Chicago Tribune needs to confront the ghastly criminality of Trump’s second criminal war this year

Chicago Tribune needs to confront the ghastly criminality of Trump’s second criminal war this year

 

The Trib’s long editorial on Trump’s unprovoked, immoral, criminal war on Iran gives tacit approval to it without a hint of its murderous criminality. “Trump and his Israeli partners knew what they did not like in Iran and we don’t disagree.” That sure sounds like an endorsement of criminal war that should have Trump and his partner, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the dock at The Hague for war crimes.

 

Trump’s attack had nothing to do with defense of America’s national security interests. Alleging Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei led a repressive, theocratic, medieval regime is not a justification for launching preemptive war.

 The Trib accuses Iran of sponsoring terrorism when, unlike Trump, Ali Khamenei didn’t bomb 7 countries in 2025 killing untold thousands. If the Trib is concerned about sponsors of terrorism, a good starting point is Donald J. Trump. 

 The Trib notes that Ali Khamenei “threatened the security of Israel,” but fails to note that Israel killed over a thousand Iranians in their 12 day preemptive war last June. Ali Khamenei and Iran were never a threat to Israel’s security. They represented a potential rival to Israel for Middle East dominance that had to be eliminated with American firepower and now American blood. Being a hegemonic rival is not grounds for preemptive war.  

 

Trump’s ongoing, murderous war aside, the Trib focused instead on Ali Khamenei’s “plans for a nuclear weapon.” Why does the Trib ignore that Ali Khamenei not only forbid nukes, he signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2015 which guaranteed Iran would never get one. Guess who blew up that signature Obama achievement? Donald Trump in 2018. Reason? The JCPOA prevented regime change demanded by Israel to be implemented by the United States.

 It took 8 years but that regime change is underway in a grotesque criminal war that will kill many thousands, possibly destabilize the Middle East and likely drive up energy prices in America to recessionary levels. 

Now with 3 Americans dead and 5 seriously wounded due to Trump’s criminality, the Chicago Tribune might consider a follow up editorial titled ‘We will not miss the President of the United States. His only plan was endless, senseless war.’

Walt Zlotow  West Suburban Peace Coalition  Glen Ellyn IL 

Obama Center defiles Jackson Park, Hyde Park, Chicago

Obama Center defiles Jackson Park, Hyde Park, Chicago

 

Lived in Hyde Park for 10 years and marveled at its architecture, both old and new. Uplifted by the famed UChicago campus every day I traversed it 4 years as an undergrad. The surrounding Hyde Park neighborhood was filled with architectural gems.

 

While visiting my Hyde Park sister Saturday, we took a quick mile hop to see the Barack Obama Presidential Center. As we approached by car I exclaimed “Is that ugly slab arising out of Jackson Park the BOPC?”

 

It sure was. We exited the car for a closer look. With each step it became uglier than first viewing. The inscription halfway up intended to inspire was so scrunched together as to be near unreadable.

It was the most hideous public building I’ve observed in my 81 years. As one always offended by ugly buildings that will last beyond our lifetimes, I’m thankful I will never see it again. It takes top prize in buildings I wish were never built, surpassing previous contenders for ugliest, the Thompson Center in the Loop and the renovated Soldier Field on the lakefront.

 

I have no quarrel building a presidential library. I’ve visited those of Honest Abe, James Garfield (located in his home), FDR, Truman, Ike, JFK and Gerald Ford. All were decent to inspiring (Fords') architecturally and were befitting of the president they honored. The Barack Obama Presidential Center is not.

 

I do hope the completed BOPC will benefit the community and serve historical presidential and American scholarship.

 

But a word of caution to Joe Biden, Donald Trump and the architects they select to design their presidential libraries. Don’t do ugly.

 

Walt Zlotow   Glen Ellyn IL