CounterPunch Exclusives

CounterPunch Exclusives

Chekhov, the Military Budget, and Endless Wars

After the 2024 election, the White House website described what it called Donald \Trump’s “mandate,” beginning with “putting a stop to endless wars.” Nevertheless, on Feb. 28, the United States and Israel began an unprovoked war with Iran by bombing strikes that not only destroyed military targets but killed thousands of Iranians, including the country’s Supreme Leader and much of its other leadership as well as many civilians. A first day strike on a primary school reportedly killed 170 children. Trump then threatened to destroy an entire civilization if Iran did not capitulate.

When the war began, Trump released a video stating that his goal was “eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.” He laid out five specific aims: destroying Iran’s missiles so they are “totally obliterated;” “annihilate their navy;” eliminate Iran’s “terrorist proxies”; “ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon;” and to the Iranian people, “the hour of your freedom is at hand.” Asked by the New York Times on March 2 how long the war would take, Trump responded “we intended four to........

© CounterPunch