OPINION:
The attacks on Israel, American military bases and Red Sea-going ships by Iranian proxies have led to calls to punish Iran directly in addition to punishing its proxies.
Has anyone considered the possibility that Iran wants to be attacked? Iran probably has fully developed nuclear weapons, providing it with the capability of dominating the Middle East. Could Iran be looking for an excuse (“self-defense” against attack by the Satans of the West) to use its nuclear weapons to achieve its goals?
Israel would be the first target and the often-stated objective of destroying the Jewish nation would be accomplished. An added “benefit” might be the withdrawal of all Western presence from that area of the world.
A Western attack on Iran would be precisely targeted with conventional weapons so as to harm as few Iranian citizens as possible. Even the Iranian military would likely suffer only minimal losses. So an attack on Iran would not be unacceptably devastating to it.
Perhaps the measured response against the proxies is the safest approach. However, in this case, destruction of the proxies will only result in a temporary pause, as Iran will reconstitute them and resume the provocations. How can this cycle end? We are in a deadly conundrum.
TERRY GERNSTEIN
McLean, Virginia
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