Although there is no real fear over a selective draft, tensions are rising between the United States and Iran.

“It seems like a standoff, like between North Korea and South Korea,” said Adolfo Vergara, an ECC student and veteran. “The two countries are just taunting each other.”

After the killing of one of Iran’s General Qasem Soleimani carried out by an order given out by President Donald J. Trump, the Iranian government called for the bombing of two separate Iraqi bases hosting American troops. The killing was on Jan. 3, 2020; while the attack on the was carried out a few days later on Jan. 7, 2020.

“I do not believe there will be a war. But it will start with sanctions. Harsh sanctions,” Vergara said.

Whether or not Iran is a true danger to our superpower of a country is up for debate. 

“They are a threat,” Vergara said. “They have a more modernized military compared to what we have faced in modern history. They have nuclear capability, making it a serious talk in politics.”

Now, nuclear capabilities are one of the major reasons for the series of attacks in the first place. Former President Barack Obama negotiated the Iran Deal with Iran, which limits the amount of nuclear power that Iran can use. It gives them enough to run factories, but not nearly enough to make nuclear bombs out of. 

Once President Trump came into office, he backed out of the Iran Deal. As soon as the government of Iran started upping their nuclear energy, the Trump Administration decided to threaten to bomb the country of Iran. The continuous escalation lead to the airstrike assassination of Iranian General Suleimani. 

“There is no fear of a draft,” Zergara said. Which is a calming thing to hear for those who had to sign up for selective services.

As tensions continue to rise, and the next election season is almost amongst us, what will happen next in Iran, or the Middle East in full, is all up the air.