Let Slip the Tweets of War

Statement from @PentagonPresSec: At approximately 645 AM EDT, US military conducted a targeted airstrike against ISIL terrorists (1/5)

— Marie Harf (@marieharf) August 8, 2014

.@PentagonPresSec: Two F/A-18 aircraft dropped 500-pound laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery piece near Erbil. (2/5)

— Marie Harf (@marieharf) August 8, 2014

.@PentagonPresSec: ISIL was using this artillery to shell Kurdish forces defending Erbil where U.S. personnel are located. (3/5)

— Marie Harf (@marieharf) August 8, 2014

.@PentagonPresSec: Decision to strike made by US Central Command commander under authorization granted him by the Commander in Chief (4/5)

— Marie Harf (@marieharf) August 8, 2014

.@PentagonPresSec: As President made clear, US mil will…take direct action against ISIL when it threatens our personnel, facilities (5/5)

— Marie Harf (@marieharf) August 8, 2014

“My fellow Americans…” mutters a Deputy State Department spokesperson before clicking post on a series of five tweets announcing new military action in Iraq. I wonder, when are you supposed to turn to your child and give the speech, in this new scenario? Do you give your stoic, “sometimes the country has to make hard decisions, and people get hurt,” talk as you fav or retweet? Do you shake you head and say, “war is never the answer, it only begets more war, never forget this,” as you close the browser tab?