complicating American politics in the near term and long term!