Experts in the Western world are puzzled as to why President Donald Trump continues to dither with the Iranians. Iran’s nuclear-weapons program marches forward, and its leaders continue to exploit strategic alliances with Russia and China. With the decimated Iranian air defenses, their familiar foot-dragging negotiation intransigence, and the horrific menace of a nuclear Iran, America must now act.
With apologies for a sports metaphor, since golf is the president’s favorite sporting pastime, it does seem apropos to say that America is facing a three-inch putt, and it is obvious what the country must do.
Recognizing the serious implications of unleashing combined American and Israeli power, Trump has pursued a negotiated solution that would peacefully eliminate the military elements of Iran’s vast nuclear weapons industry. As part of that solution, the president has said that no uranium enrichment would be tolerated.
Trump has worked honorably to avoid loss of life and to minimize risks of collateral damage, but the mendacity of the Iranian claim of pursuing “peaceful nuclear energy,” while sitting upon a sea of petroleum, is an insult to people’s intelligence. Iran continues to poke at America, while Trump plays along, granting them the undeserved benefit of the doubt.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stunned and humiliated Russian President Vladimir Putin recently with a bold drone attack deep inside Russia. He did not ask for America’s permission. Ukraine, the diminutive David, facing the 30-times larger Russian Goliath, just acted.
This is a lesson for Israel, which finds itself entangled, yet again, with an overly controlling American ally and unable to act independently. It is also a lesson for America, which would be vulnerable to asymmetric warfare from Iran and its proxies armed with nuclear-tipped drones.
Ironically, America is a mighty Gulliver rendered weak and tied down by the underpowered, but clever Iranian Lilliputians.
Israel knocked out the Iranian air defenses a year ago. With an antiquated air force, Iran would have been no match for the Americans’ or Israelis’ air superiority. However, once the Iranians have nuclear weapons, given their advanced missile and drone capabilities, the military and diplomatic balance of power will inexorably shift.
It is said, “There is no high ground in the nuclear age,” and Iran, with its radical proxies, will be empowered and emboldened to extend its terrorism in unimaginable ways.
Trump’s recent foray into Middle East diplomacy with the likes of the duplicitous Qataris is also unseemly. Accepting the Qatari gift of a Boeing 747 didn’t pass the smell test, as the country harbors Hamas leaders and has invested billions into American universities to advance antisemitic and anti-Zionist doctrine. This is a distraction from the existential threat that will define Trump’s presidential success and ultimately affect the balance of power in an always complicated region. If Trump’s goal is a broader Abraham Accords or some kind of wealth-based diplomatic realignment with Arab nations, then it should be accompanied by credible red lines for Iran and the muscular resolve to deliver a kinetic knockout.
Trump’s threats of “ … hell to pay” have grown cold, and his “ … on day one” proclamations have long since passed their due dates.
Several days ago, a CNN headline read: “The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) report spells out past secret nuclear activities in Iran.” Experts are clear that Iran is fast approaching the nuclear weapons threshold. After five frustrating negotiation sessions, Iran continues to drag out the theatrics.
Through negotiations by Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, the president has tried reasoning with the mullahs, but now it is time for the flim-flam, back and forth of the Iranian bazaar to be finished. The Iranian screams of “Death to America, death to Israel” ought to be ringing in Trump’s ears. The president has the unenviable task of placing American troops and allied troops in harm’s way, and needs to accept that now is the time to act.
President Trump, for everyone’s sake, just step up and knock in the three-inch putt.