President Donald Trump has committed a high crime–he decided to launch military operations against a foreign leader in Iran that has no governmental ties to the U.S. without congressional approval.
This isn’t his first time doing it either: on January 3rd President Trump launched a military operation in Venezuela to capture Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.
Both cases, but especially the former, are oversteps of his power and violations of the U.S. Constitution, and the fact that he seems to care so little about it drives him into tyrant territory.
WJPS history teacher, Mr. Mengani commented, “Any time two countries cannot come to a negotiated understanding or a negotiated peace, the world is worse off.”
On February 28th, President Trump, along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, commenced airstrikes on Iranian air defense, missile sites and leadership, in what has been called Operation Epic Fury/Operation Roaring Lion. As a result, former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, AKA Ayatollah, was killed, essentially overthrowing the Iranian regime and causing Iranian militia to retaliate.
This attack was completely unnecessary. The U.S. has no right to meddle in Iran’s affairs, since Iran is a sovereign nation.
WJPS 10th grader Nataniel Sosa stated, “I think it shouldn’t have happened, because it’s bringing a lot of countries into the problem and it’s becoming a worldwide issue.”
Civilians in Iran are being killed, Americans are scrambling to get out of the middle east, and so far, 11 U.S. service members have died in the conflict.
America, of course, isn’t unscathed in the conflict either–gas prices are, once again, skyrocketing because of said conflict restricting oil flows in the Persian Gulf, where several key oil importers for the U.S. are located, including Iraq and Kuwait. When gas prices go up, it brings everything up like groceries, clothing and manufacturing materials, because shipping vehicles like trucks and planes rely on gas.
Additionally, the assassination of Ali Khamenei might’ve all been for nothing, since his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is succeeding the former Supreme Leader. If U.S. and/or Israeli strikes also manage to kill him, Iranian senior clerics might elect someone else with similar beliefs.
An ideal resolution to this situation would be for the U.S. to cease all attacks on Iran and for President Trump to be impeached. If that does happen, he should also be tried for his war crimes afterward.
