War. And Peace?
March 25/26, 2026
“What the fuck you talking about? Of course it fucking matters! The reasons we go to war always matter! It’s all that matters! It fucking matters!”
Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (played by Matt Damon) in the Movie “Green Zone”
After starting a war that he hoped would result in regime change urging the Iranian people to rise up against the ayatollahs without consideration for how many would die, the Trump administration bounced from reason to reason for the war on a daily basis. Sometimes several times a day. Reasons ranged from keeping Iran from getting a nuclear bomb (from the nuclear facilities that he “obliterated”?) to destroying their missile capability to reopening the Strait of Hormuz which wouldn’t be closed if we hadn’t attacked Iran. And more. Far more than can be tracked by any single individual.
And then there are the conditions for peace. First he demanded “unconditional surrender”. Whatever that means. Then they wanted to negotiate but he didn’t want to (because we’d already won). Next he threatened to commit war crimes by destroying their civilian electrical power plants if they didn’t open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours only to extend the deadline by five days because “we’re having productive talks” which Iran denied. Now it seems we are actually talking to them through Pakistan. Yesterday Donald John presented them with a 16 point peace plan — set of demands actually. Today they promptly rejected it.
Now we’re sending elements of the 82nd Airborne to the Middle East (1,000 or 2,000 depending on your source) along with 5,000 or so Marines as Saudi Crown Prince MBS who’s given Jared’s investment fund $Billions urges continuing and intensifying the war. The historic reshaping of the Middle East MBS seeks is Saudi hegemony and he’ll use Trump to get it. Iran a “peace plan” won’t talk to Kushner claiming he’s not negotiating in good faith (they right). The Iranian five-point proposal includes a halt to killings of its officials, safeguards against future attacks on Iran, reparations for the war, the end of hostilities and Iran’s “exercise of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.”
Those demands, particularly reparations and its continued control of the Strait of Hormuz, will be unacceptable to Donald.
And so it goes. Or not.
If you were to resign today as our...well, at least MY...newscaster, I wouldn't hold it against you. If you elect to continue? My gratitude has no limits. I try very hard not to hate this man because my faith urges me to hate no one, to overcome evil. He makes this almost impossible. I reflect on all the wars I've known, all the young men and women lost. I am not a happy octogenarian.
On another equally if not more significant subject, how are you faring, my friend. I learned the hard way that "bouncing back" from illness or injury happens much more slowly at my age. Help your body continue to serve you well. I can vouch for how great that feels, too. Best wishes to you and your lady love.