Local veteran concerned that U.S. strike against Iranian general could have negative reaction

Editor:

The US has just made a terrible mistake by killing Suliemani. Don’t misunderstand me. Suliemani was a brutal thug who commanded a terrorist organization, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and he deserved to die.

But not by the hands of the US. It is inconceivable that Iran will not strike back and they will strike at the softest American targets they can find – embassies, consulates, American NGO offices around the world, possibly cruise ships.

And this will be on the head of the presidential candidate who wanted to withdraw from the Middle East. Who just this last New Year’s Eve said he wanted peace with Iran. What I find to be most depressing about this killing is that I believe Trump has done this mostly just to fight his impeachment. He doesn’t care about the Iranian threat but he loves having an enemy he can point a finger at. It’s classic demagoguery.

The demagogue then accuses all who do not slavishly follow the party line  of being traitors. Trump will say he needs all his energies to fight the Iranian threat and that the impeachment efforts will drain his energies. And therefore the impeachment efforts are the work of traitors.

Just so you know, I’m not anti all wars. Most yes, particularly Vietnam and the second Gulf. First Gulf War likely was justified. Saddam Hussein was after the bomb and likely would have used it.

I’m 80 and served in the USAF from early 1959 to late 1962. I was stationed in Florida where I worked on the F102 fighter interceptor’s missile systems. Our planes played a major part in the Cuban missile crisis. My experience there was written up in the “Buffalo News” weekly series on vets. It was in Jan 2018, as I recall.

After that I worked for four years for the US Navy’s top research laboratory. Then 15 years for NASA in its heyday. Lastly for the US Weather Service where I helped them computerize. In retirement I have a used & rare book business. I read a lot about political and military history.

Dennis Seekins

Lyndonville