Lake Oswego Resident Condemns Trump's 'Indefensible' War in Iran

Columnist argues Trump's threats and actions betray 'unprecedented level of incompetence and malevolence'

Apr. 17, 2026 at 12:00am

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A photorealistic painting of an abandoned military vehicle sitting alone on a quiet urban street, with warm sunlight casting long shadows across the scene, conveying a sense of melancholy and unease.The eerie silence and isolation of a lone military vehicle on a city street reflects the growing unease over an unpopular and seemingly unjustified war.Lake Oswego Today

In a scathing opinion piece, Lake Oswego resident Jim Mitchell criticizes a recent column that defended Donald Trump's war in Iran, calling it 'comically inept' and 'offering incoherent and evidence-free claims.' Mitchell argues that overwhelming evidence shows growing bipartisan opposition to the war, and that Trump's threats to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure constitute war crimes. He also condemns Trump's praise for authoritarian leaders like Viktor Orban, saying the former president's 'disdain for the rule of law does indeed make him anti-Western.'

Why it matters

This opinion piece provides a strong counterargument to the claim that only 'radical left activists' oppose Trump's war in Iran. It highlights the broader bipartisan opposition to the conflict and raises concerns about Trump's disregard for international law and human rights.

The details

Mitchell refutes several claims made in a previous column defending Trump's war, including the assertion that the war's opponents are driven by an 'anti-Western, anti-Christian' ideology. He points out that he has spoken with ministers and Iranian-American neighbors who oppose the war but do not fit that characterization. Mitchell also dismisses the idea that the left views Iran's government as an 'oppressed minority,' calling it a 'straw man' argument. He is particularly critical of Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure, which he says constitutes a war crime.

  • On April 7, Trump posted that 'A whole civilization will die tonight' unless Iran met his terms for a ceasefire.
  • On the same day, Trump's vice president spoke at a campaign rally for Hungarian President Viktor Orban, whom Trump also praised.

The players

Jim Mitchell

A Lake Oswego resident who wrote the opinion piece criticizing Trump's war in Iran.

Rhein Amacher

The author of a previous column that defended Trump's war in Iran, which Mitchell is responding to.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president who launched the war in Iran and made the threat to destroy Iranian civilian infrastructure, which Mitchell condemns as a war crime.

Viktor Orban

The authoritarian president of Hungary, whom Trump praised and whose campaign rally was attended by Trump's vice president.

Barack Obama

The former U.S. president who signed the nuclear agreement with Iran in 2015, which Trump later ended.

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What they’re saying

“Trump's statement betrays an unprecedented level of incompetence and malevolence. No act could be more 'hostile to the foundations of Western Civilization.'”

— Jim Mitchell, Lake Oswego resident

“Like his friends Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orban, Trump's disdain for the rule of law does indeed make him anti-Western.”

— Jim Mitchell, Lake Oswego resident

The takeaway

This opinion piece highlights the broader bipartisan opposition to Trump's war in Iran and raises serious concerns about the former president's disregard for international law and human rights, as well as his praise for authoritarian leaders like Viktor Orban.