After weeks of tensions, threats, and will-they-won’t-theys, the U.S. and Israeli military finally kicked off their campaign to kneecap (or potentially eradicate) the despotic Islamist regime of Iran. Most of us have responded as sensible adults, patiently awaiting news while praying for the safety of our service members as they defend our freedom and values. And yet, as usual, there is an almost unified response from the outraged coalition of radical Islamists and pseudo-libertarian professional tweeters.
Cenk Uyghur praised Khamenei for dying “on his own two feet, instead of kneeling to Israel,” who “pushed us into this asinine war.” Dave Smith called President Donald Trump a “traitor.” And Tucker Carlson called it “Israel’s war.”
As usual, the obsessive desire to tie this war to the warmongering Jews who want your children to fight and die for them is sheer nonsense.
First, the U.S. military is undoubtedly the finest and most awesome military force in the history of humanity.
Second, does anyone seriously believe that Israel is so powerful that they can manipulate the United States into war, but they waited decades to twist Trump of all people into attacking Iran?
Last and most importantly, we should also address an underlying argument that this war is somehow unjustified, as if Iran hasn’t been our enemy for almost 50 years. Yes, casualties from this campaign are both inevitable and tragic, as is the case with all combat casualties. But you will also notice that some of those who are particularly outraged by these casualties also couldn’t care less about the hundreds of casualties of Iran and its proxies before this war.
Let’s even set aside the apocalyptic carnage that would be brought upon the U.S. and its allies if — God forbid — Iran obtained nuclear weapons. It is undeniable that Iran’s proudly declared “Death to America” policy has brought death to Americans since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Examples include the bombing of both the U.S. Embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1983, killing hundreds of Americans — the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, killing 19 Americans and wounding hundreds more, and the roadside bombing campaigns by Iran-backed insurgent groups in Iraq that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of U.S. troops.
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The idea that Americans haven’t been impacted by Iran’s regime of terror is debunked solely by the attacks of October 7, 2023, by Iran-backed Hamas. Carlson may have described the attack as a “foreign tragedy” over which “some commentators” were being disproportionately emotional, but it was a “foreign tragedy” in which Americans were murdered and kidnapped.
There are, of course, good reasons to oppose this war. But the idea that Iran poses no threat to the U.S. or its citizens is not one of them. Not only that, the argument that any and all military action against Iran is unquestionably unjustified is nothing but disrespect for every U.S. citizen who has been wounded, brutalized, or murdered by the Islamic Republic.
Ian Haworth is a syndicated columnist. You can find his work on Substack.
