As combat operations continue over Iran as Operation Epic Fury unfolds, retired military members of ASP’s Consensus for American Security have begun offering their opinion on the war and the consequences for the U.S. and the region. These comments represent the individual opinions of the listed members and will be updated with further commentary as the situation evolves:

BG David L. McGinnis, USA (Ret)

There is a wide berth between tactical employment of military force, operational campaigns and strategic goals and outcome.  None of which individually and or collectively relates to United States without a Constitutionally defined agreement between the Article I and Article II branches of Government.  Since the Allied Victory in 1945, with the exception of the United National Response to the invasion of South Korea in 1950, no such legitimate agreement on our High Strategic Goals and Objectives has occurred except those related to the Cold War which expired with the Soviet demise in 1989.  Yet the Executive Branch continues to operate under these emergency powers granted in TITLE 1O to challenge a Nuclear enemy and in the Post-Cold War era Republican and Democratic Congresses have refused to rescind TITLE 10 and issue new direction to the Commander-in-Chief and restructure the American Military consistent with our true Constitutional boundaries and American Values and the legitimate threats the most powerful nation in the World faced, exposing us to ever increasing dangers and loss of most of the liberties ensconced in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

In his farewell address, President Eisenhower, a co-architect of the last military victory this Republic has enjoyed, warned us of this future and we ignored it to the ultimate dilemma we face where our Constitution is in default because our Congress continues to tolerate Constitutional Abuses of the Executive Branch.  As a result, just like actions in Venezuela, in the eyes of the World the United States is but a renegade nation without any political or economic legitimacy, precursors to our demise and disintegration the Soviet Union was unable to achieve through the Cold War.

BG Robert Felderman, USA (Ret.):

This war with Iran is not solely taking place between a few countries. It brings in dozens of other nations, those who support Iran or get funding or supplies from them. It also brings in the nations who are our allies and are facing protests against our invasion, all without our leadership selling it to our own nation and citizens before it impacted them.

This war looks similar to other protracted wars from which we have only recently extricated ourselves—long wars. Too long, too many lives, too many injuries, too many families torn apart. It is just too much.

Too many leaders do not look at, or do not seem to care about the strategic impacts to us and our allies. This leader is starting another world war without the advantage of efforts that went into WWI and WWII. It looks more like the Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan Wars. These were all very long wars, not like Desert Shield/Storm where we went in and out in a few months with clearly defined objectives, and where we deployed a full spectrum of boots on the ground, ships at sea, and pilots in the air.

This president has shoved aside our constitution and the paths in place before declaring a war, shoving aside many of our constitutional amendments, and making his final term all about his vendetta against those he does not like or who speak out against him.

It is time for the Congress, with the Supreme Court, to take back control of our nation, our constitution, and a common sense approach to strategy with qualified leaders in justice, state, defense, and other agencies. It is time to hire the best, expect and demand they perform their jobs, and then reward for success.

BG Steven M. Anderson, USA (Ret.):

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