A Five-Thousand-Word Essay in a Nutshell....
American attitudes toward the current conflict are split into three distinct camps, two of which are firmly against the war.
1. The Democrats
This group is opposed almost by definition. Their stance is rooted in partisan polarization rather than policy. As the old political adage goes, "Where you stand depends on where you sit." For this group, because the action is associated with Trump, it is viewed as inherently flawed. To them, the lens of "Orange Man Bad" supersedes the geopolitical reality. They will also give you other reasons why they are against the war.
2. Hard-Core MAGA and Regular Republicans
This group remains in favor of the war for various reasons—ranging from national security to a commitment to Western hegemony. They operate on the principle famously stated by Ronald Reagan: "Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid."
3. The Isolationist Republicans
This is the second group that opposes the war, but for a different reason: the desire for domestic tranquility. The average American just wants peace, quiet, and financial stability so that he can enjoy his life. They want to watch Netflix, go to the ball game, and generally enjoy Olam Ha-zeh.
This war disrupts that lifestyle because, among other things, gas has become prohibitively expensive. This group embodies the warning of Plato: "The price of apathy is to be ruled by evil men." Yet, their current attitude is isolationist: Who cares what is going on with those primitives in the Middle East? Get our people out and focus on us. They are living out the famous line from the movie Wall Street: "The most valuable commodity I know of is information," but for them, the only "information" that matters is the price at the pump and general economic and emotional stability.
The Jewish Perspective
We are Jews. We do not live merely for Olam Ha-zeh. We live for Hashem.
While the average American seeks comfort, the Jew seeks to live for a higher Tachlis. We understand that a war which brings about the destruction of evil is worth almost any material sacrifice. We are guided by the wisdom of our Chachomim: "He who is kind to the cruel will end up being cruel to the kind." To ignore the "primitives" and the regimes of evil is not a path to peace; it is a betrayal of our mission.
Our Tachlis here is L’saken Olam b’Malchus Shaddai (to perfect the world under the sovereignty of God). Regimes like that of Iran are not just political rivals; they are a serious impediment to the moral progress of humanity. As Albert Einstein once said, "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
Therefore, we do not lament the loss of temporary comforts. We support and rejoice in the efforts to wipe out the forces of evil, knowing that true peace only comes when the world is rid of those who wish to destroy it.
