It has been nearly one month since Trump’s administration, together with Israel, launched a war against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Since the war began, the lies and distortions coming from Trump’s mouth have been nearly endless. He declared war, and then said it’s not a war. He called for the overthrow of the Islamic Republic, and then said he just wanted a “modification” of the regime and its policies. He said the regime was too dangerous to exist because it sponsors terrorism, and then said he’s ready to make a deal. And now, with prices skyrocketing and Trump’s popularity plummeting, Trump has declared victory before any agreement has been made.
The toll of Trump’s war, or “excursion” as he has called it, is already immense. A reported 1,400 civilians have been killed in Iran, including those hit in schools, hospitals, and residential areas. An estimated 17,000 more people have been injured. At least 13 U.S. soldiers have been killed and hundreds more unreported deaths have taken place in Iraq, the Gulf States, Syria, Oman, and other countries.
At the same time, Israel has also launched its own assault on Lebanon. More than 1,000 people have been killed by Israeli strikes and thousands more wounded. Over a million people have been forced from their homes. The Israeli military is taking advantage of this moment to seize territory up to the Litani River, which cuts along the Eastern and Southern parts of the country. Israeli politicians are openly calling for annexation of this territory, using so-called security concerns as an excuse for conquest.
The economic costs of the war have also been staggering. Iran has shut off travel through the Strait of Hormuz, which transports 20 percent of the global oil supply. The consequence is that oil prices have jumped more than 10 percent, to over $100 per barrel, and natural gas is surging in price. However, it isn’t only petroleum products that travel through the Strait of Hormuz. Some 50 percent of urea-based fertilizers are also shipped through the Strait. This means that global food production this year will be severely impacted, leading to more hunger and starvation.
In the U.S., the war is already costing roughly one billion dollars per day, and the Pentagon has requested another $200 billion. U.S. gas prices are now 17 percent higher than before the war. Within two or three months, the impact of gas costs on food prices will start being felt, and by next year, fertilizer shortages will drive prices even higher. No wonder Trump seems to be looking for an exit strategy or pretending the war is as good as over while it continues raging.
In recent days, Trump has claimed that he is in discussions with Iranian leaders to reach a deal to end the war. As of March 24, Trump claimed that a deal was practically reached and that Iran had offered him a “prize,” details of which he wouldn’t disclose. Meanwhile, the Iranian regime denies any negotiations with the U.S. and continues launching missiles and drones at Israel, other U.S. allies, and U.S. bases in the region. Nonetheless, it does seem that negotiations of some sort have begun, and Pakistan has agreed to host Iranian and U.S. officials to discuss an end to the conflict. However, at the same time, the U.S. has ordered 3,000 troops from the Marines’ 82nd Airborne division to the Middle East. The U.S. has also urged the Gulf States to prepare to enter the war. Whatever Trump says, the U.S. is doing nothing to indicate it isn’t prepared to escalate the conflict.
While Trump desperately searches for a way out of this crisis, the logic of events is pulling the U.S. closer and closer to a full military confrontation. The last month of war has proven that the Iranian regime will not collapse, attacking the people won’t inspire them to overthrow the regime, and there is no faction of Iran’s elite ready to sell out the country to the United States. Meanwhile, Iran has been able to throw a wrench in the gears of the world economy. The costs of Trump’s war are becoming clear, especially to Americans whom Trump is desperate to please this election year. Either the administration declares victory and backs down or, worse, the war continues with U.S. boots on the ground.
The arrogant, lying, shameless actions of the Trump administration and its genocidal and equally corrupt partners at the head of the Israeli state cannot be allowed to continue to play their power games with our lives. We cannot let them continue to risk the fate of millions and even billions of people to enrich themselves and extend their power. Trump’s bloody “excursion” has already gone on much too long, and it needs to end now.
