Imperial Madness and Merciless Barbarity
The Ethos of Warrior Lethality
Bill Astore / Bracing Views
(April 18, 2026) — Yesterday, while reading “Notes on a Foreign Country” by Suzy Hansen, I came across this passage (page 118):
Americans gradually became unemotional about mass death. Hillary Clinton once famously pledged on national television to ‘obliterate’ Iran, Trump supporters speak casually of ‘annihilating’ the Islamic State.
I’d forgotten that Clinton had called for Iran’s total destruction if that country should have the temerity to attack Israel with a nuclear weapon. This was in 2008 while she was campaigning (unsuccessfully) against Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination.
Of course, Clinton is hardly alone in dreaming of Iran’s obliteration. John McCain infamously sang a ditty about bombing Iran. It’s not only Pete Hegseth who equates bombing with diplomacy.
There’s a mindset here that should and must be addressed. One of militarism, warriors, and lethality. One that sees war as good and necessary. Hegseth is a caricature of this mindset, with his Department of War and his boasts that he negotiates with bombs.
Has no one in the U.S. government heard of the concept of mercy? Of restraint? Much like the Roman Empire, “our” leaders see nothing wrong with obliterating our versions of Carthage and salting the earth.
Along with the Roman Empire, the USA in some ways resembles the fictional Empire of “Star Wars,” with aircraft carriers as star destroyers. If we could build a planet-killing Death Star, I’m sure we would. And we’d sell it as “defensive” because of the threat from North Korea or Iran or someone or something. (“We had to destroy the planet to save it.”)
Trump recently joined Hillary Clinton in making a “Death Star” threat to Iranians (to destroy their entire civilization). I don’t fear Iran. I fear Darth Clinton and Darth Trump.
Obliteration is the mindset of imperial madness. Of merciless barbarity. “Exterminate all the brutes!” is truly the heart of darkness. Are these the leaders we want to represent us?
