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1. I've been tweeting Trump admin's saber-rattling on Iran this morning, and have noticed in much of the coverage I've read/tweeted mention of Trump's campaign promises not to involve America in additional wars.
1. I've been tweeting Trump admin's saber-rattling on Iran this morning, and have noticed in much of the coverage I've read/tweeted mention of Trump's campaign promises not to involve America in additional wars.
2. Setting aside that of course nothing he says or promises can be believed, whatever Trump thought about wooing the anti-neo-conservative camp, the alt-right, or the Ron Paul-ish foreign policy camp has been turned around by who turned out to be his most loyal supporters.
3. As it turned out, Trump's most vibrant, loyal base is the Christian right--a constituency that has heard *for years* that war with Iran is not only necessary but desirable, and possibly even part of God's plan, or fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
4. When Christians United for Israel was launched in 2006, a possible war with Iran was the centerpiece of its policy objectives (and of its founder's theology about Israel).
I wrote this in 2006 (prospect.org/article/pastor…):
I wrote this in 2006 (prospect.org/article/pastor…):
5. Fast-forward 13 years. CUFI, according to an email newsletter it sent out just this morning, has 6 million members.
It still thinks war with Iran is on the horizon:
It still thinks war with Iran is on the horizon:
6. John Hagee, its founder, has been a welcome guest at the White House to discuss Middle East policy. (Recall that Trump nemesis John McCain distanced himself from Hagee and his endorsement in 2008 over his controversial statements: thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/22/mcc…)
7. Speaking at CUFI's big conference in 2017, VP Pence discussed Iran:
whitehouse.gov/briefings-stat…
whitehouse.gov/briefings-stat…
8. Hagee claims to have played a role in convincing Trump to move the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. jhm.org/Articles/2018-…
10. Trump's embassy move, and any other actions viewed as "pro-Israel" by conservative evangelicals, are critical to their ongoing enthusiasm for and uncritical support of his presidency.
11. So when you read any, oh, gosh, Trump promised no more wars! in coverage of this "drift," as some have called it, toward war with Iran, keep in mind that Trump's now-*most important constituency* has been primed for years to go to war with Iran.
12. Here's the Christian Broadcasting Network's report on Iran from today, clearly a set-up to get the audience agitated for war:
www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel…
www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel…
13. via CBN report:
