We Must Be Clear About Who Pays the Cost for War With Iran - Pete Buttigieg

It is not the President and his wealthy friends.
Pete Buttigieg
Mar 02, 2026

As I write, four Americans have now given their lives in this new war. We mourn for the patriots who raised their right hands and took an oath to put everything on the line, willing to go wherever their government said they were needed, sacrificing all for our country.

The President who sent them into harm’s way assures us that they will not be the last to fall. More Americans will lose their lives, he has said, because “that’s the way it is.” Today he has signaled that he would not rule out sending ground troops into the conflict.

We all know that the most serious, sober, and important job of a president is to decide whether and when to order troops into combat. Because American lives are on the line, and because of the dreadful cost of war, it is to be done only when there is no real alternative. A last resort.

But no one seriously believes that is what happened here. America is at war, and the President shows little interest in justifying it to the American people, let alone seeking a declaration from Congress as required by American law.

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Repeatedly, especially in the past year, we have seen that this Congress and even the White House can be compelled to change course when the American people speak up loudly and clearly enough. We, the people, must be clear in demanding accountability from our leaders, never more so than in matters of war and peace.

full article https://open.substack.com/pub/petebuttigieg/p/we-must-be-clear-about-who-pays-the