President Trump has publicly acknowledged that American casualties are expected in the ongoing conflict with Iran: "The lives of courageous American heroes will be lost and we may have casualties, but we are doing this for the future and safety of the American people." The statement comes as confirmed reports indicate American soldiers have been killed in Iranian missile strikes on US bases in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. Observers note the cynicism of leaders making decisions that result in the deaths of those they command—people who might have lived for decades—justified by abstract strategic objectives.
