The Need For A Public Conversation On The War In Iran

It’s Coming: Lufthansa Cancels 20,000 Flights

As readers of this blog may know, I have generally remained focused on local issues. The purpose of this site is to improve our city government.

While the war in Iran is clearly a national issue, it is also an issue with profound implications for our city. I have set up an online petition to oppose our country putting boots on the ground in Iran and for this country to de-escalate the conflict (below).

The full economic impact of this war has not yet been fully felt in this country despite the rising cost of gasoline. The rapid expansion of this war threatens the entire global system because it depends not only on oil from that region but also on other raw materials that are critical to farmers, industry, and computer chip manufacturing.

There is already an economic crisis in Asia, but due to the interdependence of global markets, it will spread to America.

The purpose of the petition is to initiate a citywide conversation about the threat this war poses and the need for citizens and their representatives to urge a reconsideration of the continuation of the Iran conflict.

At the end of this post is a link to an online petition.

It’s Not Just Oil

The Middle East is a major source of fertilizer, and must use the Strait of Hormuz to ship the product to world markets. With over two months into this war, the blockage of traffic through the strait by Iran means farmers are already facing rising fertilizer costs just as the planting season begins.

As documented in the following video, the war also threatens the supply of helium, which, it turns out, is critical for many agricultural and industrial applications.

Qatar is a major source of liquid natural gas. Qatar has the world’s largest LNG processing facility. Qatar has had to shut down this facility, radically reducing its availability globally. Even if the conflict were to end today, restarting this facility will take many months. While the most immediate impact will be on Asian countries, the price impact will also be felt here in the US. Countries like South Korea, Japan, and India depend on LNG from Qatar. With the global integration of markets over the last decade, the impact on key trading partners will affect the US.

A Colossal Disaster

Iran has threatened that if the United States and Israel escalate the war, they will target desalination plants, the key facilities that make life possible for the countries that use the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea for shipping.

So, if the regional desalination plants were destroyed, a number of key oil-producing countries would have to literally be evacuated. Some would run out of water in days. It would take many years to rebuild these plants, so their destruction would be catastrophic not only for the citizens of these countries but also for the rest of the world.

As far as can be told, President Trump has no contingency plans for the mortal threat facing the Gulf nations on whom the world depends.

Supporting The Men and Women Of Our Military

For two hundred and fifty years, the men and women of our armed forces have honored their duty by obeying the call of our leaders to risk their lives on behalf of our citizens. On too many occasions, our leaders have abused that trust by ill-considered and politically motivated adventures that needlessly sacrificed our soldiers’ lives. Worse, these wars have too often needlessly continued because our country’s leaders lacked the courage to admit their errors in judgment even when their folly became cruelly obvious.

We seem to have learned nothing from our experiences in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Yet again, we appear ready to risk the lives of our men and women for reasons that remain ever-changing and unclear.

President Trump’s public statements have done little to inspire confidence that this war was merited and that its cost in blood and public resources is worth it. He has failed to lay out a compelling case for such a massive risk. He has continually contradicted himself regarding his objectives. As just one example, he has claimed that, as a country, we do not care about the Hormuz Strait and then threatened annihilation if the Iranians do not open it.

We owe it to our military not only to hold their lives dearly but also to do all we can to ensure that their sacrifices would be truly worth the cost.

A Thoughtful Analysis Of The War In The Context Of The American Military

Lawrence B. Wilkerson (born June 15, 1945) is a retired colonel from the United States Army. Colonel Wilkerson is a veteran of the Vietnam War, where he logged 1100 combat hours as a helicopter pilot. He taught at the Naval War College and served as deputy director and then director of the Marine Corps War College. Wilkerson also served as Executive Assistant to Admiral Stewart A. Ring, United States Navy Pacific Command. Wilkerson served for some years in the United States Navy’s Pacific Command in South Korea, Japan, and Hawaii. General Colin Powell selected him as his executive assistant when Powell was the National Security Adviser to President Ronald Reagan. He went on to serve as General Powell’s Chief of Staff during the Gulf War. He went on to serve as Powell as his Chief of Staff when George W. Bush appointed Powell as his Secretary of State. Following his retirement from government, he has taught at William and Mary College and George Washington University.

Wilkerson is currently a Senior Fellow at the Eisenhower Media Network, a group of former military, intelligence, and civilian national security officials who described themselves as offering “alternative analyses untainted by Pentagon or defense industry ties” and countering “Washington’s establishment narrative on most national security issues of the day.

Wilkerson is a registered Republican.

Beginning A Dialog

The purpose of this petition is to engage this community, through our City Council, in a dialogue about the war and the actions citizens might take to convince Washington to end it.

I know that many of my conservative friends believe that the Iranian regime oppresses its people and needs to be changed. They fear that Iran may succeed in building a nuclear bomb, which would be a threat to Israel, and even potentially to our own country. They hold that the Strait of Hormuz must be opened and only force, not diplomacy, can open it.

Many also believe that the City Council should focus on local issues, and that taking positions on national issues invites toxic public battles.

These are all valid concerns, but given the enormous implications of this war for both our local economy and the lives of those who serve in our military, I have faith in our citizens that a civil dialogue is possible, one that will benefit all of us.

The President’s Remarks

As proof of the need for dialogue, the president’s recent remarks are so disturbingly intemperate that they simply re-emphasize the need for real discussion.

Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day. all (sic) wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait,you crazy basteards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP.

Link To Petition

Click here to sign the petition to be sent to the city council.

19 thoughts on “The Need For A Public Conversation On The War In Iran”

  1. John – I love your blog and always look forward to the next post. But I must wonder why you have not said a word about Sarah Burger’s second drunk driving arrest.

    For a county supervisor to face repeated drunk driving charges and not have a peep from your blog is, I must admit, strange. I am told her attorney delayed trial times so she could narrowly escape the ten-year window that automatically renders her charge a felony. This seems worthy of investigation, or at least comment, from a blogger who prides himself in holding public officials accountable.

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      1. Both charges were pled down. The second drunk driving arrest should have automatically been a felony DWI, but because of the repeated trial delays (which really any competent defense lawyer would do), she was able to get the charged reduced to DWAI. The first charge was also reduced in court from the initial charge of DWI.

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    4. I don’t think the ten year window has anything to do with trial times which are unpredictable but with the time of each incident and this incident was beyond ten years from the last fortunately for her.

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    5. Yea John, stop writing about these terrifying issues that threaten the entire world. Can you instead focus on ad naseum commentary on an already-disposed-of local DWI case so insanely-flawed people in town who are unfit to lead in any capacity can continue their obsession on petty vendettas? The potential for this war to go on and on exposing our soldiers to death while destroying Saratoga’s and the world’s economy and bringing even more unrest – who cares???? Michele and her cronies have a score to settle while they plot for the next campaign, and that’s what’s really important!

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  2. With all due respect this blog is about Saratoga Politics and should stay that way. Everyone knows the dems support the Iranian Terrorist regime and want it to continue as it has for the last 47 years. There is no need to engage the City Council as they have enough to do to run our great little city.

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    1. The GOP pulled out of a nuclear deal, giving Iran permission to do whatever it wanted. Then they whined about enrichment (the obvious outcome of their pulling out), struck and “obliterated” the program that they now say we need to stop, killed their leaders and replaced them with even more dangerous leaders and call it a win. Now the country is more radical than ever and they are too afraid of gas prices to finish the job. They’ll leave the country more radical than they found it and call it a win.

      Republicans have radicalized more Muslims than al-Qaeda. Big guns + small brains make for a dangerous world.

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  3. I am appalled by the comment made by Concerned Saratogian. No, most Democrats do not support the Iranian terrorist regime, nor do they want it to continue as it has for the last 47 years. Most Democrats support moderate Iranians who in the past tended to be less critical of the western democracies than other Middle East countries. Had the US and the UK not toppled the democratically elected leaders of Iran in the early 1950’s and then supported the repressive regime of the Shah, the Islamic Revolution would not have happened 47 years ago. We reap what we sow.

    Many observers predicted that the very old extreme Iranian leaders would eventually pass away leading to a new generation of less radical individuals coming into power. That won’t be happening now that the Supreme Leader has been assassinated by US and Israeli tactical weapons.

    Iran is going to continue to seek nuclear weapon s as long as Israel has nuclear weapons. The best solution would be to have both Israel and Iran get rid of their nuclear weapons programs with strict surveillance of both countries. Even the threat to use nuclear weapons should be considered a war crime. They should have no place in a just world.

    Democratic administrations most definitely have worked to bring about a peaceful end to the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The Trump Administration is taking a very different approach.

    Given the serious world-wide implications of this war as well as the local impacts, I think that the City Council should take a stand on this issue.

    Chris Mathiesen

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    1. Chris – I’ll agree with you…most democrats don’t support the Iranian terrorist regime & you raise a good point about our involvement with the Shah in the 1950’s (though remember, we were trying to blunt the influence of the Soviet Union in that region). I have little concern of Israel having a nuclear weapon as they are a stable democracy, but much greater concern that Iran would develop one. I’m on ‘X’, perhaps you are too. In early February, the Iranian people revolted, and then the regime killed thousands of its citizens. The Iranians want change.

      I don’t think negotiation’s were working. Trumps approach is risky and yes, it’s causing instability as JK pointed out. But what amazes me is that most if not all of the Arab world, especially Saudi Arabia and UAE have allied with Israel. Unthinkable 20+ years ago. I don’t think any locality should take a stand one way or the other. That’s the purview of our Congressman & US Senators.

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    2. The people running the Democratic Party support the IRGC. The likes of Bernie Sanders, AOC, Schumer, Jeffries and the “squad” are squarely against what the Trump administration is trying to accomplish and they are in control of the Democratic Party.

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  4. John, I think it’s great to have a conversation about the war in Iran. I would like to know how other people in the city feel about these issues. However, the city council should be left out of it. The decision to send this petition you describe will be made by five people who frequently aren’t even well informed about simple local issues. Maybe you could suggest something better to do after you gather all your signatures for the petition. Thank you for raising the issue.

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  5. Between the three of them, Saratoga’s political parties have _______ (fill in the blank) # of coherent +/or insightful visions, strategies and policy proposals for the city.

    the Correct Answer to that blank is…. ZERO.

    But you want them to concentrate on national issues, for which no one here has any influence?

    ummmmmmmm OK!

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  6. Hey, Johnny, if you want to inject a national issue that affects Saratoga into the discussion, how about a conversation about ICE abductions in Saratoga Springs? Last summer, the Daily Gazette estimated that over 24 people in this city were picked up and whisked away. Who were they? Where did they go? Were these really ICE agents? Did they have legitimate warrants or IDs? What about due process?

    Last year I sent you a personal eMail with the same questions. Instead of acting on it, you forwarded it (without my permission) to your buddy Commissar Coll, who sent an unsolicited reply to me in which he said (paraphrasing), that as long as their papers were in order, there was nothing he could do about this. Well, isn’t that special!

    And how about the Indivisible ADK marches and protests? In her MS.NOW show on May 4th, even Rachel Maddow posted a photo of pickets outside of the Citizens Bank on West Circular Street (screen shot on request). For the uninformed, Citizens Bank has financial ties to at least two private prison corporations that are housing ICE abductees in disgusting conditions. Were you paying attention? Why does this country have private, for-profit prisons, anyway?

    Summer’s just around the corner. How long will it be before ICE thugs show up on the backstretch, in restaurant kitchens, or on local farms?

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    1. Hopefully sooner than later. Entering our country illegally is a crime. Check the stats on how many Obama deported without a peep from the left.

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  7. The Iran war has both exoteric and esoteric purposes. But the exoteric story isn’t to be believed. It is simply the historical cover for something else, which is a running theme throughout history.

    In the 3rd world war, it was “prophesied” that political Zionism and Mohammedism will mutually destroy each other. The other nations would be constrained to fight on this issue until they are morally, physically, spiritually and economically exhausted. This plan is attributed to Albert Pike, who no doubt will be familiar to many of your readers. I’d say he was pretty accurate, but it’s still early.

    The ulterior motive of the war is to cause a currency collapse. It’s just another step in the process that started in 1913 with the establishment of the Federal Reserve. How do you economically devastate as many people as possible, forcing them into a Beast system of digital currency and social credit? You infiltrate the nations with the US dollar, you remove the gold backing, and then you install the demolition charges on the house of cards – outrageous debt, inflation, credit crises, weaponization of oil, housing prices, etc. Worthless paper money is used in nearly every single nation on earth. Sheer worldwide incompetence or something else?

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