If you’ve been scrolling through your social media feed lately, you might have seen your fair share of World War III memes. From draft-dodging to nuclear annihilation, it seems like the Internet can poke fun at almost anything. Ultimately, these memes are a double-edged sword. Although they provide some comedic relief from our strained relations with Iran, they also make light of a long standing conflict that, if escalated, could wipe out millions of people.
The memes came after Trump’s decision to enact a “targeted killing” of Iran’s General of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Qassem Soleimani, without Congressional approval. Many in Congress disapproved of his actions, appropriately suggesting that it was a deliberate distraction from the impeachment trial, and they rebuked him by passing a resolution to limit his presidential authority over actions against Iran. However, the administration justified this decision by stressing that Soleimani posed an imminent threat, which would grant Trump executive authority in this matter. According to them, Soleimani was planning attacks on four U.S. embassies, but the validity of these claims is in question because we have yet to see concrete evidence supporting them. When asked how urgent the supposed attacks could be, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley stated “days, weeks.” This ambiguous wording leaves much to the imagination. Thus, we should step away from the hypothetical immanence and look at the situation at hand.
“Trump’s actions with Soleimani are not an isolated incident, but rather a piece of a larger chain”
In 2013, the Quds force, led by Soleimani, was involved in an assassination attempt against the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Under both the Bush and Obama administrations, Soleimani and his Quds force, an elite section of the IRGC, were designated as terrorists for their involvement with the Taliban and the Syrian General Intelligence Directorate. This man was a war criminal, so I recognize the validity in the Trump administration’s actions. He posed a risk to American citizens, regardless of the disputed immanency, so they took the action they deemed necessary to protect their constituents and make retribution for his past offenses. It’s difficult to sympathize with a man that toyed with the lives of hundreds of people, but we need to put the situation in a broader context. Trump’s actions with Soleimani are not an isolated incident, but rather a piece of a larger chain. Our relations with Iran have been strained for decades, and the issue should be centered around how we can move forward rather than rehashing past conflicts.
“I dispute the notion that escalation is actually placing American lives first. Trump’s ego is put first”
While Trump touts his foreign policy as an “America first” strategy, I dispute the notion that escalation is actually placing American lives first. Trump’s ego is put first. By taking the “Trump” approach and asserting our dominance at any cost, not only are we compromising crucial financial resources, but we are ultimately putting ourselves at risk. We must think long term despite our presently comfortable advantage. As of now, Iran does not possess nuclear capabilities, but they are inching closer. Because Trump pulled out of the Obama era Nuclear Deal, no checks are being placed on this nuclear program. While the assassination itself may not cause WWIII, further acts of aggression, such as targeting cultural sites as Trump proposed via Twitter, may eventually cause unprecedented retaliation from Iran. These short-sighted actions pose a threat to Americans, whether or not a dire threat is immediate. Iran has made it clear that they will not sit idly in the face of American aggression; promptly after the assassination, they executed a strike against American bases in Iraq and shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet that they deemed an American threat. Undeniably, there is blame on both sides, but this eye for an eye method is only causing, and will continue to cause, more carnage.
Luckily, the administration seemingly recognizes this threat and is focusing efforts on deescalation, and no further indications of aggression have been expressed. In a perfect world, we can move towards peace with Iran and reinstate a new version of Nuclear Deal that, if abided by, would secure the safety of millions. So keep making your memes, but as long as we act on Obama’s vision of peace despite a painful history, WWIII is a while away.
