(Tablet) Michael Doran - By any sane measure, President Biden's gambit to resurrect the Iran nuclear deal has failed. Two years of diplomatic outreach to Iran have given it breathing room to enrich uranium to 60%, if not higher. Meanwhile, it is openly pursuing plots to kill former American officials while murdering protesters on its own streets and working closely with Russia on the production of more advanced killer drones. In reaction to the rising threat from Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is calling on Washington to develop a Plan B, one based on compelling Iran to dismantle its nuclear weapons program by presenting Tehran with a credible military threat. The Biden team, however, refuses, insisting that a "diplomatic solution" remains the preferred way to solve the dispute over Iran's nuclear program - that phrase being a euphemism for continuing to avoid any serious effort to pressure Iran economically or militarily. Netanyahu, meanwhile, is developing capabilities that will allow Israel, if necessary, to remove the threat on its own. The American interest still dictates building a coalition with Israel and Saudi Arabia to thwart Tehran's nuclear ambitions. And Israel is a particularly desirable coalition member because, unique among Middle Eastern powers, it has both the means and the will to carry out offensive countermeasures against Iran. Biden should cooperate with Netanyahu against Iran. That is the most effective way for the U.S. to defend not just Israel and America, but democratic values as well. The writer is Director of the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East and a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute.
2023-03-09 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive