By allowing Israel to bomb Iran, Trump is pushing Tehran to go nuclear
By allowing Israel to bomb Iran, Trump is pushing Tehran to go nuclear
Donald Trump’s decision to permit Israel’s attack on Iran has been labeled the most consequential misstep by a U.S. president since George W. Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq. The choice to enable Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military campaign during ongoing talks with Tehran has placed the United States in a precarious position, drawing parallels to figures like Al Capone or Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
George W. Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq ignited a decade of conflict, resulting in the loss of over 655,000 lives, as documented by The Lancet. It also led to the rise of extremist groups like the Islamic State and nearly toppled a major state, one still struggling to recover from the devastation 14 years later. Trump’s current decision could be seen as an even greater mistake, with potentially more severe global consequences.
The U.S. presidency, once seen as a symbol of global leadership, now faces scrutiny over its reliability. By backing Israel’s strike while U.S. envoys negotiated with Tehran, the administration has undermined its credibility. This move, described as a “coup” by Tel Aviv and Washington, highlights how far the nation has fallen in terms of trust.
The Cost of Deception
Trump’s actions have left Iranian diplomats questioning American integrity. With hundreds of Hellfire missiles delivered to Israel and real-time intelligence support, the U.S. enabled a calculated strike. Israeli drones reportedly targeted Iranian leaders in their sleep or lured them to headquarters, where they were eliminated. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the intel provided as “exquisite.”
“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. God Bless You All!”
Trump’s declaration on Truth Social reflects a tone of hubris, dismissing Iran’s historical trauma. This nation, home to 92 million people with millennia of history, is now pressured to comply with American demands. The decision echoes the 1980s, when Iran faced its own crisis under Saddam Hussein, backed by Western powers.
A War of Vulnerability
When Saddam Hussein launched his invasion of Iran in 1980, the country was still reeling from the revolution. Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran’s supreme leader, had yet to consolidate power, and the military was weakened by the Shah’s overthrow. Iranian forces, including the newly formed Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, were ill-equipped, with weapons shared among soldiers as they fell in waves.
Despite this, Saddam’s forces made swift advances, only to be gradually pushed back at a devastating human cost. The U.S. and Europe continued supporting him, even as he used chemical weapons against Kurdish civilians in Halabja. British diplomats, according to Richard Beeston of The Times, downplayed the scale of the gassing, claiming it was minimal.
By 1983, the National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 114 had outlined the U.S. goal: to protect its Gulf interests and military presence. Saddam’s use of chemical weapons, such as mustard gas and sarin, was deemed secondary to these objectives. Yet, for Iranians, the attacks were a defining memory, shaping their resolve to build a network of armed groups as a form of defense.
Today, Iran’s “axis of resistance” may appear less formidable, but its historical scars remain. The U.S. decision to let Israel strike could reignite the same pattern of exploitation, turning Iran’s nuclear program into a symbol of defiance against a declining superpower.
