War Is Not Abstract
Reflections on the June 21 Bombing in Iran
War Is Not Abstract
Reflections on the June 21 Bombing in Iran
We need to remember when we bomb other countries, we are not bombing governments. We are not bombing ideologies. We are bombing people. We are bombing the earth. We are fracturing ecosystems, reducing ancient cultural sites to rubble, and wiping out lives—real, human lives.
War, especially this type of war, is not cinematic or heroic. It is loss, desecration, and grief brought on by people who seem to lack a deeper understanding of what it means to be human. But let’s be clear—they are not monsters. They are still human. Their absence of empathy is not innate but learned. As Mary Trump explores in Too Much and Never Enough, a lack of love, safety, and emotional development during Donald Trump's formative years likely contributed to the sociopathy we now see enacted on a global stage. And even he—perhaps especially he—deserves love, though it may never reach him. That absence is costing the world dearly.
According to The New York Times, the US initiated a bombing campaign targeting nuclear facilities in Iran, reportedly without direct provocation or imminent threat. We don’t know yet how many human lives were lost. It’s critical that we understand what this means, entire regions of people—families, elders, children—just had their world ripped apart without warning, and not by nature, but by decision.
There’s a tendency, especially in times of collective trauma, to emotionally detach. We soften the language we use and distance ourselves from reality, telling ourselves it's complicated, that it's necessary, that it’s under control. Sometimes we need that distance to function. I understand that.
But what we cannot do is stay there.
Because if we allow ourselves to believe that it is somehow benign—or even righteous—to destroy the lives of others simply because we disagree with their leaders or fear their potential, then we have abandoned our own humanity. Real strength doesn’t look like domination. Real strength looks like empathy, diplomacy, and restraint. The enlightened response to conflict is to build better bridges—or at the very least, to do as little harm as possible.
This strike wasn’t just a tragedy; it was likely illegal. There was no congressional authorization, no declaration of war, and no direct threat to US soil. Trump bypassed the War Powers Resolution, acting unilaterally. As the Friends Committee on National Legislation highlights, this violates both the US Constitution and international laws. The UN Charter permits military force only in cases of self-defense or with explicit Security Council approval—neither of which applied here.
And what happens when Iran or one of its allies retaliates? Will they be more wrong than we are? Or will we finally realize that this is the price of escalation—that violence rarely moves in only one direction?
We’ve kicked a beehive and walked away, confident we’ve won, confident that the damage won’t follow us home. But this is what happens when we hand nuclear codes and military might to a xenophobic, racist, bigoted, convicted felon—a real estate mogul turned warmonger with no concept of accountability. Let’s be clear—this isn’t about defense. Trump has long treated regions like Gaza and the Middle East not as humanitarian crises, but as real estate opportunities. Netanyahu and Trump have shown they are willing to green-light genocide to clear beachfront property for profit and power. They don’t care who pays the price, as long as it isn’t them.
People living in Iran are not caricatures. They are not ideological threats. They are parents, artists, students, farmers, and dreamers. If you want to better understand their lives, listen to them directly. The Living in Iran YouTube channel offers a raw, unfiltered look at life in the region—a powerful counter-narrative to the often-dehumanizing Western media portrayals.
We are in a moment where silence feels like complicity. So, I’m choosing to speak—even if it's uncomfortable. War is never just about strategy. It is always about people. We cannot claim to value life while ignoring the lives being destroyed in our name.
Sources
Friends Committee on National Legislation. The President’s War Powers. https://www.fcnl.org/warpowers.
Living in Iran. “What’s Really Happening Now: Media Myths vs. Real Life.” YouTube.
Saadat Rent. “Mountains of Iran.” Saadat Rent Magazine, https://www.saadatrent.com/mag/en/iran/mountains-of-iran/.
The New York Times. “Live Updates: US Enters War Against Iran, Bombing Key Nuclear Sites.” The New York Times, 21 June 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/21/world/iran-israel-trump?campaign_id=60&emc=edit_na_20250622&instance_id=157016&nl=breaking-news®i_id=189661563&segment_id=200406&user_id=9b935abcbfa39130a0c3d9bc4d7f3442.
Trump, Mary L. Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man. Simon & Schuster, 2020.
A very thoughtful article. In the military we often paint our enemies in stark terms, even caricatures. The second they become human beings it gives us pause. It’s often difficult to separate citizens from their governments. What troubles me the most about the bombing today is that there seems no thought as to what’s next. Iran won’t just give up. There will be a response and once that cycle starts it’s hard to stop.
Thank you, Michelle. Another reflection that is concise - and compassionate.
Our cultures and ideologies divide us, but our humanity should unite us.