Jarrod Weiss

A few thoughts: 1) This attack should not have happened without Congressional authorization. This is no mere technicality -- it's the framer's foundational design for how the republic should wage war. 2) Khamenei's death is a great victory, but we've all been on this rollercoaster before. The U.S. and Israelis have taken out lots of leaders and rulers in these long wars. 3) I very very very much want the regime to fall, and I desperately want democracy to take root, but remember, we're ultimately relying in large part on civilian protesters (hopefully with the support of dissenting regime elements) to actually topple the regime. 4) If we rely on protesters (who possess magnificent courage), I'm worried we might see something like what happened to Iraqis who rose up against a defeated Saddam in 1991. It was a bloody massacre. That's a nightmare scenario. 5) Our forces have performed magnificently, and I'm hoping and praying that the Iranian response remains inept and ineffective. But it's dangerous to simply presume that it will. 6) If we take losses (or if we suffer economic disruption) that's when we'll see one of the consequences of failing to go to Congress. We're a divided country. Trump is a mercurial man. 7) Trump's temperament and character are one reason why it's silly to say, "If I'd support this under any other president, I should support this under Trump." He's not like any other president. Bad and dishonest leaders make me less confident in their plans. 8) If, however, the Iranian people can rally, if our attacks can prevent the regime from massacring civilians, then it will be a massive accomplishment and a great day for the U.S., Israel, and the world.