The War on Iran Is a Local Issue

The US-Israeli war on Iran is a Vermont state issue. Every dollar spent on bombs, missiles, and the machines that deliver them is a dollar taken away from healthcare, education, highways, public transit, food subsidies, and many more institutions and programs residents of Vermont and every other US state use.

This is true even during the current period, in which President Donald Trump and the US right-wing do almost everything they can to end those programs by cutting federal funding. Furthermore, the rising price of gasoline and other fossil fuels that everyone uses, no matter how far off the grid they might live, affects everybody’s ability to live. More money spent on fuel means less money spent on other items like food and clothing. Those who struggle to pay rent will find that struggle even greater should the price of these fuels continue to rise and not go down in any substantial way. I place my commentary in Vermont because that’s where I live. However, it is applicable to every state in the US.

This war was begun for reasons privy only to certain individuals in the US and Israeli governments. Most readers know that there was an agreement with Iran to prevent that nation’s nuclear power program from building nuclear weapons; that agreement was torn up by the first Donald Trump administration. Although the more recent talks were moving along and—according to most reports—going Washington’s way, the militaries of Israel and the United States launched a bloody and violent attack on Tehran, killing its political and spiritual leader. Israel’s involvement is part of its stated desire to annex much of the region known as West Asia or the Mideast into its expanding borders, creating a considerably larger Israel. Given that Israel is at best an ally of Washington and at worst a colony, a larger Israel would certainly benefit the designs Washington has (and has had) for the region.

Of course, just wishing for a giant Israeli garrison state is not the same as making one. That is where war and genocide come in. That is why Washington supports Israel’s ongoing attempts to destroy the idea of Palestine; it is also why Washington is intent on establishing military relations with the monarchies in West Asia. Once again, these endeavors cost a lot of public money and that money comes from taxes paid by US residents. So, when the Israeli-US alliance goes to war, against the Palestinian people, the Lebanese, or the nation of Iran, the amount of money taken from the US public’s money and transferred to the war industry and the military increases—a lot.

Each registered voter is being asked to give approximately $1,150.00 more to this ill-begotten and incredibly foolish war.

The US military and security apparatus were budgeted over $1 trillion for the current year. Now, after almost a month of war against Iran, the war hawks in Washington, Virginia, and wherever else they lurk want another $200 billion. According to the US Census Bureau, 174 million US citizens were registered to vote, 73.6% of those eligible in 2024. If one divides the sum of $200 billion desired by the war hawks by 174 million, this would mean that each registered voter is being asked to give approximately $1,150.00 more to this ill-begotten and incredibly foolish war. That amount is on top of the amount already being paid. Although $1,150.00 doesn’t buy much on the arms market, it represents a few weeks of groceries for many Vermonters even at today’s prices (prices which will continue to go up, especially if this war continues to expand.)

In the past few years, some Vermont towns have passed referendums or legislation calling for an end to some trading with Israel until it ends its illegal occupation of Palestinian lands. Those who oppose these referendums and legislation use an argument that says local governments—state and municipal—should not be legislating about matters of foreign policy because it’s not in their purview. This argument belittles each individual and each government struggling to make ends meet in the face of increasing expenditures on wars and occupation. If it isn’t our job as citizens of towns, cities, villages, and indeed, the United States, to challenge those who profit from, clamor for, and send troops to war, then whose role is it? If it isn’t our role as citizens to oppose our money being used to illegally and violently occupy another land, then whose job is it?

The people of Vermont could make a bold statement by demanding their legislature make it known via a resolution that the majority of the people of Vermont oppose the war in Iran. They could make an even bolder challenge to the war machine by demanding Vermont’s National Guard forces be removed from battle, whether the Guard agrees or not; it is supposed to be the people’s militia, not the war industry’s.