Column: Mullahs Pursuing Nuclear Weapons Deserve Real Defeat
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Matthew Continetti • Dec 2, 2022 5:00 AM
President Biden couldn’t contain his excitement. It was his November 29th, when he had just learned that the USA men’s soccer national team was headed to the next round of his Cup at Worlds after winning the game against Iran by his one point. . Eager to spread the news of America’s victory, Biden returned to the stage at the Michigan venue to make remarks on the economy. The president took part in the celebration. “It’s a big game, man!” he said.
It certainly was. I was among the estimated 12 million people who watched the game on television that afternoon. I cheered when 24-year-old midfielder Christian Pulisic scored the winning goal despite being injured. In the second half, my stomach was in a knot as the Pulisic-less Americans fended off sustained Iranian attacks. We were pleased to see the excellent sportsmanship of both teams’ athletes and welcomed Iran’s team captain Ehsan Hajisafi’s comments a few days ago in support of the anti-government protests that have rocked his country. .
But let’s be serious. A soccer match is no substitute for grand strategy. And now Biden’s Iran policy is a mess. Iran’s ruling Islamic priesthood has responded to internal rebellion with barbaric repression and external terror. They are killing their own people and even children while providing Russia with the means to commit atrocities against Ukrainian civilians. They continue to pursue nuclear weapons while stepping up efforts to kidnap and assassinate regime critics, including former US government officials. They fund Houthi rebels who violate Iraqi sovereignty in their attacks on America’s Kurdish allies and terrorize commercial traffic in Yemen. Iran is the very definition of a rogue state.
Biden and his officials said, to their credit, they are standing with the Iranian people against the repressive regime. It has imposed sanctions on Iranian government officials and organizations involved. It’s a start. Otherwise, Biden wasted time.
He spent more than a year in Vienna in a pointless diplomatic waltz over Iran’s nuclear program. I invested in and it hasn’t worked for 2 months at the time of writing. He backed an Israeli-Lebanese maritime deal that strengthens Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah (and Israel’s next government could be modified or overthrown). His passive and aggressive ties with Saudi Arabia endanger the emerging anti-Iran alliance in the Middle East. And his stingy defense spending demands are eroding America’s military deterrence.
“A new era of direct confrontation with Iran has suddenly become apparent,” writes David Sanger. new york timesThe confrontation was one-sided. The Iranian government has crossed the boundaries of civilized behavior. But the American response has been either negligent or disrespectful, depending on the circumstances and, in previous administrations, the mood of the president. Biden has abandoned a policy of maximum pressure in favor of multilateral diplomacy, and there is no proof of that. He has good reason to abandon this unsuccessful approach.
The potential payoff of a change in strategy is great. Iran is vulnerable. Three months ago, nationwide riots erupted in the wake of the death of his 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody of religious police. It’s not over. The mullah has lost its legitimacy. Iranians want a better and freer future than the clergy can provide. And Iran is even more isolated diplomatically by providing Russia with drones and possibly missiles. The regime’s crimes at home and abroad have silenced most, if not all, of its defenders. There is a risk of collapse if external pressure is applied.
If things go well, you won’t need military power. But for all to go well, the Ayatollah, his army, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps must take the threat of force seriously enough to confuse their calculations and force them to yield. The first step in defeating the Islamic revolutionaries in charge of the United States is to revive America’s defenses and demonstrate America’s commitment to the security of the Persian Gulf.
The next step is to repair America’s alliance with Saudi Arabia and Israel. Saudi Arabia must understand that the US supports the anti-Iran coalition. And the United States said criticism of the incoming Israeli administration should be secondary to more important priorities such as extending the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia and coordinating both covert and overt actions against Iran’s nuclear program. must recognize that
Then comes the ideological attack. President Biden can no longer afford to treat foreign policy as a distraction from domestic goals. He needs to advocate directly and often to support not only continued American support for Ukraine, but also domestic opposition to the rogue regime that endangers the world. It must be done with the same rhetoric as the Ukrainians and Iranians seeking and resisting conquest.
Next year, Republican House majorities and Republican senators will remind the Biden administration that only broad and sustained efforts, backed by credible deterrence, will inspire dissidents and punish the Iranian regime’s egregious behavior. be able to. It will take a bipartisan effort to revitalize American leadership and help the Iranian people achieve their democratic aspirations. For some countries, just winning soccer may be enough. Not for Team USA.
