By Carol Lucas
Exactly when did our sense of angst begin to escalate on a daily basis? Was it one specific happening, or maybe a group of incidents that said to us, overtly or subtly, “This isn’t life as we know it or want it.”
Was it when we were forced to watch in disbelief as 47 pardoned every jailed insurrectionist who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, injuring and ultimately killing Capitol police? Or did it come later with the hiring of ill-trained, masked thugs to become ICE agents who were responsible for the deportation of many American citizens? Citizens!
Throughout the country, ICE troops were sent to deal with “the worst of the worst.” At no time were they requested by the city mayors or the state governors. Citizens congregated to protest; No Kings Day was declared more than once.
These were questions I asked myself as I sat brainstorming for a topic this past sunny, Saturday afternoon. Everything seemed so “normal” as I looked from my office out onto the golf course. Yet I knew my view belied the state of our country, and more accurately, that of the world.
I knew war was raging halfway across the globe and that America’s so-called leader had plunged us into this chaos. I thought immediately of those who had already perished: reports first of three, soon to be upped to six, and then news of a downed fueling plane carrying six more of our military.
As of [Friday], the toll climbed to 13, and the news of 5,000 troops being sent to the Middle East solidified that, indeed, we are entrenched in a war with Iran.
The question that immediately comes to mind is why Iran? Has it been confirmed that this country poses a threat? Were we not in negotiations with their representatives regarding their nuclear program?
On Friday, 47 told Fox News Radio he is considering taking control of Kharg Island: “It’s not high on the list, but it’s one of so many different things, and I can change my mind in seconds.” Note: We sadly learned (after my writing this), that indeed he did.
So, do we file that remark under cogent planning, right along with, “The war will be over when I feel it in my bones?”
Then there is the input from Pete Hegseth. He lashed out at reporters at a press briefing, slamming “fake headlines” about the war and claiming “we’re dealing with” the Strait, adding “you don’t need to worry about it.”
No need to worry, Pete? Surely you jest!
Many professionals who are observing what is unfolding at a pace not anticipated seem to agree with this premise: the primary danger lies not in an intention to wage war, as such, but in the structure of the approach taken by 47: high-stakes psychological escalation without a clearly defined idea of where to stop or what comes next. From the outset, the policy has not aimed at full-scale war but at maximum pressure — combining a large naval and air buildup with public threats and contradictory messages mixing threats of force with calls for negotiation. (USA News Today)
Numerous reports suggest that Gen. Dan Keane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned in internal deliberations about the dangers of launching a major military operation against Iran. Chief among them is the risk that an attack extends into a long-term conflict that would be difficult to contain. (USA News Today)
So back to the questions posed earlier — combined, they become one big question: where are we as a country right now at this very moment?
We have an economy that is staggering at best. We still have the lingering shadow of ICE, always at the ready. And we are fully engaged in a war abroad.
Here at home we have a daily plunge of the DOW, a continued soaring of gas prices, and troops returning home in coffins. The latter are greeted by a president in a ball cap (probably made in China) touting America. Sadly it is not even removed in deference.
How credible are we in the eyes of the world? I guess it depends upon whom you ask, but from all I have been able to glean, some countries that were deeply committed to the U.S. have taken a step back. Some even see us as a liability, rather than an asset.
We have intruded ourselves into a region that is fragile. The politics there are tenuous at best. Some want to blame Israel, and I understand that. However, we could have declined; we should have, but we didn’t.
As so many love to say, “You can’t make up this stuff.” I have cleaned it up for those with delicate sensitivities … but I digress.
Carol Lucas is a retired high school teacher and a Lady’s Island resident. She is the author of the recently published “A Breath Away: One Woman’s Journey Through Widowhood.”