Part Of The Problem A Response to Pathetic Ben Shapiro
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Mar 6, 2026 They dig into the murky status of US actions in Iran and compare it to past wars. They debate arming the Kurds and potential regional fallout. They critique patriotism attacks and challenge labels like terrorist versus nation-state. They examine civilian casualties, moral costs of alliances, and political cowardice around war powers.
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War Versus Not A War Rhetoric
- Dave Smith argues the Iran strikes are being framed inconsistently as "not a war" by US leaders while acting like a full-scale campaign.
- He highlights rhetoric contradictions: officials call it a war informally, yet avoid legal/official war status to dodge accountability.
Patriotism Is Not Support For Every Military Action
- Dave critiques Ben Shapiro's attack that opposing wars equals "hating America," calling it a recycled, failed hawk tactic.
- He notes that labeling critics unpatriotic ignores distinctions between state actions and the country/culture citizens value.
Collateral Damage Is A Moral Choice
- Dave reframes "collateral damage" as an evasive euphemism, arguing wars of choice that foreseeably kill civilians are deliberate moral choices.
- He compares wartime bombing to a criminal act at home to stress intent and responsibility.