The Unpopular US War on Iran: A Chance to Rebuild Anti-War Movements
Americans today overwhelmingly oppose the war on Iran, with polls showing majority dissent and only 17% trusting the government to act rightly. This marks a dramatic shift from historical trends, where conflicts like Vietnam and Iraq initially enjoyed strong public backing. Yet, despite this unprecedented unpopularity at the onset, organized anti-war opposition remains significantly weaker than in past eras, such as the 1960s and 1970s.
Historical Context: From Support to Opposition
In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson's request for military force in Southeast Asia passed with near-unanimous congressional support and over 60% public approval. Similarly, the Iraq war saw support rise to 74% a month after invasion, fueled by misconceptions linking Saddam Hussein to 9/11. However, the current war on Iran, launched without congressional approval under President Donald Trump, breaks this pattern, becoming the most unpopular US war ever at its start.
Why Anti-War Movements Are Weaker Today
Several factors explain the decline in anti-war mobilization. Social life has deteriorated, with associational culture receding since the 1970s. Unions, clubs, and community institutions that once buoyed activism have hollowed out, replaced by atomized online interactions that lack the depth of in-person organizing. Additionally, the international context has changed; past emancipatory struggles in Cuba, Algeria, and Vietnam inspired optimism, but their shortcomings led to disillusionment, fostering pessimism about effecting change.
War-making has also evolved, shifting from ground troops to remote methods like drones and airstrikes, which minimize US casualties and insulate the state from public pressure. This makes traditional strategies, such as draft resistance or mass protests, less effective, leaving many Americans unsure how to impact policy.
Opportunities for a New Anti-War Movement
Despite these challenges, the current era offers unique opportunities for a potentially more effective anti-war movement. The decline in associational life creates a vacuum that organizers can fill by rebuilding community institutions on an inclusive, emancipatory basis. While not in an age of victorious revolutions, anti-imperialist struggles like Palestine's demonstrate that public opinion can shift, even in unfavorable conditions, through international solidarity.
The new style of warfare, though costly—with the US spending nearly $13 billion in the first six days—exacerbates domestic issues like the affordability crisis, as seen in rising gas prices. This unpopularity, combined with unclear objectives, has forced concessions like lifting sanctions on Iranian oil, opening avenues for activists to raise the social, political, and economic costs of war.
Strategies for Raising the Cost of War
Adapting lessons from Vietnam, where activists raised war costs through public sentiment shifts, economic boycotts, and military disruption, today's movement must innovate. Key steps include:
- Start by talking: Move beyond online debates to in-person conversations with neighbors, coworkers, and community members. Focus on connecting war concerns to everyday issues like gas prices or civil liberties.
- Connect the issues: Link the war on Iran to domestic grievances such as racism, AI ethics, and immigration policies, broadening the anti-war base and making it more personal.
- Pressure politicians: Use elections, especially midterms, to make opposition to imperialist wars a litmus test for candidates, leveraging voter power to demand change.
- Target key sectors: Organize workers in manufacturing, logistics, and media to disrupt the state's capacity for war, as seen in refusals of Defense Department contracts.
- Isolate Israel: Highlight the US-Israel relationship's impacts, such as wasted taxpayer money and risks to American lives, to apply pressure through aid, trade, and academic ties.
Building for the Long Haul
While one-off protests like the No Kings demonstrations show widespread opposition, they must evolve into sustained organizations that pool resources and strategize for long-term impact. The goal is not just to end the current war but to prevent future conflicts in a volatile international order. With Americans more informed, critical of imperialism, and eager for change than ever, the ingredients for success—vision, commitment, and organization—are within reach, offering hope for a future without war.
