Just about three weeks ago, the President “had a feeling” that Iran was about to attack the U.S. and its allies, and so he ordered a bombing campaign against Iran, killing the supreme leader and his family, as well as over 150 people in a school next to an Iranian military office. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth celebrated the successful bombing of key sites in the Iranian military structure and both he and the President began to predict it would be a short war.

However, Iran has shown itself to be an adept David in its battle against the Goliath United States military, and struck back at numerous US bases and their surrounding areas in Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and even Cyprus. Moreover, they placed bombs and sent drones to inhibit ships going through the Strait of Hormuz, many of which were large tankers carrying oil to many sites around Asia and beyond. As a result, the President has received a great deal of criticism for rising gas prices in the United States and countries around the globe.

While the rising cost of gasoline is a concern, this war has shown itself to be about much more than oil. It has been shown that U.S. policy appears to be at the beckon call of Israel’s lust for warfare. While Trump insists that his decision to begin the bombing campaign was not influenced by Israel to go to war with Iran, many of those in his administration, like Secretary of State Rubio, thought Israel was a major influence. Trump has demanded that the NATO allies come to the aid of those ships being blocked in the Strait of Hormuz and has received a cold shoulder from most of the NATO countries, who want no part in starting a war they were neither informed about nor could support. Trump has lost credibility with our allies and, in so doing, made the United States increasingly isolated throughout the world.

However, the most evident revelation in this fiasco is the increasingly unreliability and narcissism of the President himself. Iran’s leaders have made clear they are not backing down, and in so doing have increased the likelihood of a major conflict erupting throughout the Middle East and beyond. While he has this delirious vision of himself as deserving the Nobel Peace Prize, in fact, all he has done is help inflame conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, the West Bank, and now Iran. Who is next?

Iran is not an innocent victim of the President’s illusions and actions. They have exported violence to countries such as Israel, Lebanon, and Yemen. For all we know, there are Iranian-backed cells in the United States ready to enact another 9/11 or worse. I hope I am wrong, but the way the president is acting only makes our vulnerability greater and a counterattack more likely. And as long as those under his leadership do not step up and speak up, and unless Congress calls him to account, we will be in for a difficult time. This coming Saturday, March 21, there will be marches against the war across the country. If our leaders won’t act, we must compel them to do so. We will not be victims of the president’s delusions.