Veteran Congressman Slams US Strikes on Iran: ‘Learned Nothing’

US Strikes on Iran Draw Scathing Criticism from Veteran Congressman

In the wake of recent U.S. military strikes on Iran, Democratic Congressman and decorated Army veteran Jason Crow has voiced profound disillusionment, asserting that the United States has “learned nothing” from decades of costly and largely unsuccessful military interventions in the Middle East. Crow, a member of the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, delivered a stark warning about the potential for further escalation and the disconnect between Washington’s actions and the concerns of ordinary Americans.

Echoes of Past Conflicts and ‘Mission Creep’

Speaking on the current situation, Crow drew parallels to past conflicts, highlighting the “20 years of war, trillions of dollars as taxpayer dollars, thousands of American lives, three and a half million combat deployments, and 20 years of largely failed regime change and nation-building efforts.” He expressed deep-seated anger and resentment among the American populace towards “military adventurism,” particularly as the nation faces significant domestic economic challenges. “People can’t afford groceries, they can’t afford homes, they can’t afford to send their kids to school. This is a real problem and they’ve had it and I’ve had it,” Crow stated, emphasizing the perceived misallocation of resources towards foreign military operations while domestic needs go unmet.

“Here we go again, right? Apparently, we’ve learned nothing after 20 years of war, trillions of dollars as taxpayer dollars, thousands of American lives… People have had it. I’ve had it.”

Crow also addressed the assurances from some experts that the current strikes would not lead to a ground war or a broader regional conflict. He invoked the memory of “mission creep” during the Vietnam War, questioning the reliability of such reassurances. “The risk version is we’re in a third long-term war in the region or, God forbid, a regional war with multiple countries,” he warned, underscoring the potential for unintended and dangerous consequences.

Call for Congressional Accountability

The congressman argued forcefully that Congress must “insert itself aggressively into the accountability loop.” He attributed the prolonged and ultimately unsuccessful conflicts of the past two decades, in part, to a failure of congressional oversight. “Congress stopped voting on it. We financed the whole thing largely with debt financing and nobody was accountable. So it just happened,” Crow explained. He pointed out the paradox of achieving numerous “tactical successes” on the battlefield, only to lose the broader strategic objective. “We won every single battle we ever fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, every single tactical battle we won, and then we lost the war.”

Crow, identifying as an “unabashed national security Democrat,” affirmed his willingness to use military force to protect Americans and vital national security interests. However, he stressed that such decisions must be subject to rigorous debate and formal votes in Congress, as envisioned by the nation’s founders. “But that has to be debated, and that debate has to occur, and those votes have to happen in the United States Congress,” he insisted.

Skepticism Over Rationales and Shifting Narratives

Crow expressed deep skepticism regarding the stated rationales for the strikes, noting that the official reasons appear to be shifting. “It’s regime change one moment, it’s some undefined, undescribed imminent threat that, oh, by the way, as a member of the Intelligence Committee and the Armed Services Committee, I should know about already if there is an imminent threat, which makes me deeply skeptical of that,” he stated. He also questioned the justification of supporting the Iranian people through military action, suggesting that more effective non-violent methods exist.

The congressman specifically criticized the Trump administration’s approach, suggesting a focus on power and dominance rather than clear national security imperatives. “I think for Trump, this is about power. He wants to dominate and show he’s in charge and assert power,” Crow observed. He warned that this approach sets a “very, very dangerous precedent” and reiterated the necessity of congressional accountability to prevent a “runaway president” from unilaterally engaging the nation in conflict.

‘Smoke and Mirrors’ and the Human Cost

Crow echoed concerns raised by other experts, including those who have reportedly seen intelligence misrepresented by the administration. “It’s almost zero” credibility, he stated regarding the administration’s current position. He pointed to the administration’s past claims about having “completely obliterated the nuclear program” less than a year prior, contrasting it with the current justification for strikes related to that same program. “None of this makes any sense because it’s not supposed to make sense from the perspective of the Trump administration. It’s all smoke and mirrors,” Crow asserted.

Perhaps most passionately, Crow decried the “cavalier nature” of President Trump and his advisors regarding the decision to engage in military conflict. Drawing from his own experience as a paratrooper and ranger, he highlighted the stark difference between the elites in Washington who “start pounding their chest and banging the war drums” and the working-class individuals who bear the brunt of the fighting and dying. “It’s not them that are jumping in the planes and tanks and picking up rifles. It’s not their kids that are doing it. It’s working class kids like me and the people that I went to war with that have to fight and die and do the tough work,” he declared. He concluded that this disparity “should piss every American off” and underscored the need for such actions to cease, as they do not demonstrably improve the lives of Americans, who are ultimately “left holding the bag.”

Looking Ahead: The Path to Accountability

As the situation in the Middle East remains tense, the critical question moving forward is whether Congress will heed Congressman Crow’s call for assertive oversight and accountability. The debate over the true rationale behind the strikes, the potential for escalation, and the long-term implications for American foreign policy and domestic well-being are likely to intensify. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the U.S. embarks on another protracted conflict, or if a renewed emphasis on congressional deliberation and public accountability can steer the nation toward a more prudent course.

Source: Dem. Rep. and veteran on U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran: 'Apparently we’ve learned nothing' (YouTube)