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Letter to the Editor: Trump should lead by example

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Editor,

On Jan. 3 President Donald Trump ordered the assassination of Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike that killed him in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. Although it is the U.S. Congress that has the war-making powers, Congress and the American people were the last to know until it became too apparent through media coverage.

This unilateral action was not the first controversial act by Trump given that he pulled out [of] the Iran Nuclear Deal that was negotiated by former President Barack Obama and a group of world powers known as the P5+1: the U.S., U. K., France, China, Germany and Russia. Prior to the pull out, Iran’s alleged efforts to develop a nuclear weapon were not believed by the international community.

Now, the five-time draft dodger Donald Trump has summoned the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, N. C. with 3,500 troops being deployed. Within 18 hours of notification, they were on their way in support of U.S. national interests in the Middle East. The Constitution was written reflecting the founders’ belief that war should be difficult to enter and since 1789, Congress has declared war eleven times.

Historically, a wartime president is handed a second term and 2020 is an Election Year come Nov. Third. The question that should be asked is what is in the best interests of our nation, given the fact that Trump had no strategic plan, zero diplomacy and no exit strategy in spite of his 2016 campaign promises to end “the Endless Wars” and bring our troops home.  Although Trump did pull U.S. troops out of Northern Syria, he abandoned our Kurdish Nation Allies. That left the region to be occupied by Russian troops who now fly their flag at the outposts our troops fought for and paid [for] with their blood.

Presently, there are 13 U.S. military bases in Iraq which have been on full alert since the occupation begin (sic) under former president George W. Bush in March 2003 under the false narrative of Iraq having “Weapons of Mass Destruction.” When the Bush Iraqi invasion began, America was not alone and had the “Coalition of the Willing” that consisted of 30 countries that assisted the U.S. military, similar to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that consists of 29 member states from North America and Europe.

Now that Qassem Soleimani has been made a martyr, Iran has vowed “Harsh Revenge” and the anticipated retaliation remains to be seen aside from their recent rocket attacks. Terror organizations like ISIS, Hezbollah, al-Qaida and other proxy allies of Iran will answer its call for American blood world-wide.

With the recent Iraqi Parliament Resolution expelling U.S. troops out of their country, Donald Trump’s “Call for War” is now being answered across America’s military recruitment centers and it would “be best” if Trump led by example and sent his Anchor Babies (Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka Trump) and the MAGA crowds to the front lines before any other American Son or Daughter.

Mervyn Tilden
Gallup, New Mexico