Nicholas Kristof warns that President Trump's military actions in Iran could transform the United States into a rogue state, abandoning decades of international law and humanitarian principles. The columnist draws parallels between hypothetical Iranian attacks on American civilians and the U.S. strikes on Iranian targets, questioning whether the administration is violating the Geneva Conventions by targeting civilian infrastructure like schools and water facilities.

Legal scholars have raised alarms about potential war crimes, including the reported U.S. bombing of a girls' school that killed approximately 175 people. The United States has also been accused of striking a desalination plant serving 30 villages, though officials deny responsibility. International figures from Spain, Switzerland, and France have condemned the American-Israeli campaign as illegal and reckless, with some calling for sanctions against the United States.

The practical consequences of Trump's war extend beyond legal concerns. The conflict has strengthened Iran's hard-line leadership under Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, disrupted global oil supplies through Strait of Hormuz threats, and raised gas prices worldwide. Retired General Wesley Clark describes the campaign as lacking strategy and 'going off the rails,' while humanitarian officials warn that the international rules-based order protecting civilians in conflict is collapsing.