‘How Much Did Killing Suleimani Cost Us?’

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/08/opinion/us-iran-trump.html

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The conflict between the United States and Iran has inspired a stream of commentary from our readers. Many feared the possibility of an impending war, while others defended the president’s choices in the name of national security. In all, thousands of readers from around the country raised passionate voices in response to Opinion’s coverage.

Some of those comments are below. They have been edited for length and clarity.

When I was in Iran in 2016, the people — especially young people — had so much hope for the future. The nuclear pact was in place, sanctions were to be lifted, other countries would begin to do business with Iran again. And then came Trump. He destroyed the pact and set the United States on a path to destroy whatever negotiating power we had. And then, of course, he alienated our allies.

Trump’s way of operating is to create chaos and uncertainty, and then step in to take action as a heroic gesture of sorts. Trump is a fool. More than that, though, he is dangerous to the well-being of our country. — Dee, Los Angeles

The U.S. is just unable to move past the 1979 hostage event, so traumatic because it shattered our fragile egos and made us feel powerless. And for that, no matter what Iran tries to do to normalize relations, Americans older than 40 will force the situation into conflict.

Remember when Iran offered their help in the weeks after Sept. 11, just before being lumped into the “axis of evil” by Americans who couldn’t figure out the difference between Shiite and Sunni sects? — Michael

I’m mad that people keep telling my generation that we have been spoon-fed everything, that we are a bunch of whining, avocado-eating moochers. We are the generation that is paying off the recession bailouts and will have to pay for the catastrophic climate policies. We are the ones gifted with hand-me-down debt and zero access to the tools to fix a broken economy. We are the ones who are going to have to clean up this steaming, rank, miles-high and billions-wasted pile of diplomatic and national security mess.

But most of all we are the generation whose friends, classmates, roommates, cousins, siblings, whose very selves, have died in the Middle East for the past two decades. I didn’t want to go to war when I was a student. I couldn’t stop it. I don’t want to keep going to war. And I’ll do what I can to see that it ends. — SL, Indiana

Destroying a military base while carefully avoiding killing anyone is smart. It allows Iran to save face and show their strength, but without giving the U.S. an excuse to continue to escalate without looking like the bad guys. — April, Texas

Trump could be making a brilliant chess move, but only if the next 20 moves have been well thought out in advance, which certainly is not his style. We can only hope that the professionals in the military and foreign service — exactly the people that Trump disdains — have done their homework. — Class Enemy, United States

Worse than war is the near certainty that Iran will be a nuclear power soon. It is imperative that the U.S. and Iran act diplomatically to settle differences now before there is further escalation and more bloodshed. The future threat of nuclear weapons unleashed in the Middle East overwhelms other considerations. Let us return to the 2015 nuclear accord, lift sanctions against Iran and treat Iran not as an enemy but as any other nation. Iran’s burden is to do the same with the U.S. We must erase 40 years of discord however we can. — Harold, Bellevue, Wash.

I am no fan of this president. He’s foolish and dangerous, for many reasons. But I am continually astonished at the lengths some people will go to to vilify everything he does. Trump brings it on himself because he’s so easy to dislike, but killing an enemy who kills Americans is an easy decision. Letting him live when you could have done something about it would have been the greater evil. — Mike, Pennsylvania

There is a real possibility for Iran to have a true leadership role in that area of the world in the future, although it is difficult to see that under the current leadership. I do see a young, educated population yearning to be part of the world at large and that doesn’t want their resources spent on militias and terror groups anymore.

The U.S. is in a position to finish Iran with minimal casualties in the region. Economic warfare with a military shield is a devastating combination. Iran’s theocratic leadership can easily see its end of days, depending on its choices. — Mark, Texas

When a Democrat proposes universal health coverage, the first question is always, “How much will it cost and how are you going to pay for it?” So I ask: How much did killing Suleimani cost us? Not just the drone and rockets, but the man hours for planning and executing it, and then beefing up security at the Baghdad embassy and every military installation in the Middle East, bringing in new troops and relocating others.

How will the Suleimani operation and its consequences be paid for? By taxes, of course, and deficit spending with interest on borrowed money. I know, I know. It’s all worth it for “national security.” — Abigail49, Georgia

An old woman now, I vividly remember hearing John F. Kennedy speak to the nation during the Cuban missile crisis. The radio broadcast his speech into a cafe just off the Duke University campus, one popular with undergraduate boys. It was usually so lively you could not hear yourself think. That night the silence was deadly. What was alive was the aura of fear as each young man imagined his life changing from student to combatant. Fortunately for all, Kennedy pulled us back from that brink. — TX reader, Austin, Tex.

Whether Suleimani was overrated or not is immaterial. He was Iran’s warrior and we assassinated him. That makes him a martyr and a reason to go to war. Iran is not Iraq. If there is a war, it won’t be without heavy human cost. For what? — Rima Regas, Southern California

Any concerns Trump may have had about national security when he took this reckless action were secondary to his need to appear strong and to divert attention from the impeachment drama. It is all about him. General Suleimani was certainly a bad actor in the Middle East and our enemy. But Trump is also a risk to our national security. — Bernardo Izaguirre, M.D., San Juan, P.R.

Mr. Pompeo says that Americans are safer with Suleimani dead, but adds that 3,500 more troops are going to Iraq and that Americans should leave there and every American installation in the area.

I don’t feel safer in the United States. This was a hasty and politically inspired decision. Two other administrations felt that taking out Suleimani would not make America safe. I trust them more than this “do what is expedient” administration. — Janet Michael, Silver Springs

When I joined the Army Medical Reserves, I swore to defend the Constitution, not the president. The current occupant of the White House is rogue and not in a good or spirited way. Also incompetent, ignorant and absolutely unstable. I say this while keeping in mind that “supporting the troops” or “supporting the country” does not entail supporting illegal executive actions that only hurt the country. — Ilene Bilenky, Ridgway, Colo.

Compiled with the assistance of Kari Haskell and Marie Tessier.

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