Editorial: Americans could be impacted by Iran bombing

Politics is supposed to stop at the water’s edge.

That thought, expressed in 1947 by U.S. Sen. Arthur Vandenberg, a Republican from Michigan, was a call to American leaders to be a wall of solidarity on the international stage. The partisan machinations were like family squabbles to keep behind closed doors. The strength of the nation was in being a steel chain with no dissenting links.

Today, Americans dissent about everything. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and Hamas attacked Israel in 2023, the nation has been loudly divided over our international positions. The water’s edge has disappeared like the tide pulling back before a tsunami.

On Saturday, the U.S. military waded deeper into the Middle Eastern conflict. Just two days after President Donald Trump said he would take two weeks to decide on action against Iran, which has been trading attacks with Israel, three nuclear sites were hit by U.S. airstrikes.

Now Trump and his administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, say the United States has no interest in war in the wake of the bombings.

Responses are not strictly along party lines. U.S. Sen. John Fetterman is breaking with many of his Democratic brethren to express support — not surprising given his vocal support of Israel. But U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, is unhappy with the lack of consultation with Congress.

Some figures — like Michael McFaul, a U.S. ambassador to Russia under Barack Obama, and Trump’s onetime national security adviser John Bolton — may be general critics of the current administration, but agree keeping Iran from nuclear weapons capability is a positive.

“It was the right thing to do. I thought somebody should do it for a long time but better late than never,” Bolton said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

That doesn’t mean there couldn’t be consequences. The Middle East is a delicate balance on a good day, and there haven’t been a lot of good days as Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza pushes toward two years. Iran promised to defend itself against the U.S. attack.

But the consequences don’t have to stay on the other side of the world. They can be felt in the Keystone State.

America has 1.3 million active-duty service members and more than 700,000 reservists and National Guard members, making a fighting force topping 2 million.

In Pennsylvania alone, there are 7,152 active-duty military, plus 2,756 spouses and 5,211 children. Add in the National Guard and reserves for another 37,327 and another 37,000 spouses and children. That doesn’t even count mothers and fathers, siblings and unmarried partners. That’s a lot of people who could be impacted if U.S. troops are drawn into a new conflict.

Does everyone have to march in time? No. In fact, it’s a refreshing change that there are Democrats supportive of the action and Republicans questioning the process. Important topics require diverse debate, and this is the time for it.

But let’s remember to look for that water’s edge and remember where the politics needs to end.