Northern Iowa Candidate Slams Iran War

Independent congressional hopeful blames "two-party war machine" for Middle East carnage

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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A Northern Iowa man running as an Independent for Congress is criticizing the "two-party war machine" for the ongoing military operations and casualties in the Middle East, particularly the recent U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran. The candidate, Dave Bushaw, is calling for an end to "illegal regime change wars" and a focus on domestic issues facing working Americans.

Why it matters

The candidate's statements highlight growing opposition to continued U.S. military involvement in the Middle East, especially among independent and anti-establishment political figures. The comments also reflect broader debates around the role of Congress in authorizing and overseeing foreign military actions.

The details

In a statement, Bushaw blamed the "two-party war machine" for prioritizing "taxpayer dollars for regime change war" over addressing the struggles of working Americans to afford healthcare, housing, and groceries. He said he supports Congressional efforts to pass a war powers resolution to limit the President's ability to engage in unauthorized military operations.

  • The U.S. and Israeli forces delivered strikes against Iran on February 28.
  • The war in Iran has continued for several days, with ongoing attacks from both sides.

The players

Dave Bushaw

An Independent candidate running for U.S. Congress in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, who is criticizing the U.S. military involvement in the Middle East.

U.S. and Israeli forces

The militaries that have been conducting strikes against Iran in recent days.

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What they’re saying

“Even one American life is too many lost fighting illegal regime change wars. We just lost two Iowa National Guard members in Syria last year in the US-led occupation that has continued for more than a decade. Now, there are six more American deaths as a result of US-Israel operations in Iran. There's also hundreds of Iranian casualties, including more than 100 killed in the bombing of an elementary school for young girls.”

— Dave Bushaw, Independent candidate for U.S. Congress (northiowatoday.com)

“For decades, the two-party war machine has prioritized taxpayer dollars for regime change war. Our primary focus must be fighting the wars that working people face everyday here at home — the struggle to pay for basic necessities like healthcare, housing, and groceries — not endless war around the world.”

— Dave Bushaw, Independent candidate for U.S. Congress (northiowatoday.com)

What’s next

Congressional efforts are underway to pass a war powers resolution that would limit the President's ability to engage in unauthorized military operations in Iran.

The takeaway

The candidate's statements reflect growing opposition to continued U.S. military involvement in the Middle East, particularly among independent and anti-establishment political figures who argue that the focus should be on domestic issues facing working Americans rather than "endless war around the world."