LETTER: It’s all about the oil
This story raises questions about governance, accountability, and American values.
The letter’s framing is familiar: if a Republican doubts “regime change,” it must be because of oil, and if he ever supports pressure abroad, it’s hypocrisy. That’s a neat story, but it skips the harder question of what changes, and what stays constant, in a world where threats don’t pause for our purity tests. A conservative skepticism of nation-building isn’t a blank check for dictators, and it isn’t a vow of inaction.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
Trump is against “regime change” — until he isn’t.
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
The letter’s framing is familiar: if a Republican doubts “regime change,” it must be because of oil, and if he ever supports pressure abroad, it’s hypocrisy. That’s a neat story, but it skips the harder question of what changes, and what stays constant, in a world where threats don’t pause for our purity tests.
A conservative skepticism of nation-building isn’t a blank check for dictators, and it isn’t a vow of inaction. National security sometimes means deterrence, sanctions, or limited strikes, not toppling governments and owning the aftermath. Treating every decision as petroleum math ignores strategic restraint and the costs of open-ended missions.
What matters is clear objectives, rule of law, and public trust. If the standard is “never,” leaders will fail it. If the standard is whether actions protect Americans without dragging us into endless war, it becomes a serious debate, not a cheap accusation.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.