President Trump’s decision to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities is as “America First” as it gets – especially in the wake of
President Trump’s decision to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities is as “America First” as it gets – especially in the wake of the agreement between Israel and Iran to enter into a ceasefire.
With one decisive blow, Trump acted to prevent a major American adversary from obtaining the world’s most dangerous weapons.
What could be more “America First” than that?
As policymakers assess potential threats, they must be guided by how they assess other nations’ capabilities and intents. A foreign government with destructive capability but no malicious intent doesn’t threaten us or our interests. Similarly, a foreign government with malicious intent but no capability to do significant damage doesn’t significantly threaten us or our interests.
When destructive capability marries malicious intent, however, a significant threat arises.
For almost half a century, going back to its birth in 1979, the revolutionary theocratic regime that runs the Islamic Republic of Iran has been a particularly vicious and violent foe of the United States and its allies. In the decades since, it has murdered hundreds of American government officials, soldiers, and civilians.
Iran’s leaders have made clear what they want: “Death to America,” the “Great Satan.”
Iran’s malicious activities toward the United States represent an ongoing threat.
