Thread by @jahimes

THREAD: @realDonaldTrump is being moved toward war with Iran. That’s disastrous for everyone involved. This is a long one, but bear with me. It’s important.

The president’s advisers @SecPompeo and @AmbJohnBolton have been slowly moving the administration towards war with Iran for months. Taking steps they hoped the American people wouldn’t notice. /2

This is not a defense of the appalling Iranian regime. However, each time we’ve used military intervention to take down brutal regimes we’ve ended up leaving more death and misery in our wake. /3

Getting the U.S. involved in yet another quagmire in the Middle East isn’t the answer. We still haven’t left Iraq and Afghanistan and I don’t see plans to do so. /4

How have the president’s advisers started the march to war?

1. Breaking from our closest allies and withdrawing from a nuclear deal that had completely stopped Iran’s work to build a nuclear bomb

2. Unilaterally reimposing sanctions /5

3. Taking the unprecedented step of designating the IRG a terrorist organization (which most military leaders were against)

4. Moving the USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group into their backyard /6

All of these actions have increased heat and pressure. The moderates in Tehran have been discredited. Iran is threatening to restart some military activity. /7

We have seen U.S. brinksmanship play out in the Middle East before. It doesn’t end well. Not for the American soldiers that are deployed. Not for the families that lose children. Not for the lives that are destroyed overseas. /8

The administration must acknowledge that only Congress has war-making authority (that’s the Constitution kids).

The country and the administration must choose a wiser course. /9

You may have seen my weekly reminders that the president is leading us to war:

https://twitter.com/jahimes/status/1125218667611009024

These will be daily reminders now.