Larry Watson wants us out of the war in Iran. He is absolutely right — we should get out. But he, like almost everybody else, is wrong about why we are there. Distracting from the Trump-Epstein files played a part, but, I think, a minor one. The same with using the war as an excuse to cancel the mid-term election. The received wisdom is that this is Netanyahu’s war, cooked up with Trump. The truth, I think, is much worse. Netanyahu has always wanted a war with Iran, and he is eagerly prosecuting it, but it was not he who persuaded the Trump administration into this folly.

Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, received a $2 billion investment in his personal private equity firm in 2022 from the Saudis. Many saw this as a reward for shielding Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman (MBS), from sanctions following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and for other pro-Saudi foreign policy actions. Mr. Kushner is now envoy to Saudi Arabia, and is trying to get $3 billion more for his equity fund from MBS.

Saudi Arabia, a Sunni nation, has long been at odds with Shiite Iran, just across the Persian Gulf, but it has less than half the population and has very few natural defenses — mountains and the like. What better way to attack their old enemy than to get the United States to do it for them? Jared wants the billions. He has the ear of the president. Presto! We launch a completely unprovoked attack.

This is not Netanyahu’s war, or ours. We are just the suckers fighting it, at more than $1 billion per day, not to mention the blood, sweat and tears. All this for a few billion for Jared Kushner?

Bill Gillmore

Columbus