Rich Lowry has argued sensibly that, no, in fact, we did not go to war with Iran for Israel. “Trump runs U.S. foreign policy,” our fearless leader says, “Foreign actors do not run it for him.”

So far so good. But there are distinctions to be observed. Both this military action and Donald Trump’s foreign policy are deeply underwater, according to the polls. Only 40 percent of Americans support military action against Iran, according to Quinnipiac’s poll. Polls show that 80 percent of Israelis support their country’s actions against Iran. If the war is just as much in America’s interest as in Israel’s, why don’t Americans know it?

Our Congress is already arguing that putting 2,500 Marines onto Kharg Island “doesn’t mean ‘boots on the ground‘ (a policy with almost no support).” Just as they argued that, even though we were ending Iran’s 47-year war on us, we weren’t making war on them. This is cowardly, and I think it’s cowardice with bad consequences.

Determined antisemites could, of course, argue that Congress is controlled by the Jews. But, I think one necessary bit of political sanitation is for our government to formally take ownership of its policies. Bringing government closer to home is how you quash the feeling that world events are determined by forces beyond our control, a sort of proto-antisemitism. Doing this also gives people who object to the policy someone to hold accountable, or someone to re-elect. That makes them less likely to search out for alternative explanations for how the world works.

Congress also owes it to the American soldiers, seamen, Marines, and airmen who are putting their lives on the line. Give them the dignity of telling the truth — they are serving in a war. You either approve of that mission or don’t. Stop hiding behind euphemism. Your embarrassment and wish for silence becomes an invitation for nutters to take over the political conversation.

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