The Trump regime is beating the war drums again. Iran is being labeled a major “threat” to our security by President Donald Trump and his trigger-happy policy advisers, John Bolton and Mike Pompeo. U.S. officials claim that the Iranians are preparing for attacks on U.S. forces, which they use to justify the dispatch of a powerful naval force to the Persian Gulf, while bandying about the possibility of sending 120,000 U.S. troops to that area.

Just how real is this “threat”? The article, “U.S. claims of threat from Iran are disputed” (Star-Advertiser, May 15), provides a needed dose of reality. For one, the article quotes a high-ranking British general in charge of fighting the Islamic State, who tells us “there’s been no increased threat.” Also quoted in this article is the British foreign secretary warning that this aggressive U.S. military buildup is increasing “the risk” of war starting by “accident.” And wars, we know from history, do indeed start by “accident.”

The conversation needs to begin: If things escalate, how can we citizens halt this slide into a major war?

Noel Kent

Manoa

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