Since the 1979 revolution the U.S. has been described as the “Great Satan” often followed by “Death to America” by Iran’s leadership. During the last 47 years Iran has been the greatest state sponsor of terrorism with the U.S. often the target.

The U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, was attacked and seized on November 4, 1979, by a group of Iranian college students supporting the Iranian Revolution with 55 American staff held hostage for 444 days.

In 1984 after the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, that killed 241 U.S. military personnel at the direction and funding of Iran, the U.S. designated Iran a “State Sponsor of Terrorism.”

In April 1988 the U.S. Navy, in retaliation for the mining of the destroyer USS Samuel B. Roberts by Iranian sponsored terrorists, struck Iranian naval forces and oil platforms in the Persian Gulf.

On June 25, 1996, the Khobar Towers, a housing facility for U.S. military personnel in Saudi Arabia was bombed killing 19 and wounding several hundred others. Evidence pointed to Iranian involvement.

In August 2002, Iran’s clandestine nuclear program was exposed by the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an exile group, which revealed the existence of secret nuclear facilities for uranium enrichment and heavy-water production.

In 2015 Iran agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief in a landmark deal with the U.S. and other world powers. Because Iran was ignoring the agreement, In 2020 President Trump withdrew from the agreement and implemented a “maximum pressure” campaign.

Iran launched its first direct attacks on Israel on April 13, 2024. The assault was a massive barrage of more than 300 drones and missiles. In March 2025 back in office, President Trump reinstated “maximum pressure.” On June 22, 2025, Following failed talks and Israeli strikes on Iran, the U.S. carried out airstrikes on three major Iranian nuclear facilities.

In late 2025 the U.S. determined that Iran had begun a major effort to rebuild its uranium enrichment program. Prior to the launch of Operation Epic Fury, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff reported that Oman mediators told him that Iranian negotiators bragged about having 408 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium that could rapidly be refined to 90% sufficient for nine nuclear warheads.

On Feb. 28, Operation Epic Fury began.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democrats aided by the legacy press began to create a distorted view of the war. They spoke about the lack of an end game, raised fears of escalation and the usurpation of Congressional duty to declare war. Their rhetoric is fueled by a hatred of anything the president does or says.

Senators Mark Warner (D, Md) and Adam Schiff (D, Ca) claimed that there was no imminent threat and no evidence of a pre-emptive strike by Iran. Democrats were saying that we should have waited until Iran started firing at us.

Phony Vietnam veteran Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) who In April 1970, enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, which the New York Times noted virtually assured his not being sent to Vietnam, called the administration’s messaging contradictory. He also played the “no endgame” card a key point in Democratic talking points. Based on his extensive Washington D.C. experience serving in the 4th Civil Affairs Group he raised fears that the U.S. would find it necessary to have boots on the ground in Iran.

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is concerned about the cost of the war drawing from domestic needs. Knowing her states record of fraud regarding federal funds perhaps she is worried that her constituents in Massachusetts will have less opportunity to benefit from schemes to fraudulently receive federal funds.

Since the beginning of “Operation Epic Fury” Democrats have denounced the war with Iran as a violation of the War Powers Resolution of 1973 which every President since 1973, both Republican and Democrat has viewed as unconstitutional and an infringement on their role as Commander in Chief.

I am appalled by the absolute balderdash in the legacy media about the Secretary of War spending $24 million to provide steaks, lobsters, and crab to our war fighters in the run up to Operation Epic Fury. Military veterans like myself can know that this is a tradition used to boost morale before dangerous deployments and has occurred in both Republican and Democratic administrations. That of course did not stop two big spenders who have never served, Minority Leader Schumer (D-NY) and Governor Gavin Newsome (D-CA) from calling the spending wasteful and extravagant.

A group of 46 senators led by Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sent a letter to Secretary of War Pete Hegeseth demanding an investigation of a February 28 strike on a girls school in Minab reportedly killing, depending on reports, 100 to 175 young girls aged 7 to 12.

Civilian casualties are terrible. From my own experience as an Army Field Artillery officer who ran battery and battalion artillery fire direction centers in Vietnam, an important concern has always been to eliminate any chance of injuring civilians, but errors occur.

The school was located adjacent to and until recently part of a Revolutionary Guard naval base. It should not have been attacked but an important question needs to be asked. Why was the school not evacuated, and students moved to a safer location by the Iranian government?

Because I served in one, I agree with those who say we have fought wars we should not have. However, our war with Iran is necessary. If we were not fighting it now we would need to fight it in the future. Then it would be against an Iran equipped with nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the U.S. Iran is a theocratic dictatorship whose leaders are religious fanatics, who swore to destroy us and who justify their actions as the will of Allah.

Thomas Kirkpatrick Sr. is a Silver Creek resident. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com