A reckless war on Iran is unfolding, and four officials briefed on the strikes voiced sharp internal doubts. They said classified briefings offered no clear vision for victory or what comes next. One official said the administration lacks a real rationale and an aftermath plan. Another said leaders simply want to bomb Iran until it seems less threatening, so long-term meaning gets ignored. Officials predicted consequences could last decades, and they feared the U.S. would inherit new enemies because anger hardens over time.
Shifting Goals and Talk of Endless Conflict
Internal criticism surged as Donald Trump hinted the war could last “forever,” despite past vows to avoid forever wars. He also floated installing a puppet government and compared it to Venezuela. Trump said “leaders can be picked,” and claimed he must help choose them. In private briefings, officials said Secretary of State Marco Rubio framed U.S. aims as tactical degradation of Iran’s military power. He suggested support for Iranian democracy might come only if an opening appears, but no promise exists. Trump also urged an uprising, but officials said Washington offered no firm backing.
Historic Blowback and Legal Questions Resurface
Officials warned the conflict could echo the 2003 Iraq War because they see illegality, poor planning, and years of instability ahead. One source linked today’s crisis to the 1953 coup against Mohammad Mossadegh, which helped set conditions for the 1979 revolution. Trump referenced post-1979 killings, but an official said Iranians remember earlier U.S. actions, and that memory shapes retaliation. The report also described the targeted killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and noted an assassination ban embedded in Executive Order 12333. The White House did not answer questions about legality or rationale, and officials said explanations for the war kept shifting.
Civilian Harm Grows as Supporters and Detractors Clash
U.S.–Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people in Iran since Friday, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, and they wounded hundreds more. Reports include more than 170 deaths at an elementary school in Minab. Advocates warned that internet blackouts and heavy strikes in populated areas could mask a higher toll, so the harm may be far greater. They also said Iranian strikes hit civilian infrastructure, closing airspace and disrupting livelihoods across the region. Detractors call the reckless war on Iran ill-planned and generationally destabilizing, but supporters argue that killing top leaders and degrading forces can reduce threats quickly and deter future attacks.
Sources Briefed on Iran War Say U.S. Has No Plans for What Comes Next
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