Various outlets of Russian media are claiming that Trump’s impeachment is the real explanation for his murder of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Of course they are right. Trump has not gone so far as to start a war as a distraction from his impeachment, but he is well on his way.

The hit on Soleimani was an assassination, was a Pearl Harbor. Let’s not mince words. Soleimani was planning attacks on American contractors, military and diplomatic personnel. How many others in this troubled world are doing the same thing? Will Trump put out contracts on all of them and reduce our military to the status of hit-men? “The Boss wants Soleimani out of the way. Take care of it.”

Trump alleges that he was acting to protect Americans and American interests.  What’s wrong with that? He was protecting American military whom he has scattered around the Near East. He was protecting American diplomats whose installations are devoted to espionage and clandestine operations. He was protecting American contractors, the shock troops in America’s undeclared wars.

Now I must admit that the first time I heard this term “contractor” used in connection with the Near East was when several American contractors were brutally murdered by the Iraqui resistance. My first thought was: How dreadful! American contractors travel over there to supervise construction, operate heavy equipment, restore the Iraqui infrastructure, and what do they get? But then I learned that “contractor” is a camouflage word for a mercenary, a hired gun. “Contractors'” work is very dangerous — just look at the Wikipedia article “List of private contractor deaths in Iraq” — but they are paid very well for a skill that is of no value at home. These contractors are America’s “militia” in the Near East, a small proxy army. I’m sorry to hear that an American contractor was recently killed in Iraq, but contracting is a demanding job.