US Attacks Iran 2026

[JohnH]

I think weeks is optimistic. This is s serious power vacuum in a deeply divided country.

And that's not "our" problem.

Things in both Syria and Venezuela have resolved themselves surprisingly well (you may note that I was opposed to trying to decapitate Assad; in the end he ended up just leaving on his own, and things seem to be getting better there, not worse).

Neither situation is resolved.

Resolved to what? Your satisfaction?

[ohio jones]

“We” don’t need to replace it. The Iranian people certainly can do so though, and have already demonstrated plenty of resolve to do so.

How well did that go in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Of course, part of the irony is that one of the dynamics that fueled the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran was anger over US involvement in a 1953 CIA backed-coup that installed the Shah and authoritarian rule. I’m not sure why things should go differently this time.

And now Reza Pahlavi, the Shah's son, is making the case (in term$ that are $ure to be attractive to Trump) that he should be the next leader. Anything the US does without broad support from the Iranian people (and perhaps even with that support) is going to plant the seeds of future conflict.

[barnhart]

Your ancestors fled for safety to America yet you criticize a people who have suffered horrid deaths under a very evil regime-
My Creator the Scriptures say is a God of War, if we make it through till the time of Revelations, just watch Him.

I recognize God is over war uses it just as he uses famine, earthquake and disease to suit his purposes, but he is continually calling those who have an ear to hear out of war and the systems, cultures and obligations that bind people to war.

I also claim spiritual ancestors in the first century who remembered the voice of Jesus and fled Jerusalem when Rome moved in.

Agreed. But I don’t think or agree with all Anabaptist perspective that God sees servants of their country as evil anymore than those He sent to war as evil. I realize I agree more with other Protestants that don’t see those willing to lay down their lives for others as evil hearted. I’ve known too many oetsonally, some with great faith (like my brother who served, later as a chaplain, and now a pastor). Jerusalem, God was allowing to be destroyed- it was good His people fled at the same time early Christians didn’t always fled from persecution either nor did early Anabaptists I realize. Just difference of interpretations.

I feel misquoted. I never said people in the military are "evil hearted" or "evil". I said God is calling those who have an ear to hear out of war and the systems that produce it.

[Szdfan]

And that's not "our" problem.

Things in both Syria and Venezuela have resolved themselves surprisingly well (you may note that I was opposed to trying to decapitate Assad; in the end he ended up just leaving on his own, and things seem to be getting better there, not worse).

Neither situation is resolved.

Resolved to what? Your satisfaction?

Resolved in the sense that each country has a stable government that has political legitimacy and long-term security. Neither country is clearly there yet.

[JohnH]

Resolved in the sense of stable government that has political legitimacy and long-term security. Neither country is clearly there yet.

Who decides what is "political legitimacy"? The United States government?

[Valerie]

I recognize God is over war uses it just as he uses famine, earthquake and disease to suit his purposes, but he is continually calling those who have an ear to hear out of war and the systems, cultures and obligations that bind people to war.

I also claim spiritual ancestors in the first century who remembered the voice of Jesus and fled Jerusalem when Rome moved in.

Agreed. But I don’t think or agree with all Anabaptist perspective that God sees servants of their country as evil anymore than those He sent to war as evil. I realize I agree more with other Protestants that don’t see those willing to lay down their lives for others as evil hearted. I’ve known too many oetsonally, some with great faith (like my brother who served, later as a chaplain, and now a pastor). Jerusalem, God was allowing to be destroyed- it was good His people fled at the same time early Christians didn’t always fled from persecution either nor did early Anabaptists I realize. Just difference of interpretations.

I feel misquoted. I never said people in the military are "evil hearted" or "evil". I said God is calling those who have an ear to hear out of war and the systems that produce it.

Ok, I’m sorry, I just assumed that’s how Anabaptist see those who serve their country whether in the military service, police or other situation where their job requires them to be prepared to use their weapons. There are those who feel called out yes, I’ve heard others feel they were called to serve and that is because they don’t interpret the same Scriptures the same way.

[JohnH]

Ok, I’m sorry, I just assumed that’s how Anabaptist see those who serve their country whether in the military service, police or other situation where their job requires them to be prepared to use their weapons. There are those who feel called out yes, I’ve heard others feel they were called to serve and that is because they don’t interpret the same Scriptures the same way.

For the record people in my own circles do not generally view them that way.

[Valerie]

Ok, I’m sorry, I just assumed that’s how Anabaptist see those who serve their country whether in the military service, police or other situation where their job requires them to be prepared to use their weapons. There are those who feel called out yes, I’ve heard others feel they were called to serve and that is because they don’t interpret the same Scriptures the same way.

For the record people in my own circles do not generally view them that way.

Thank you, good to know.

[Bootstrap]

I have no idea what the "day after" plan is. For that matter, I still don't know what the "day after" plan is for Venezuela. But that's what matters. The Pottery Barn principle is relevant: "You break it, you bought it." What are we going to leave behind in the long run?

The U.S. hasn’t “bought” anything.

This operation basically amounted to finally letting Israel deal with an adversary that’s been busy calling for their destruction and funding Hamas and Hezbollah for years, in between selling arms and drones to Russia to rain down terror on Ukraine.

“We” don’t have to interfere or do much of anything, other than observe that if whoever runs Iran keeps lobbing missiles at their neighbours… eventually those people might strike back.

I disagree. If the United States creates the conditions for chaotic violence, the United States bears responsibility for the foreseeable consequences.

I don’t think it’s realistic to assume that ordinary Iranians can simply organize, overcome the Revolutionary Guard, and peacefully take over the government. And if we look at Afghanistan, Libya, Egypt, Iraq, etc., what happened in those places is certainly one likely outcome here. War is chaotic, we simply do not know what will happen, but history gives us lots of examples of things that are reasonably likely to happen.

In general, do you believe that people and nations bear moral responsibility for the result of what they do? I think that's what the Pottery Barn principle means.

[JohnH]

I disagree. If the United States creates the conditions for chaotic violence, the United States bears responsibility for the foreseeable consequences.

The U.S. has not created the conditions for chaotic violence. Israel did launch the attacks.

The U.S. did catch return fire with a few casualties when Iran decided to simply fire missiles at random countries ranging from Oman to Qatar to Abu Dhabi & Dubai in the UAE to Saudi Arabia.

In general, do you believe that people and nations bear moral responsibility for the result of what they do?

I don't think the U.S. has much of a responsibility to "Iran" at all. The U.S. has been putting pressure on Israel for a long time not to attack Iran. The U.S. let off on that pressure. I do not see how this is an American responsibility at all.