Trump, Iran and who is really pulling the strings

The man who covets the Nobel Peace Prize has just become the world’s newest warmonger (“Iran war: Strikes and retaliation”, smh.com.au, February 28-March 1). Without any approval from his Congress, without any imminent threat to his country, and breaking his core promise before election not to start any wars, he has launched an illegal military operation against another country. The target regime is indeed a rogue nation cruelly oppressing its citizens and threatening its neighbours, but this does not justify this murderous attack. Diplomacy and sanctions still had a long way to go, but patience and persistence are not among this man’s characteristics. It is almost certain that he was, as he has for a long time, been manipulated by obvious other world leaders. He is but a puppet, after all, but he will never admit that. Mike Salon, Darlinghurst

While Trump has called on the Iranian people to “take back their country” (“What we know so far about the ‘massive and ongoing’ attack on Iran”, March 1) following the US bombing of Iran and the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he is seemingly blind to the negative consequences of the litany of such US military interventions in the past seven decades, with Iraq and Afghanistan standing out in relatively recent memory. As Robert Gates, the former US secretary of defence from 2006 to 2011, has observed, the US is very good at overthrowing governments but an abject failure when it comes to their replacement, always failing to bring stability to the relevant country. “[Taking] back their country” is far more easily said than done. And while I don’t pretend to be a mind-reader, might the coming US midterm elections have any bearing on Trump’s decision to attempt now to destroy a regime that much of the world has long abhorred? Paul Casey, Callala Bay

Last June, Donald Trump told the world American strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear weapons program. He repeated this claim just last week in his State of the Union address. Now he says he has “obliterated” the program “again”. How has the situation changed so much in a matter of days, and why was this attack necessary? Richard Mason, Newtown

Killing the president of a sovereign state together with 200 of its citizens, the abduction of another with the murder of 40 security guards – how can the prime minister endorse the actions of such a rogue state? The door is open for Chinese President Xi Jinping to claim the president of Taiwan is a danger to peace and stability in the region and do likewise. Now is the time to stand on principles, ethics and the “rule of law” for the sake of world order and stability. Peter Law, Coogee

We should not forget that the US had a nuclear treaty with Iran that had the support of NATO countries. It was negotiated by Obama, so by Trump’s definition had to be a bad deal. I suspect the cost of this exercise has already exceeded Obama’s and wonder if this is the best way to negotiate a new one. Miles Harvey, Newtown

Trump has well and truly announced himself as a puppet of Putin and Netanyahu. Neil Reckord, Gordon (ACT)

The master puppeteers, Putin and now Netanyahu, have used flattery and their own dominant personalities as strings to manipulate their orange marionette to act in their own interests. As a result, the US has failed Ukraine and supported the Russian aggressor and is now on the verge of another long and intractable war in the Middle East. Meanwhile, the world watches in horror and disbelief as the longstanding stable world order is disrupted by the rise of authoritarian leaders, US isolationalism and international financial disruption. The only silver linings are the possible eradication of the terrorist Iranian theocracy and, maybe, Trump’s eventual downfall and impeachment as he illegally took his country into another distant, unpopular forever war without Congress’ consent. Rowan Godwin, Rozelle

Where does the US and Israel get all the millions – billions? – of dollars to keep bombing foreign nations? Imagine our world should this money be spent on health, education, social care, infrastructure and crime prevention. Patricia Philippou, Charlestown

Donald Trump may yet prove to be a bigger threat to the future of this planet than climate change. Stephanie Edwards, Leichhardt

Does this mean that Trump’s Board of Peace has now started a war? Greg Thompson, Bega

It’s probably fake news, but I believe DJ Trump broke into a profuse sweat running from the Situation Room, where he was chairing the Iran war strategy, to the Board of Peace room where he was to chair a meeting on how to stop the war. Danny Sankey, North Willoughby

UN Secretary-General António Guterres predictably says the US and Israeli attack on Iran undermines international peace, and they should let the UN deal with Iran. Iran’s regime has been breaching international law since it came to power in 1979. It’s established, funded, armed and directed terrorist groups including Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Houthis and Iraqi militia to commit mass murder and destabilisation across the Middle East. It has directly attacked its neighbours. It has carried out terror attacks across the world, including recently in Australia. It played a major role in the killing of hundreds of thousands in the Syrian Civil War to keep Bashar al-Assad in power. It has illegally pursued nuclear weapons. It recently killed more than 30,000 Iranian people and horrifically maimed many thousands more for protesting. It was also massively increasing ballistic missile production and development. What has the UN done about it? George Greenberg AM, Malvern (Vic)

US Vice President JD Vance has stated that the Iranian regime is the “craziest in the world”. If this is true, where does it leave the Trump regime? Paul Duncan, Leura

With all the discussion about regime change in Iran, Mexico, Cuba etc, there is one country where regime change would greatly benefit the world in re-establishing some kind of rules-based order and decelerating the climate crisis. With his abandonment of the concept of truth and redefining narratives around history and his own accomplishments, Trump has inflicted more damage on the world than any other leader. Regime change in the US is a first step in flipping an upside-down world back on its axis. Bernard Moylan, Bronte

President Donald Trump has engineered the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the fall of the Iranian government. Jeffrey who? Ian Adair, Hunters Hill

Predictably, the matter of Trump’s alleged relationship with Epstein – and all that it entails – is now off the front pages. Watch the sharemarket spiral downward, too: a great opportunity for right-wing, wealthy hawks to buy up and accumulate even more grotesque volumes of capital. Call me a cynic, but every time a bomb gets dropped, another cigar gets lit. Shaun Davies, St Peters

I’m waiting for a son or daughter of the heel spur champion of the USA, Donald Trump, to volunteer for active service in one of his brave military escapades. But that’s a bit wishful when talking about America’s great draft avoider who watched thousands of his peers, suckers and losers all, drafted to Vietnam and die, be maimed or permanently traumatised. Kevin Farrell, Beelbangera

I was over six years old when WWII ended. Never since that time has world peace been under greater threat. When Donald Trump breaks US law, no Republican is prepared to speak up. And when he breaks international law, no Western nation condemns his actions. We will need to keep our fingers firmly crossed until he leaves the White House. Don Firth, Wooli

AI tsunami swamps our humanity

Perhaps the scariest phrase of Malcolm Knox’s concerns about AI destroying nearly 100 million jobs in the next four years (“My kids need artificial inheritance”, February 28) reads: “the gap between public perception and current reality is now enormous”. While there are folks worrying about students’ AI-assisted essay cheating, it is but a tip of the iceberg. This AI tsunami appears of similar magnitude to the Industrial Revolution, but its accelerating speed is unprecedented. There are now no signs that humanity will be able to cope, let alone wake up in time. Apart from specifics such as the job losses and resultant human displacement, we seem not to even have begun thinking about what it means to be human, and how we’ll find purpose and meaning in the reality about to engulf us. And it’s happening way faster than climate change. Brian Haisman, Winmalee

Perhaps Malcolm Knox’s AI editor didn’t let him finish his article because it knew how it would end. AI is an incredibly useful tool and will only get better. However, the reason there is such a mad scramble to develop it now is that the already mega-rich can see even more pots of gold ahead by laying off staff and increasing profitability. At some point, and AI probably already knows when, the out-of-work masses with no meaningful income will be unable to afford food and clothing, let alone computers or expensive merchandise. Money will become useless and the mega-rich will find themselves down with the plebs: maybe even lower, since they will have lost all the practical skills needed to survive in a lawless world where recognisable markets have disappeared. Tony Phillips, Turramurra

Ball in kids’ court

At age 11, my son suddenly decided he wanted to play basketball, found a team and all I had to do was take him to training (“Injuries, burnout: Are pushy parents ruining kids’ sport?” , February 28). Eventually, he played in a representative team and was even offered a trip to the US for the chance to get a college scholarship. But he didn’t want to go. He didn’t like the pressure at that level, and it wasn’t fun, so he went back to playing local competition. He’s now 37 and still plays once a week. Sport is not the be-all and end-all. Just let the kids decide. Sarah Benmayor, Bondi

Libs keep lid on it

So much for the federal Liberals being open to improving their electoral prospects (“Explosive Liberal election review to be suppressed”, February 28). A comprehensive review by a couple of senior insiders is a necessary thing, and then airing all that dirty linen in public would be a further exercise in cleansing the party and allow a new beginning. Instead, it is confidential, making one wonder what else they are hiding. Peter Kamenyitzky, Copacabana

We will just have to wait until the Liberal election review is leaked. Jock Brodie, Port Macquarie

The premier touch

Peter Malinauskas seems to have his finger on the pulse of the nation (“Hanson, and PM, face acid test”, February 28). There is frustration in the community and a sense that the intergenerational compact is at risk. Affordability is a big issue, particularly in housing. With the decline in sense in Coalition ranks and leadership, combined with frustration, One Nation’s nonsense may be a tempting protest vote option. However, as “populists peddling junk answers to complex problems”, surely most people will see through them. Hopefully, people will choose ambition over extremism. Geoff Nilon, Mascot

Horrid migrant hatred

Thank you, Aruna Sathanapally, for being concerned and sticking up for migrants (“Demonise migrants? No, thank them”, February 28). As someone born here of migrants, I’ve never been more worried about the level of hatred and misinformation directed not only at newcomers but their Aussie-born children as well, while some political leaders do little to condemn it. The hatred is no longer anonymously noted on social media as they are marching in our streets, demanding an end to immigration, and some want us kicked out completely depending on what part of the world we came from. We urgently need some sort of summit with political leaders and prominent people to unite against racism or we could possibly have riots in Australia as there were in the 1930s, when people were killed and the homes and businesses of migrants destroyed. I never thought I’d see Australia with so much loathing towards what some consider as foreigners but are indeed Australian citizens. Con Vaitsas, Ashbury

Train dream off rails

All this current discussion about high-speed rail (“PM gambles on high-speed rail” and Letters, February 28) seems to have stimulated something in my nocturnal wanderings. I find myself imagining a country where those with excessive loot that couldn’t possibly be spent in a lifetime, get together and do something entirely altruistic for our vast land. Gina hops on the blower to the young Packer chappie, who gets that Mike Double-barrelled-surname IT fella on the line, who sets up a Zoom call with Dicky WiseTech, that Twiggy bloke, the cardboard box king, Clive the trumpeting patriot and a few others with a spare couple of billion. Someone sets the ball rolling. “Let’s get this VFT from Brisbane to Melbourne happening, as a no-strings-attached gift to the nation. Who’s in?” Hands shoot up in unanimous approval. And then I wake up. Bill Young, Killcare Heights

‘Difficult’ is good

Oh, for goodness’ sake, of course Grace Tame is difficult (“She’s brave and determined so you will never tame Grace”, February 28). So are a good many women who have kicked down fences in our society. Were they not difficult, they would have achieved little. I do not agree with everything Ms Tame says or does, but I have the highest regard for her achievements and her extraordinary spirit. The so-called apology from the PM is absurd. He should have stuck to his guns and said: “Yes, I think she is, and that is why she has done so much good.” Jock Webb, Narromine

Your correspondent would like to prematurely nominate Dr Jamal Rifi for Australian of the Year (Letters, February 28). Just wondering – is he difficult? Jeremy Brender, West Richmond (SA)

Gittins on the mend

So glad to read Jordan Baker’s story (“Herald titan nears return after months of medical calamity”, smh.com.au, February 27) on Ross Gittins’ recovery and forthcoming return. Ross, you’ve been greatly missed. Richard Talbot, Cremorne Point

Welcome home and back to the Herald soon, Ross Gittins. What warriors you, your family and medical team are! We thank the lot of you! And Millie Muroi, too. Can’t wait to tell my rels in Europe to whom I send your economic analyses – one 18, studying first year economics. Jennifer Fergus, Croydon

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