‘America First’ means evaluating real cost of our wars — and who pays the ultimate price

Douglas MacKinnon contends that a genuine 'America First' stance should begin with an honest accounting of who pays when the United States goes to war. He observes that many influential voices urging military action have little or no direct experience with combat or intelligence work, and that since the end of the draft in 1973, serving in or around the military is no longer common for most Americans. MacKinnon emphasizes the human stakes, describing service members as sons, daughters and family members whose lives and loved ones are irreparably affected when they are killed or wounded. MacKinnon recalls the 2003 U.S. intervention in Iraq as an example of how chosen wars can produce long-lasting, toxic ripples: he says hundreds of thousands of men, women and children were killed or injured and notes that Iraq historically served as a buffer to Iran. Against that backdrop, he frames current hostilities with Iran as a test of whether military action is truly vital to U.S. security or instead driven by political ambition, personal gain or outside influence. He raises concerns that military action may deepen anti-American sentiment among civilians in targeted countries, producing unintended long-term consequences. The author argues that while some wars may be necessary, many since World War II have been 'wars of choice,' prompting questions about who decides to go to war and who benefits versus who bears the greatest costs. He invokes the Founding Fathers and his view that 'America First' should signal solidarity with ordinary, disenfranchised people everywhere rather than aligning the United States with elite interests that profit from conflict. MacKinnon calls for policy decisions that recognize service members as invaluable protectors, not expendable assets, and for a foreign policy mindful of innocent civilians across nations. MacKinnon concludes that true 'America First' policy must make clear to civilians worldwide — whether in Iran, Israel, China, Russia, Ukraine, Venezuela, Cuba or Canada — that the American people are not their enemy, and that U.S. leadership should prioritize the welfare of both its own service members and the powerless abroad. The piece frames this approach as consistent with the author's reading of the founders' intent and with a moral responsibility to measure the real costs of conflict.