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A burr underneath the saddle

March 21, 2026

OPINION by GARY KIRKLAND

In 1935 Common Era, Italian troops invaded Ethiopia. The rest of the world did little.

In 1937, Japanese troops invaded Manchuria, part of China. In 1939, German troops invaded Poland. England and France declared war on Germany. The United States did little.

Also in 1939, the Soviet Union invaded Poland. The rest of the world did little.

None of these things on their own led to World War 2, but collectively they started the war.

In 1979, Iranian forces took over the U.S. embassy in Tehran. This was an act of war because embassies are sovereign territory of the countries that own the embassies. Our president, Jimmy Carter, fiddled around until the end of his presidency.

For the next 47 years, Iran has been terrorizing most of the rest of the world.

Iran has been a burr under the saddle of the world long enough. Finally, the United States and Israel are trying to remove that burr.

Gary Kirkland is a retired teacher, an Atascadero resident, 35-year-old stockholder in the Atascadero Mutual Water Company and president of the San Luis Obispo County Libertarian Party.

 


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I’ve lived this intimately. When someone says they will kill you…. believe them. Memo to self: Hit first.


30

That’s one of the most succinct oversimplifications I’ve ever read about geopolitics and war. You are retired teacher? What did you teach? Let me guess, nothing to do with constitutional law. Am I right?


-20

I’ve lived this intimately. When someone says they will kill you…. believe them. Memo to self: Hit first.


17

Mr. Kirkland? It’s “AD”, Anno Domini. Historical records have used BC and AD since the year 525, when the Gregorian and Julian calendars were created to specifically signify the passing of time. Before that, it was “The day when the sun disappeared and magically reappeared moments later”, or “When King Foofah decried the death of his camels in the flood sent by witches” type of records.


Modern “inclusive feel good” hogwash derived designations, do NOT erase 15 centuries of credible acknowledgement.


12

Pretty sure Mr. Trump is finding out the reasons why six other presidents did not attack Iran. And especially with only one ally, formidable or not. If he indeed had evidence that Iran was about to use a nuclear weapon in “two days or a week” he could have quickly met with NATO and I’m quite sure they would have fully backed the U.S. Of course, he had no such evidence and now we are seeing “mission creep” as he’s not quite sure what to do next. Another shameful episode in the Trump saga.


-14

Yep. He is the only one whom Netanyahu was able to dupe into a war with Iran. Now we will expend great blood and treasure, yet again. Trump said he would never do this. He lied to us. The only winner will be Israel.


6

The burr that’s been bugging us is Iran and their proxies like Hamas Isis and Hezbollah…. we can keep losing Americans and other peace loving people little by little and bit by bit or we can reach under the saddle and yank out the burr… which do you prefer?…

I prefer we yank it out and be done with it which is what Trump is doing… You can hate Trump… that’s fine but don’t allow that hate to transform into hating your country…


22

https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3952

You are the minority in this country regarding war with Iran. The most conservative polling shows you do not represent this country.

Being against a war to distract from the Epstein files and the predator in chief is not un-American.

It’s as patriotic as a person can be.


-15

It seems that I’m always in the minority as a MAGA supporter until election day….


-1

BOOM!!!!!


-5

Remember that feeling. It will be the last time.


-1

When you have a burr under the saddle you don’t send a cruise missle to blow up the stable to get rid of it.

Or blow up a school full of kids because of a feeling.


-42

Oh, those poor Iranians!


Nevermind the 1200+ DEAD AMERICANS at the hands of the Iranians.


You Libocrats are vile anti-Americans that WILL meet your long overdue and severe comeuppance at the hands of WE THE PEOPLE in the current vast majority.


#NEVERVoteDemoNcratAgain


27

You are going to be placed on a watch list of some type after midterms.


-31

1A OVER everything

2A assures the former


You’re the only type that needs to worry about what takes place after the mid-terms. The Rule of Law is going to be turned up to 11.


Trust me, WE know.


13

Your cat doesn’t count…


-8

Libocrats, always projecting.


“Leftists are the sons of a thousand whores.”- Argentine President Javier Milei, July 13, 2024 (applies to the entire globe)


-3

You are correct. When you have a burr under the saddle…


….you burn down the field from where it came.


0

This effort to “remove the burr” so to say was long overdue. Your anti-american perspectives and views do not align with the majority of Americans that are in support of this long overdue decapitation of this Islamic terrorist regime!!!!


6

You are full of shit. Show the poll that shows the majority of Americans support the Iran war?

I will start it off

https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3952


Your turn…


-2

He can’t and he won’t


4

CBS/YouGov Poll dates 3/17- 3/20/26


Trump Approval – Republicans only (you know, WE THE PEOPLE, in the current vast majority that overwhelming elected him POTUS, again)


Approve: 88%

Disapprove: 12%


Trump’s approval on key issues

Immigration: 91-9 (+82)

——->Iran: 82-18 (+64)<——–

Economy: 79-21 (+58)

Inflation: 74-26 (+48)


-1

He also poles well with pedophiles, oligarchs,convicted felons, sexual abusers, rapists, people he has pardoned, and the easily manipulated.


0

He showed you the poll YOU asked for, and all you had left was “Oh yeah? Well, you’re a doo doo head!”?


Yes, the political right in America has been wanting to end the oppressive, violent, and “death to America” Iran since 1979.


Every president since, has proclaimed that their “going to do something about the Iranian problem”.


Trump simply said…”Iran problem? Watch this!”


-2

Reading is fundamental. I asked for a poll that shows the majority of Americans support this war.

He showed a Republican polling…he really isn’t that smart


2

Nurse, he got out again


7

You are an atypical lib…”party over country” always no matter what the topic, policy or debate is on. Your whole heartedly leave me to believe “GB” in you name is abbreviation for Gargantuan Buffon!!!


-1

The Iranians chant “Death to America”. Apparently there are many in this country that would say “oh that’s just bluster, they don’t mean it, they won’t attack us”. We’re supposed to infer they’re simply lying when they say they want to kill us. We told that “negotiations” is the solution. During negotiations we are supposed to believe what they say?

Iran can’t be trusted period.


18

Death by a thousand cuts or in modern parlance, cruise missles, I bless this righteousness. As do our American family members of Persian descent.


Makes no difference to me. Ending the half century of Islamic terrorism is lonnnnng over due.


35

*Ending their near half century…


11

There are a lot of war lovers in this country. War is never righteous. With that opinion, I can only assume that you are a Fundamentalist Christian or an Israeli


-1

As you prove often, you are typical low-IQ Libocrat (party over country).


I am an American Patriot of Hispanic descent, surname and dark skin to match. I know well through documented history, that everything DemoNcrats touch turns to feces. It’s your m.o. for nearly 200 years.


#NEVERVoteDemoNcratAgain


#VoteRepublican2026


#Hispanics4TRUERepublicans


-1

American Revolution created the USA? American Civil War ended slavery? Spanish American War ended Spain’s violent expansion? WWI ended German aggression and the Central Powers hold on Europe? WWII ended Germany’s, Italy’s, and Japanese aggression toward the world? Korean War stopped the North Korean and Chinese slaughter of South Korea? Vietnam ended the expansion of communist control over much of Asia? Desert Storm? OIF? OEF?


And now, ending the violent, murderous, and far reaching islamic aggression sent to nearly every country on Earth?


Only a coward claims war isn’t good for anything, nor “righteous”. War is the resulting answer to evil politics grounded in aggression, envelopment, slavery, and death.


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