In the midst of a world full of geopolitical tensions, some individuals always seem to seize the opportunity to hyperventilate over every decision made by a sitting president, especially if said president happens to belong to the opposing party. Recently, one such occasion arose when the current administration took decisive action regarding Iran, setting off the alarm bells for some, including Tim Kaine, who apparently believes that the president should be asking Congress permission slips before doing anything remotely daring on the international stage. It’s almost as if some folks totally forgot how these things work when their guy was calling the shots.
The fuss stems from the fact that the Israeli Foreign Minister’s news about a successful bombing campaign against Iranian facilities seemed to have left quite an impression. Reports suggest that the Iranian nuclear program has been set back by two or three years. But don’t expect the usual suspects to join in on the festivity. Instead, some have been busy calling it an “offensive war of choice” carried out without proper consultations, conveniently ignoring their own coordination when similar strikes occurred under a different administration. It’s almost like there’s a script: outrage, repeat, ignore history.
One cannot overlook the vivid picture Darryl Issa paints about those running around like headless chickens, fearing the end is nigh and nations will collapse overnight. The truth is, the U.S. isn’t sending ground troops into Iran, as if anyone would ever expect a repeat of some long, convoluted war drama. The president seems to be channeling his inner Reagan by attempting a change in behavior, not regime change, which to some sounds radical when their beloved narrative of fear and uncertainty is at stake.
Even among concerns about potential repercussions if the Iranian government were to miraculously tumble down, critics tend to forget how messy these regime changes have been in the past. One would think we learned from Iraq? It looks like repeating the same mistake isn’t on the agenda for now. The point is to address the behavior of a government that has long overstayed its welcome on the global stage, not writing a new script for chaos by replacing it with something far worse.
No matter how the Armageddon enthusiasts frame it, over 85% of the Iranian population is ready for change. The uproar for freedom and democracy rings louder than the unrelenting clatter from both sides of the aisle here at home. However, it seems some find it easier to criticize than to act. President Trump, much like the late, great President Reagan, is showing strength. Whether this latest maneuver sparks a revolution within the Iranian population is still to be seen, but at least it might just cause the regime to reconsider its antics for a while. In the meantime, let’s see which Middle Eastern country gets to host the next act of international cat-and-mouse. Stay tuned.
