It’s “Just” War, Right?

 

“Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity."

 (George Carlin)

“All wars are fought for money.”

(Socrates)

 

“In all wars the object is to protect or seize money, property and power, and there will always be wars so long as Capital rules and oppresses people.”

(Ernest Friedrich)

 

A friend recently posted on social media the question of “just war” in reference to whatever it is that our president and his lackeys are waging against Iran.  It is a question and argument that has been debated since Saint Augustine stepped forth declaring the parameters of war for Christians and Christianity.  In simplest terms “just war” is a doctrine of military ethics holding that while war is terrible, it can be morally justified if it meets strict, objective criteria—jus ad bellum (right to go to war) and jus in bello (right conduct in war).

 

The discussion he suggested caught my curiosity.  For me the answer was quick and easy—no war is ever “just”.  I don’t believe in war in any shape, size, or form.  War does not fit into my morals, beliefs, or faith.  I understand the struggle against evil and the quandary of addressing it.  Both Deitrich Bonhoffer and Thomas Merton were honest in stating their struggles during the Second World War and how they eventually felt violence was the only solution to its end.  I understand that and have had my fair share of sleepless nights wrestling with the issue.  Still . . . war is wrong.  There is no justification for war.

 

Responses to his inquiry were all over the place . . . from the extreme right and left with everything in between.  There was support of the president and his “conflict” with Iran.  There was also lots of anger and disagreement with the president’s actions and words . . . especially when he threatened to annihilate a whole culture out of existence.  The answers to the question and the discussion quickly devolved into political turf protecting and name-calling.

 

Despite having received a perceived “theological” degree from a theological seminary—a Master of Divinity, I am in no way an expert on theology.  Nor am I an “expert” on “just war”.  At the same time, I am a person who believes that people shouldn’t just believe everything they read or see on social media.  People need to do the work and do the research.  I do.  I also form my own opinions based on that research.  M. Scott Peck writes in his book, The Road Less Traveled, that “sin is laziness” and taking the easy way out.  To avoid that I do my research.  There would be less divisiveness in the world if more people did this.

 

When it comes to “just war”, this is my elementary understanding—right or wrong.

 

Jus ad Bellum.

 

Competent Authority.  “A just war must be initiated by a political authority within a political system that allows distinctions of justice.  Dictatorships or deceptive military actions are typically considered as violations of this criterion.”  According to our nation’s governing document, the Constitution, it is Congress that holds the power to declare war.  It requires a joint resolution from the House of Representatives and the Senate, that once approved must be signed by the president. (Article I, Section 8)

 

Using this understanding, my first argument would be that no “competent authority” exists in the military aggression against Iran.  Certainly, one could argue the competency of the president.  Based on the words and actions, the dire state of the nation, and his continued unpresidential and erratic behavior, in my opinion the individual is incompetent. Nor is the Secretary of Defense a competent individual declaring the conflict a “holy war” and inciting made up scriptures out of a popular cult movie, Pulp Fiction.  Throw in the Republican controlled Congress who are frightened of the president and do nothing to represent the people who elected them . . . prime example is the presidential derriere kissing Speaker of the House.  No “competent authority” has been established for the justification of what is happening in Iran.

 

The so-called war on Iran is illegal.  The president did not ask Congress for a resolution of war.  Nor did Congress write and pass a resolution of war.  The president has signed nothing.  There is no Constitutional follow-through.

 

Of course, this is politics and the president we are dealing with could use other means to wage war—AUMF.  This wonderful acronym stands for Authorization for Use of Military Force.  This was created through a joint resolution empowering the president to use all “necessary and appropriate force” against those responsible for the 9/11 attacks.  Since then, successive administrations have broadened the understanding of this resolution and have fallen back on this to initiate military moves against perceived enemies.  The president, the administration, nor the so-called Department of War have attempted to play this card to attack Iran.  It is outright aggression . . . illegal aggression.

 

Probability of Success.  The war must be achievable . . . must be able to be won.  War should not be initiated if there is no chance of winning.  Most experts (civilian and retired military) have stated this is war that is not winnable.  They see it as another Viet Nam.  The war on Iran is not one that can be clearly won.  Though the president boasted victory from day one . . . it has been two months and in an open-ended cease fire . . . and there seems to be no end to this war.  Iran refuses to come to the negotiation table. The president knows that nothing short of nuclear annihilation can win this war.  He’s even stated it through veiled threats of wiping their culture completely out. This certainly does not display competency by our nation’s most powerful leader.

 

Last Resort.  War cannot be declared or wage until all other non-violent options have been exhausted.  Those options include diplomacy, sanctions, and other non-military options.  In other words, anything and everything must be attempted before resorting to violence.  Once again, outside of veiled threats and sanctions, there were few attempts towards coming to a unified agreement.

 

Just Cause.  The reason for declaring and waging war must be “just”.  It cannot be for recapturing things.  It cannot be a punishment.  There must be a good reason, a legitimate reason, a “just” reason . . . and, so far, there hasn’t been a coherent reason given by the president, administration, or the Department of War.  It seems as if the reasons change daily.  The over-arching consensus seems to be on destroying the world’s energy (oil) industry to favor the United States, followed by ridding Iran of their nuclear weapon potential, and lastly freeing the people of their government’s regime.  Bottom line is that war must be declared to protect life.  “Innocent life must be in imminent danger, and intervention must be to protect life.”  There is no “just cause” for this aggression.

 

Jus in Bello.

 

Distinction.  War should be directed towards enemy combatants and not towards non-combatants caught in circumstances that they did not create.  It’s military against military.  It prohibits bombing civilian residential areas and necessary infrastructures that include no legitimate military targets.  This has already been trampled upon in the war as civilian sites were destroyed . . . one being a girl’s school in which 165 female students were killed.  Attacks on infrastructure with no military connection—bridges, power plants, and oil refineries—are illegal and unjust.  The threat of nuclear annihilation is unjust and purely evil.

 

Proportionality.  Combatants must make sure that the harm caused to civilians or civilian property is not excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated by an attach on a legitimate military objective.  At this time the war is focused on holding a nation and its people hostage in the bombed-out ruins of our military actions in hope that they will bend to the will of the United States.  The suffering far outweighs the purpose.

 

Military Necessity.  The attack must be meant to defeat the enemy—it must be focused and not random acts of violence.  The targets must be legitimate military objectives and not schools, hospitals, power plants, and oil refineries.  Harm caused must be minimal to the civilian population and not a decimation meant to psychologically destroy the people.

 

There is no “just war” being wages against Iran.  There is no “holy war”.  The president, administration, Department of War, and Congress have followed none of the laws of our nation or the constitutional mandates for war.  The war has not met any of the random reasons given for it.  The world has not endorsed this aggression.  The result has been a global shake-up economically and creating a fuel crisis.  In the United States it has created hardships the president asks the citizens to embrace and endure for the sake of a war no one wanted or has endorsed.

 

This is not justifiable war.  No war is.  In the end the only ones who benefit will be those in power . . . primarily the president, his family, and all of his rich cronies.  You won’t benefit.  I won’t benefit.

 

There is no “just war” being waged against Iran.

 

“Someday they’ll give a war and nobody will come.”

(Carl Sandburg)

Show Me

“Where’s the beef?”

“Show me the money!”

A person might have to be a certain age to remember those phrases.  In 1984, Clara Peller, a grumpy little elderly lady, became famous for holding a hamburger and demanding to know where the beef was.  It was a part of Wendy’s advertising to show the public that they had the hamburger patties when other chains lacked any substance.  She demanded to know “where’s the beef?”

In a 1996 film, Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise played a sports agent attempting to save his business by getting a hold-out football player, Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.), a lucrative contract worthy of his talent.  He wanted a BIG payday.  Despite all the promises, Tidwell wasn’t going to believe it until he saw the actual money.  He demands proof.  “Show me the money!” 

Now in 2026 I have come to a point with our president and his constant fly-by-night word salads and promises to want some proof.  To the president I say “where’s the beef” and “show me the money”.  Promises, promises, promises . . . and nothing to show for it.

The president has made a lot of promises to the American people as a part of his “make America bigger and better”.  Part of those promises involve money in the form of dividends and rebates.  Under Elon Musk and his illicit Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he and the president promised American citizens dividend checks from the downsizing of the government and the money it would save.  They promised that there would be checks for $5,000 per person from the trillions of dollars saved.  We, the people, are still waiting.  There hasn't been a check in the mail yet.

The other big promise straight out of the president’s mouth was a rebate for the tariffs he inflicted upon the rest of the world.  He promised these trade tariffs would raise trillions of dollars to lessen the national debt.  He promised $2,000 dollar rebate checks to lessen the fiscal impact upon the country’s citizens pocketbooks.  He promised it repeatedly . . . it was on a loop and that he constantly played whenever he felt pressure on his political future.  Haven’t seen that check in the mailbox either. There are no trillions of dollars being raked in.  The United States Supreme Court nullified his tariffs last week declaring that the president has no power of grounds to implement tariffs carte blanche.  It was illegal and against the Constitution.  And now he is claiming he doesn’t remember making such promises despite the fact there is numerous digital evidence of him making the promise on television.

“Where’s the beef?”

“Show me the money!”

Me and everyone else would like to know . . . where is the money?  After all, a promise is a promise.  This is the United States of America where we believe a person at his or her word.  Don’t we say that a person is “as good as his or her word”?  That might explain everything . . . the president’s words are worthless.  We know this president is a liar.  In his first term (2017-2021) there were 30,573 false and misleading claims–lies spoken by this individual in public.  It is well documented.  That is an average of almost 21 lies per day during his first term.  He hasn’t slowed down since . . . the man is a certified liar and is on a record pace to break his first term’s record of lies.  His first year of his second term–2025–has been called the “Year of Lies”.

So why wouldn’t we want proof?

“Where’s the beef?”

“Show me the money!”

Surely he can produce the proof to substantiate his promises.  He claims that our nation’s economy is the best it has ever been . . . that folks are moving up the economic ladder . . . that there’s money in the bank.  Egg prices are down.  Gas is under two dollars (basically in Iowa where none of us live).  Yeah . . right!  Proof it.

According to the president every policy, bill, law, and executive order has strengthened the nation’s fiscal outlook and standing.  DOGE saved trillions of dollars.  Tariffs raised trillions of dollars.  Money is coming in hand over fist for the good ol’ U.S.A.  That’s what we are being told.  Things are looking rosy.  That is why we have been promised dividend and rebate checks.  We are all reaping the benefits of this fiscal genius.

Except . . . the guy is a “fake” . . . a liar . . . an idiot.  He is driving our nation towards fiscal disaster and bankruptcy.  In his first term as president he increased the national debt by 39% or $7.8 trillion dollars.  In his second term he is doing even better as he has increased the nation’s debt by $2.17 trillion in the first year.  He’s spending like crazy when there is no money to spend.  That $2.17 trillion breaks down to $5.95 billion dollars a day, $248 million per hour, $4.13 million per minute, and $68,902 per second.  Those figures are from the United States Joint Economic Committee Report.  He’s supposed to be bringing the national debt down . . . saving money . . . with everything that he is doing.  The facts state otherwise.

The president promised DOGE would save at least two trillion dollars, thus the $5,000 dollars dividend checks were promised.  Reality is the the massive destruction of the government only saved at best $55 billion dollars.  That is not even enough to cover the $5,000 dollar dividends promised. Plus it cost the government $10 billion to cover the cost of all the “savings” cuts done in that one year.  There was no impact on the national debt beyond adding to it.  Pure genius.  The promised check vanished like the supposed savings created.  More importantly . . . where is that money?

The president promised that tariffs would bring trillions of dollars to the coffers and make us all better off . . . plus we’d get a $2,000 dollar rebate check.  So far it has only produced 5% of the government’s revenue.  Since taking office and imposing tariffs the nation has brought in $287 billion dollars–not trillions.  Turned out it was a tax on the consumer . . . a tax without representation.  Last week the United States Supreme Court struck down the president’s tariffs as illegal and unconstitutional.  Shut them down.  Plus it looks like the nation (us) will be responsible for the $175 billion refunds to those charged with the tariffs.  Something the president said would be tied up in court for a long time.  It is still going to end up on the taxpayer.  There ain’t going to be any rebate check anytime soon in this term, besides the president states he doesn’t remember promising rebates.  More importantly, where is the tariff money?

Maybe the “peace board” will bring it in at a billion dollars a pop for membership.  That’s what it costs to belong to this board–one billion dollars.  If you were invited.  I am still looking for my invitation.  The president is the chair and makes all the decisions, has all the power, and controls all of the money.  So far $17 billing has been raised.  The United States put up $10 billion and nine other nations put up the other $7 billion dollars.  Where is this money at?

Possibly, at the rate he pardons people for a one to two million dollar donation, the government’s treasury should be growing in leaps and bounds.  But, where is this money?

How about the oil taken from the illegal police action on Venezuela?  Oil the president says was stolen from us.  Oil that was taken and sold for $1.65 to 2.8 billion dollars.  Where is that money?

Where is all the money the president has stated he has raised gone to . . . where is it deposited . . . who has access . . . is it making a difference?  Where’s the beef?  Show us the money!  After all, he did promise a better life for all of us in a “bigger and better” America.  A promise is a promise.

Seems the only person seeing “bigger and better” is the president.  Since starting his second term the president has seen his wealth increase by $1.4 to 4 billion dollars in twelve months.  Nice for him.  Sucks for us as inflation goes up, the dollars plummets, and affordability is lost somewhere in the mess he has created.  But, that’s okay.  The man is generous . . . he doesn’t take a salary for his job.  Donates it.  The man makes $400,000 a year.  Has a $50,000 dollar expense account . . . $100,000 travel budget, and $19,000 entertainment budget.  Also he gets free housing, transportation, and health care.  How generous of him to donate his salary.  In the meantime he puts the burden on the taxpayers for his golf “habit”.  Taxpayers foot the bill for his golfing.  Since starting his second term that bill has been $71 to 110 million dollars . . . 97 out of 399 days or 24% of the time he has been in office is spent golfing.  It is estimated that the cost per trip is $3.4 million dollars.  Remember these costs are paid to him because he only golfs on courses he owns.  How generous.  One golf excursion is worth more than he is compensated in four years as president.  How generous of him to donate his salary.

With all of his boisterous talk of an improved economy based on fiscal genius and policies raking in the money, I have one question . . . where is the money?  Where is all this money the president is talking about?  Have you seen it?  I haven’t seen it.  The only thing I have seen is that the president, his family, and his wealthy friends and supporters are getting richer.  The rest of us are S.O.L. and he doesn’t care.  He hasn’t shown us anything beyond his ability to lie and destroy things.

Think about it . . . he hasn't shown us anything.  He hasn't shown us the money.  He hasn’t shown us an improved economy.  Hasn’t shown us all the peace he promised.  Hasn’t shown us the Epstein files.  Hasn't shown us anything. Except being offended when the people demand proof . . . evidence.  Where’s the beef?  Show us the money!

Let us step up like Clara Peller and demand to see the beef.  Let us demand like Rod Tidwell to see the money.  Lets hold the president to his promises of a “bigger and better” America for someone besides himself, his family, and his wealthy friends and supporters.  We deserve the truth though we may already know . . . it’s a lie.  We are talking about the president after all.

 

Deranged! Delusional! You Tell Me

Crap!  I had hoped to get through the winter without getting sick, and outside of my recent surgery I thought I was doing great.  Then some stranger pointed out that I was suffering from T.D.S.  It sounded serious.  Kind of icky.  The person sounded certain that I had T.D.S. and was “probably an unbearable person.” Sounds bad, doesn’t it?  Something no one would ever want to come down with . . . but this individual was certain I had T.D.S. 

Once I got over the shock of learning I was inflicted with T.D.S., I decided I should probably know what the heck T.D.S. is in the first place.

 

T.D.S.—uh oh!  Gotta a problem.  There’s two!  Which one afflicts me?

 

Trump Derangement Syndrome.  “This is a term describing an alleged, extreme, and irrational emotional or cognitive reaction to Donald Trump’s actions, policies, or public presence often characterized by intense hostility, paranoia, or instability to distinguish policy differences from personality.”  It is primarily used as a put down or insult to describe severe opposition to Trump.  It is not a medical condition but those who throw the term around like to imply a mental illness . . . yet it is not a legitimate mental illness that can be found in the latest edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s (A.P.A.) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM5).

 

Trump Delusional Syndrome.  “In this disorder the victim has lost the ability to perceive the factual information related to Donald Trump, instead believing the lies and distortions presented by Trump and his supporters about his behavior.”  Again, it is not a medical condition.  Those who like to throw it around like to imply that it is a mental illness though it, too, is not listed in the DSM5.

 

Deranged or delusional?  I am certain, from the individual’s statement that the diagnosis leans towards the “deranged” side of the syndrome.  Let me explain.

 

It all started when I responded to a clergy friend’s post on Facebook.  This friend re-posted Tyson Durfey’s original post about an evening that he had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her husband after a Trump rally.  They spoke about faith, family, and some politics which left him impressed to the point that he thanked God for her leadership.  In his opinion she was a person of faith . . . a lover of God . . . and that she put family first.  According to Durfey she is the sort of leader America needs.

 

Durfey admits that he is just an “old cowboy” . . . and he is.  He is also a world champion cowboy having made his living competing in rodeos in the U.S. and Canada.  Now he is retired from the rodeo circuit and a successful entrepreneur.  Look him up on Facebook.  Like most of us he obviously has opinions.

 

Because my friend is a ministerial colleague I questioned Durfey’s Facebook post and endorsement of Kristi Noem based on “faith and family”.  My question was about how we (clergy) endorse and support a person who has come out to the public and admitted that she is married and dating another married man.  Isn’t that cheating?  Doesn’t this (adultery) go against God and God’s will?  How is this good family values?  I wrote: “I think Durfey needs to clean his glasses off and take a close look at what he admires.  What do you think?”  Mind you, I was posting this to my clergy friend to in an attempt to understand.

 

Hoping to hear from my friend and have a conversation, the response to my statement came from another person . . . a stranger . . . A.W.  His post stated that my inquiry was a load of B.S., that I have T.D.S., and are probably an “unbearable person”.  Because of this I determined that he thinks my syndrome leans into the “deranged” realm.

 

I appreciate A.W.’s response even though my inquiry was addressed directly to my friend—no one else.  Of course, because of my syndrome, I couldn’t resist responding to A.W.’s post.  I responded: “Adultery is unacceptable in the Christian faith . . . that is B.S.?”  Still waiting for a snappy response.  He might want to check out his T.D.S.—on the delusional side.

 

That, my friends, is how I came about my condition . . . my illness . . . my supposed mental illness.  Yes, mental illness.  A bill was introduced in Congress by Republican House Representative Warren Davidson (R-OH) seeking the National Institutes of Health to study T.D.S. (derangement side only).  Look it up.  In the Minnesota legislature five Republican state representatives introduced a bill to have T.D.S. (again, only on the deranged side) defined as a form of mental illness.  I thought I was just pissed off . . . pissed off with tRump . . . pissed off with his handling of our nation . . . pissed off with his cruelty . . . pissed off with his revenge tour.  Pissed off.  Angry . . . but mentally ill . . . I don’t think so!  Whatever the case, what I have has a name, I have T.D.S.

I will live.  It is not a life-threatening curse unless some other person with T.D.S. (the delusional kind) goes off the deep end and takes me out of my misery.  There is no known cure except for losing one’s mind and jumping over to the delusional side. That would be deemed a glorious day . . . a miraculous day . . . by my MAGA associates.  Yet, there are some long-shot solutions to the syndrome:

·        With the president’s self-proclaimed “excellent health” he could suddenly die.

·        The Senate and House could flip in the mid-term elections and they impeach the president.

·        And there are some more gruesome scenarios of which I would not endorse despite how pissed off I am.

 

No matter what, I have T.D.S.  I am deranged.  Of course, those who have diagnosed me with the syndrome are probably suffering from the delusional form.  They might want to check the mirror.  Almost feels as if the whole nation is afflicted with some form of T.D.S. right now.  We are all suffering.  This individual is killing our nation, our Constitution, and us as citizens of what was once a great nation.  Because of it we are all suffering from some form of this syndrome. 

At first the diagnosis scared me, but not anymore.  If people want to describe my anger as a syndrome . . . then fine.  Bottom line is that I am pissed.  Pissed that the president is a despicable, immoral, vengeful, cruel human being who only seeks power and control for himself and his cronies.  Pissed that he has gutted our government, destroyed years of equality and justice, destroyed sacred institutions and values, and fed us a line that this is a “bigger and better” America than we have ever had before.  Pissed that inflation is quickly rising, affordability is a joke, and that our national debt is skyrocketing, nothing is affordable or livable.  Pissed that he has brought back every “ism” . . . white nationalism, racism . . . if it isn’t in his image we are to hate it.  I’m pissed and if you want to call it T.D.S.—fine, just make sure you classify it as the “derangement” version”.  I can justify that.  I could never justify T.D.S.—the “delusional” version—because of the overwhelming evidence that is available showing how far gone this president has gone.  That would be unacceptable and immoral.  I am not delusional, I am pissed . . . I mean, deranged!  This is a big part of why we are where we are today . . . Trump Derangement/Delusional Syndrome.

So . . . I have T.D.S.  Now I have a label and a name for being pissed off at tRump.  Who would have thought?  Be careful it is starting to become contagious.