George Howitt: Donald Trump’s war

Lyndon Johnson fabricated an incident in the Gulf of Tonkin to persuade Congress to support his war in Vietnam.

Goal: Independent South Vietnam

• 57,685 U.S. soldiers killed;

• 153,000 hospitalized, thousands require long-term care;

• Two million civilian deaths; and

• 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers killed.

Duration: nine years

Result: Failure

George Bush used a debunked story of “weapons of mass destruction ” to bamboozle Congress to support his war in Iraq.

Goal: Democratic Iraq

• 4,400 U.S. soldiers killed;

• 33,000 wounded; and

• 183,000 civilian deaths.

Duration: 17 years, ongoing

Result: To be determined

President Trump inherited the Afghanistan, Iraq and Syrian wars from Bush and Barack Obama.

He owns the Iranian war. It began when he withdrew from the Iranian Nuclear Deal (it was working). It turned “hot” when he assassinated a top Iranian commander. He did not have to get congressional approval like past presidents. The Congressional War Powers Act gave him the power to start a war as long as he informed Congress within 48 hours.

The president says he prevented a plot to kill Americans. We may never learn the truth, but I am skeptical. Trump has made 15,413 false or misleading claims since he took office, casting doubt on his veracity.

Goal: unknown

Deaths: unknown

Duration: unknown

Result: unknown

I hope my representatives will demand a repeal of the War Powers Act.

George Howitt, Lewiston