There is a comforting myth in American politics. It tells us that war is the product of poor choices by bad leaders. It insists that if only we elected the right person, we would see peace instead of destruction. This myth whispers that if Kamala Harris had prevailed over Donald Trump, the United States would not now be teetering on the edge of another conflict. This story does not hold under the weight of history. The face in the Oval Office does not bend the machine of war.
Alliance Over Personality
The United States commitment to Israel does not depend on who occupies the White House. It does not matter whether the president is a man or a woman, Black or white, Democrat or Republican. That bond is deeper than any one person. It is written in military aid packages, in vetoes at the United Nations, in silence when bombs fall on Gaza or Beirut. When Israel calls, the machine moves. It has always moved.
The Plan Was Bigger Than Bush
Wesley Clark, a man who knew the inner workings of that machine, spoke plainly after the attacks of September 11. He revealed that the United States had drawn up a plan to dismantle seven nations: Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran. This plan did not depend on George W. Bush. It did not wait for one president or another. It was designed to outlast them all. It was the work of the system itself (Clark, as cited in The Clark Critique, 2003).
From Obama to Trump to Today
Barack Obama, the man so many believed would break the cycle, expanded drone strikes and protected Israel at the United Nations. Joe Biden continued the arms shipments and diplomatic shielding. Trump has returned to office and moved quickly to strike Iranian facilities, following urgings from Israel’s leaders (Reuters, 2025; Bennis & Petersen-Smith, 2025; Politico, 2025). The names change. The outcomes do not.
The Machine Runs on Old Commitments
This is not about Kamala Harris or any other politician. The machine does not care about the identity of the person at the controls. The machine was built to defend certain alliances and to secure American power. As long as Israel’s security is tied to American policy, the gears will continue to turn. The bombs will continue to fall. The innocent will continue to pay the price.
What is required is not a change of face, but a change of structure. Until we dismantle the architecture that makes war inevitable, no election will bring peace. No single leader will stop the march toward conflict. The machine does what it was built to do. We must decide what we are prepared to build in its place.
Thoughts Processed 