The death, destruction, and chaos seen since Trump started this ill-advised and poorly planned war were entirely predictable. It is why previous presidents have refused Israel’s attempts to drag the U.S. into a regime-change war with Iran. With thousands dead, many more injured, and millions displaced, the situation will almost certainly get worse unless a diplomatic solution can be found. Far from helping Iranians or Americans, Trump’s war of choice has…

1.) strengthened domestic and international support for Iran’s oppressive regime.

2.) increased resentment towards the U.S. while destroying its credibility as a negotiator.

3.) damaged the global economy and strengthened Putin’s Russia by increasing oil prices.

4.) weakened international law by normalizing attacks on smaller countries by larger ones.

5.) killed or wounded thousands of civilians including those at that elementary school in Minab.

6.) cost American lives and has made Americans far less safe and secure at home and abroad.

7.) caused Gulf states to question the value of their alliance with and investments in the U.S..

8.) exposed the limits of U.S. power providing valuable insights to its geopolitical rivals.

9.) encouraged Iran to seek nuclear weapons to provide deterrence against future attacks.

10.) set back the Iranian people’s hard-fought progress towards freedom and democracy.

Furthermore, the tens of billions of dollars being spent on this war of choice could have and should have been spent building schools, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure, not on destroying them. With that said, we must not allow U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East or elsewhere to be determined by Israel or any other country, and we should vote out any politicians that seem more concerned about the state of Israel than they are about the United States of America. If a candidate claims the U.S. has a “biblical responsibility” to Israel like U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) did recently, then they should seek public office in Israel, not in the U.S..