Dear friends and readers,
REALLY?
Hard to imagine the snarky comments all over the news channels about why OR why not we (USA) have not bombed the crud out of Iran (ancient Persia) because of (IRANS) huge attack this week on Saudi Arabia's oil refinery. Which by the way does effect oil prices throughout the entire world.
So lets be clear here; As a writer I try to stay away from politics altogether. So for the purpose of this article, I don't really care if you love President Trump or if you hate him. Lets get past last names and personalities for goodness sakes and just look at the "BIG CHAIR" and the responsibilities that go with it.
The issue is---do we start another war or do we as a nation take another shot to the chin by a thoroughly nasty regime run by religious fanatics who have sworn to wipe Israel, the United States and virtually all non believers in Islam off the worldwide map?
Yes, Yes there are good peace loving Muslims. No, No we should not EVER categorize all members of any faith as either good or bad. I have learned as a Pastor that we in Christianity have a few nasty critters running around also from time to time although most are peace loving people.
Now that, THAT is cleared up, lets talk common sense about Trump's attitude about this latest act of aggression from the leadership in Tehran. And why is the President being blasphemed now? Because he is apparently waiting patiently to get ALL the facts before he (as Commander in Chief) pulls the trigger.
QUESTION?
Would you rather have a President (regardless of last name or party affiliation) who jumps immediately into another war? Or one who is careful to examine all the evidence before acting?
Because if you think that Iraq 1 and 2 not to mention Afghanistan were a mistake??? Just remember that Iran's army numbers about (2017 figures) 534,000 plus another 125,000 IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) and an annual military budget of over 14 Billion dollars not including it's nuclear programs. Huge right? But that is not the entire story.
Iran has also CONSISTENTLY attempted to gain a military foothold in Syria (just to Israel's north), supports and funds the terror organization, Hezbollah in Lebanon (also on Israel's border). And Hezbollah boasts THOUSANDS of rockets and missiles, all pointing at Israeli cities and military installations. Iran also arms another terror organization called Hamas who have taken military and political control of the Gaza strip---sending hundreds of rockets into Israel each year. But that is not all. Iran also sponsors another terrorist organization in Yemen (south if Saudi Arabia) who are called the Houthi's. Saudi Arabia and the Houthi's have been locked in war for over 10 years.
Right across the Persian Gulf from Iran is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have a somewhat smaller standing army but ranks as number three WORLDWIDE in annual defense spending with over 69 BILLION dollars. So what's the problem? With that kind of hardware the Saudi's should be able to make quick work of Iran for destroying it's oil refinery which by the way is reported to be the largest in the world, taking out of production 5.7 MILLION barrels of oil per day.
Many people do not know that the Middle East and surrounding areas contain 65 Muslim controlled countries that stretch from West Africa to South East Asia. Those countries have basically two different sects of Islam. SUNNI and SHIA or SHIITE. Although all of them are Muslim these two different sects DO NOT get along. In fact in many instances, hate each other even more than they hate non Muslims in Europe and the United States. Even more so is a common, violent, virulent hatred for all things Israel.
Do you remember the old adage "I can hate my brother and call him names---BUT YOU CAN'T"?
So the real question is---what kind of war would it take to unite the entire Muslim world against any kind of aggression whether justified or not? What does that look like in real terms? 1.8 BILLION Muslims potentially united in war. And you wonder why Trump is being cautious?
KUDOS for a strong but cautious leader.
President Trump is getting blasted on several fronts about a potential conflict between the Saudi's and the Mullahs of Iran. On the one hand are the war hawks who want Trump to "FRAG" Iran until it is reduced to a huge parking lot. Frag by the way is a military term for "BLOW UP!
On the other hand, are those who are claiming he is weak because he is waiting to see what the Saudi's have determined to do about this attack. I even heard a female congresswoman today claim that Trump is nothing more than a "pimp" for the Saudi's. WHY? Because he is allowing time for them to decide what kind of retaliation is called for.
Well guess what? Yes, we most certainly do have a very large stake in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia. Including significant US military assets in that country. And a potential worldwide oil crisis. But the fact remains that it was another sovereign nation that was directly attacked, not the mainland USA or a direct hit on a US military installation.
IT IS THE SAUDI'S WHO HAVE THE RIGHT OF FIRST CHOICE!!!
And accordingly, Trump is correct in waiting to find out what the Saudi's intend to do about this act of war by Iran. Then and only then will the US military command take action in support of the Saudi's, if at all. In the meanwhile the President is layering crippling economic sanctions on Iran for their bad behavior. That is NOT a case of a leader "sitting on his hands"!
So back to the original question? Would you rather have a President sitting in the "BIG CHAIR" who has maximum strength at his disposal but who is being cautious about the potential for another world war? Or would you rather have QUICK DRAW McGRAW as Commander in Chief?
Personally, I know that any kind of new war in the Middle East is a prescription for not only failure but unmitigated disaster.
If I were the "school marm", I would grade the Presidents reaction to this attack---so far with an A+.
God bless,
Pastor Rance.
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