Today's attack on Iran

This is an illegal war. And it is one whose end, whose cost in lives and treasure, no one can predict.

Only the American people, through their representatives in Congress, can choose to take this country to war.

Because war involves taking enemy lives, losing American lives and committing Americans to foot the bill for whatever flows from a war; because Presidents (of any party) are inherently inclined to commit our country to war; the authors of the U.S. Constitution — the supreme law of our land — vested the power of going to war in the people’s representatives in Congress.

Here’s what happens when we defy the Constitution, refuse to listen to the American people, and begin wars of choice, as President Trump has done today:

Nearly 60,000 Americans died in Vietnam. It cost this country $1.6 trillion (in today’s dollars). More than a million Vietnamese were killed.

More than 2,400 Americans died in Afghanistan. It cost this country $2.5 trillion (in today’s dollars). More than 200,000 Afghans were killed.

More than 4,400 Americans died in Iraq. It cost this country $1.1 trillion (in today’s dollars). More than 300,000 Iraqis were killed.

My hope is that no American is injured or killed in this war. I hope that no more Iranians are killed in this war. I hope that the war concludes very soon. That’s all out of my control.

What’s in our control is doing everything we can to end America’s wars of choice by demanding an end to this one (protesting, speaking out, holding our representatives to account for how they react to what has happened today — including forcing a vote to end this war) and electing people to office who will obey the Constitution and the rule of law and respect the American people — especially our service members and veterans — who have been made to bear the brunt of these wars of choice over the last 60 years.