By Daniel Patrick Welch

While most of the not-unhinged world sees the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s IRGC, for the reckless and dangerous escalation that it is, Americans in general walk around looking for post Christmas bargains. They shift distractions from New Year’s Eve to Valentine’s Day on cue, blissfully unaware that they are living on borrowed time, like the Eloi of Orson Wells' imagination.

As to the question of who in his right mind wants war with Iran, speculation settles into the common pitfall of Trump or the Deep State. Of course those surrounding Trump - including those he has chosen - are inveterate hawks on war with Iran. And he himself has been saber-rattling since the campaign.

But it is more systemic than that. There is a sickness at the heart of US policy, and society.

The sickness is not just President Donald Trump, as self-serving Democrats conveniently allege. The problem is that the US apparently not only still abides by the Dred Scott decision, but is comfortable applying it worldwide: Nonwhites simply have no rights which the white man is bound to respect.

I’m paraphrasing and being a bit historically tongue-in-cheek, of course. But on purpose. The whole swath of US history comes down to this arrogance and supremacy: its absurd doctrine of “exceptionalism,” its one sided approach to world relations, its hysterical accusations against Russia, China and anyone else not on board with perpetual war.

The problem is that it has seeped so deeply into what for lack of better words might be called Americans' "political consciousness" (in truth they really have none). The result is that supposed "left" politicians, when they don’t openly support imperialist objectives, focus almost exclusively on domestic policies and injustices, as if all this could be happening in a vacuum.

Rose McGowan can tweet her apologies on behalf of sane Americans. Sure. She’s right. But again, even those with a conscience are too narrowly focused. In the last election, the Democrats' campaign was even more focused on “challenging Iran.” The fact is that US policy - and imperialism itself - is a thoroughly bipartisan effort. And voting a Democrat isn’t going to do jack shit to advance a peace agenda.

The US has honed and perfected a remarkable system - inherited from Europeans' idiotic race "science" of phrenology and other crap. The result is a near perfect conflation of class and race that keeps poor people from defending their own interests as long as they can be convinced someone is lower than they are in the pecking order.

It’s genius. I mean in an evil sort of way. Like if Edward Bernays were your god or something.

But the real terror is on the international stage, where the US is a rogue state, a contagion that must be contained and quarantined, like a patient infected with a virulent, airborne illness. Trump being Trump doubles down on the insanity, actually saying that “Soleimani should have been taken out many years ago.” Madness.

The rest of the world, led by China and Russia, is increasingly awakening to this critical historic role, and the US population continues to ignore its government’s crimes at its own peril and at the risk of increasing isolation from the sane world. In the not so distant future, when climate shift has rendered arable land unusable and the breadbasket turned into a desert, there will be nothing left but to eat their own billionaires for sustenance.

Daniel Patrick Welch is a writer of political commentary and analysis. Also a singer and songwriter, he lives and writes in Salem, Salem, Massachusetts with his wife. Together they run The Greenhouse School. He has traveled widely, speaks five languages and studied Russian History and Literature at Harvard University.

Welch has also appeared as a guest on several TV and radio channels to speak on topics of foreign affairs and political analysis--around his day job. He can be available for interview requests as time and scheduling permit.

Despite the price of being outspoken against US foreign policy and military adventurism -- which can be steep in today's circumstances -- he believes firmly as did Rosa Luxemburg that "It will always be the most revolutionary act to tell the truth out loud."

Welch wrote this article for Press TV website.