Well, it looks like we’ve done it again. Somehow, our president has unilaterally declared war on another country, plunging America into a military operation that is likely to cost thousands of lives and billions of dollars before it winds down and/or America declares victory, whether real or perceived.
For those of us who are old enough to remember, these recent strikes on Iran feel similar to George Bush declaring war on Iraq in the early 2000s. Clearly, America’s version of freedom and liberation does not translate very well overseas, and this recent declaration and attempted regime change will contribute to the president’s obsession with “winning.” But at what cost, literally or figuratively?
First things first: As mandated quite clearly in the U.S. Constitution, only Congress can declare war. As the role of the president continues to expand, the powers of Congress seem to be decreasing, especially under this president. The expansive role of the executive is the antithesis of the intentions of the framers. They never wanted someone in charge who would think or behave like King George. Sadly, we have devolved into a nation where we not only have an executive who wants to be the sole person in charge — the judge and jury — we also have an entire political party in Congress willing to hand over their powers to an increasingly aggressive president ruling by feelings and not facts.
The president is growing increasingly engaged in his own mental creations and is not being checked by members of his cabinet or party. For example, there is no widespread rampant voter fraud throughout the U.S., in Black-led cities, or in Fulton County, Ga., in particular. He lost the 2020 election and cannot allow his mind to comprehend it.
Somali immigrants in Minneapolis are not engaging in Medicaid fraud, nor is the vast majority of that population undocumented.
ICE agents are not keeping the peace or making cities safer, no matter how many times he repeats that falsehood. And prices most certainly are not down. The prices of food, gas, electricity, housing, and water, to name just a few, have not gotten cheaper. The emotional tariff policies are not working, and hardworking Americans are literally paying the price.
Now that America has dunked her foot in another global attempt at regime change, we must realize that our military bases across the globe will probably be less safe, and the money that could, and should, be going toward infrastructure and education and healthcare will now go toward missiles and helping to “secure the region.”
We have heard this bitter song before, and it sounds just as discordant this time around as it did 25 years ago. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to vote out warmongers and those who support senseless wars.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of the books “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream”; and co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.