Early in the morning on Feb. 28, the United States joined Israel in a massive and on-going attack on Iran in an effort to “crush its military, eliminate its nuclear program and bring about a change in government,” according to a video statement President Trump released on Truth Social.
Why did it happen? It is a question many people all over the world are asking, and according to the United States President, the reason for the attack is to protect the American people by removing the perceived threats from the Iranian regime.
The goal of the attack for the U.S. was to destroy Iran’s missile locations, its navy and any groups that may be considered a threat to U.S. allies or troops stationed in Iran, including as many political leaders as possible.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fought against Iran’s nuclear missile program, but has feared retaliation from Hezbollah, which is the capital city of Tehran’s proxy army in Lebanon.
Now having the support from the U.S., Israel has pushed into Iran and plans to rupture its government.
There is a question on if the United States has joined the war and if the president is allowed to order military strikes.
Under the War Powers Resolution of 1973, U.S. presidents are given the power to engage in military actions without the formal Congressional approval that is normally required. According to Congress Chapter 33, the War Powers Resolution is a law that allows the president to make military decisions, as long as Congress is notified at least 48 hours after military action has occurred. The act also puts a limitation on how many armed forces are deployed if there is no formal declaration of war after 90 days of the initial attack.
For months, students have been protesting on campuses across the nation, including protesting the genocide in Gaza, and now millions of Americans have taken to the streets in protest to the strikes planned by the president.
It is important to take a step back to look at what is happening and understand it. The world can feel heavy, and it is exhausting to constantly be under attack both physically and metaphorically.
Why does protesting matter so much to millions of Americans right now? Why are college students taking a stand against political and military movements?
The Vietnam War sparked a new age of protest, one that turned out to be very powerful. Millions of college students started to rebel against their schools for allowing military related research to take place on campuses around the nation, which led to many more anti-war protests.
This history is the heart of student activism, as it allows students to feel like they can control something, that they can have an effect on something important.
There is so much pain in the world right now. There is a collective dampen on millions of people’s mental, emotional and societal well-being. Hopelessness is easy to fall into with the on-stream of bad news. When we fall into hopelessness, it is difficult to imagine a brighter future, setting goals seems impossible and everything that is going on seems to be never ending.
Hopelessness steals our energy, preventing us from imagining change. Hope on the other hand reconnects us to the possibility that things will turn out good.
Hope is more than a feeling, it is a strategy. If you want to navigate the uncertainty, adversity and challenges of everyday life, you must have hope.
Having hope is a choice you must make everyday. It isn’t something that will eliminate conflict or every hardship you might face, but it does allow for compassion and courage.
During these hard times, when things might feel hopeless, take a step back, look at what you have and choose hope.
Allison Cannon is a sophomore majoring in psychology and double minoring in Spanish and law, justice and society.
