Donald Trump launched an illegal attack on Iran without any consideration about political collateral damage or the enormous financial cost

Military conflict with Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28, 2026, resulted in severe retaliatory strikes against U.S. regional bases, allied nations, and shipping lanes, sparking intense debate over whether the human and economic costs were fully weighed.

Dear Donald Trump- Echo letter published InForum in North Dakota:

Did it ever occur to you to count the cost before you committed our nation to war with Iran❓

Did it ever occur to you that Iran would return fire and attack American bases and allies in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East

Did you look at worst-case scenarios like the closing of the Strait of Hormuz before any of our ships sailed to the Persian Gulf❓

Did you consult with our allies in Canada, Europe, Asia and Latin America, and use diplomacy to garner their support❓

Did you imagine that this war would last not weeks, but months or even years?

Did you and your team ever think about the rise of gas and diesel prices, and what impact that would have on ordinary families and businesses❓

Did you consider telling Mr. Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel, “No❓”

Did you think how threatening to end the Persian six thousand yeas of civilization would violate international law❓

Did you ever think that the oppressed Iranian populace would suffer more when civilian infrastructure like bridges, water desalinization plants, power plants, etc. were bombed❓

In just five months through this war of choice, the United States of America has violated international laws, the Geneva Convention, and the moral teachings of Jesus Christ “to love your neighbor as yourself.”

Yes, the Iranian regime has blood on its hands and has made threats against our nation, but those words and even support of terrorists hardly justify the military mess you and your administration have gotten our nation into by resorting to bombs, missiles and malice, instead of using diplomacy and building an international coalition.

Stop and think, Donald Trump. Americans will be paying💲 for your personal decision to go to war with Iran for many generations to come.

Pastor Marty Toepke-Floyd is a retired ordained elder of the United Methodist Church in Jamestown, North Dakota.

Donald Trump and Republicans failed to make anything in America great! They are trashing democracy. Mayday! SOS!

During Donald Trump's Republican failed first 100 days in "Trump 2.0" his administration has already caused a drop in the "Make American brand.....(Echo opinion letter published in the InForum, a North Dakota newspaper: 

New Mottos for Donald Trump.  

Donald Trump's failed "Make America" campaign has succeeded in making America.....(fill in the blanks....)

Letter: Make America What Again?
Lee Purrier writes that making election decisions based on slogans such as MAGA is irresponsible and dangerous.

Weak Again. Alienating our allies around the world, appeasing Russia’s Putin, appointing incompetent people to lead the Department of Defense and our intelligence and national security agencies makes us more defenseless as a nation. Gutting the cybersecurity agency makes us more open to a flood of

Lawless Again. Refusing to obey the rulings of our courts, including the US Supreme Court, ignoring the Constitutional roles of the presidency and Congress, deporting people, including U.S, citizens, without due process, all this moves our country toward authoritarianism.

Sicker Again. Appointing RFK Jr., who has no healthcare background and holds unscientific and conspiratorial views, to head our largest health agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, will lead to outbreaks of diseases (such as measles), leave us unprepared for the next pandemic, and firing researchers who were working on cures to diseases, these actions make all of us more vulnerable to illness and death. Drastic cuts to Medicaid will leave millions without healthcare.

Polluted Again. Rolling back clear air, water, and safety regulations will return us to the days when our rivers, lakes and air were polluted and food-born illnesses were commonplace. Ending the efforts to fight climate change will result in more frequent and powerful weather events, wild fires, rising sea levels, and accelerated global warming.

Ignorant Again. Shutting down the Department of Education, withholding funding for university research, interfering in local educational decisions, cutting funding for special education, all these harm educational quality and access.What is more costly than education is ignorance.

To keep our country a democracy we need it to be strong, law abiding, healthy, safe, educated and free. #ImpeachTrumpNOW!

From Daniel Rice, he lives in Fargo North Dakota

January 6 was a act of sedition

Opinion echo letter published in InForUm in Fargo, North Dakota:

Fox "Fake" News and other crazy rightwing media have characterized the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol as "legitimate political discourse." (Not!)

This howling right wing insurrectionist is not engaged in legitimate political discourse.

                                                   

Webster's dictionary defines "discourse" as reasoned, often formal, communication of information and ideas. The events of January 6 were mob mayhem--anything but discourse.

Likewise, by smashing their way into the Capitol building, doing heavy damage, violently assaulting the uniformed guards, and gravely threatening the vice president and Congressional legislators, the assailants cannot make any claim to legitimacy.

Worse yet, motivation for the whole event was former President Trump's "Big Lie" about a stolen election. He made the claim of a stolen, fraudulent election in 2016 when he lost the popular vote. With the full resources of the government for four years, he never proved his claim. But when he lost the popular vote in 2020 by 7 million votes, out came the same lie, bigger and louder and again with no proof, as his loyal hand-picked Attorney General Bill Barr has testified.

Trump scheduled his January 6 rally and goaded the riotous mob to come to the Capitol at the precise day and hour that they would interfere with Congress' Constitutional duty to accept the results of the 2020, vote of the people. This deliberate blockage of the function of our established government was not only illegitimate, it plainly met Webster's definition of an act of sedition---a major crime against the democratic government of the people of the United States.

Dudley Wells lives in Twin Valley, Minnesota