“...just remember who started the wars in our history and who used nuclear weapons.” [CodeToad, post 56]
Leaves out the historical context and the strategic situation. US leaders of 1914-17 and 1931-41 were guilty of many things, but it’s a fool’s errand to believe they started the World Wars.
It’s likewise dishonest to convey the impression that the decision to use the atomic bombs in combat was some sort of departure from orthodox military doctrine agreed upon by all parties inside the US government and military establishment.
Nobody was that sure what would happen, nor if the bombs would even function (no operational test of the proximity fuzing system was successful until the first bomb detonated some 1900 ft above Hiroshima). Aftereffects like fallout were not anticipated.
The decision was made under very stressful conditions, in an acutely urgent situation, using sparse information (the only information then available). Large risks were taken and much was at stake.
Our self-appointed moral arbiters have never been happy about all of it. 73 years on, they have convinced a big share of the public that opposing the decision after the fact is proof of their moral superiority (and, by association, the moral superiority of all who agree with them).
They were wrong in 1945, and they are still wrong, factually and objectively. Set against those mistakes, the moral question is of no moment. Worse, their attitude of superiority is odious.
“but it’s a fool’s errand to believe they started the World Wars.”
No, it is a fools belief that foreign policy has no consequences that should be directly attributed to those policies.
Democrats are notoriously weak on foreign policy and get us into wars.