There is a group of politicians and pundits who consistently speak or write in favor of war with Iran. They will accept nothing less. There is another group who come out consistently in support of war with North Korea. How much overlap there is between those two groups I’m not really sure. There is yet another group who never met a war they didn’t like. They’d favor going to war with Nauru if they’d ever heard of it.
One of these days I should write a post and name names. Until that time just keep that in mind when you read this pundit or that pundit making very aggressive remarks about this country or that country. And that war should be a last resort not just another foreign policy tool.
The lobby does shift a bit. Those who were all for going after Syria were less enthused when Obama was president, then in full support when Trump put people in. That said, I think your list would be pretty long since almost every serious pundit supports war as an early choice. I think it would be harder to make up a list of pundits with real national defense cred who routinely oppose war. (One must not appear weak, a fatal flaw in US politics.)
Steve
I’d thought about mentioning those whose support for war waxes and wanes depending on the letter following the president’s name but
a) I think they’re too dreadful to talk about and
b) what can be said about them?
This same list overlaps with the pundits who can easily get op-ed space and are considered “serious” foreign policy analysts.
Does anyone here think Trump is pro-war? I certainly don’t. The war lobby doesn’t own him. Good!
Gray,
Considering he unilaterally attacked Syria with no Congressional authorization, I’d say – at best – the jury is still out.
Also, he’s got Bolton on his staff. Bolton is one of the cardinals of the war lobby.
“One of these days I should write a post and name names.â€
“Bolton is one of the cardinals of the war lobby.â€
Pundits don’t matter. But I think it’s a bit cavalier to make the charge about pols and not name names and make the case.
It’s not cavalier. I only have so much time. Who are the permahawks? John Bolton, John McCain, Lindsay Graham immediately leap to mind.