Trump, Netanyahu Go for Peace Through Strength in Iran Attack

By Dovid Rifkin

 

Purim miracles came on Shabbos Zachor this year, as strikes by US and Israeli forces attacked targets in Iran, eliminating modern-day Haman Ayatollah Ali Khameini, dozens of other senior Iranian leaders, and wreaking havoc on Iranian naval ships and weapons capabilities.

The stunning strikes—baruch Hashem there was no hester panim with this neis—dealt a devastating blow to the greatest state sponsor of terror and made the world a safer place for freedom-loving people everywhere, including in Iran.

 

 

The bold action by Netanyahu and Trump, who rode into office on a promise of “America First” that had some believing he’d be an isolationist, was the most consequential geopolitical phenomenon since the fall of the Soviet Union.

“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in history, is dead,” Trump Truthed at 4:38 p.m. on Shabbos. News of the strikes and Khamenei’s death managed to trickle into shuls, resulting in ubiquitous murmurings of, “Did you hear anything?”

“Lev melachim b’yad Hashem,” we need to remind ourselves again and again. The actions of world leaders are totally orchestrated by Hashem; perhaps it’s even futile to discuss any hishtadlus. But to the extent that we may, this represents not only an incredible victory for Trump and Netanyahu, but a resounding for defeat for Harris, Biden, and Obama.

Obama’s disastrous “Iran nuclear deal” was a joke that would have paved the way for the evil regime to get a nuclear weapon. When Biden and Harris were asked in the past for their message to Iran, it was… “Don’t.” I’m sure the mullahs were quaking in their boots.

There’s only one thing that works when dealing with murderous dictators: force. Preferably the threat of force, which may work if they believe you’ll use it, but otherwise, actual force. That’s all.

Trump gave peace a chance and said multiple times that he prefers to make a deal. But when Iran refused to capitulate and give up its weapons, he finally decided enough was enough.

And it was Trump’s economic pressure that got us to this point.

His devastating sanctions on Iran during his first term squeezed the regime, but Biden rolled them back. Trump promptly reinstituted them in his second term.

And there’s no doubt the increasing sanctions helped destroy Iran’s economy, which led to the protests in recent months, and then Trump knew the time was ripe for regime change.

 

 

Trump said, “This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country.”

He promised immunity to any security forces who abandon the regime and join with freedom-loving Iranians to “work together as a unit to bring back the country to the greatness it deserves,” but he promised death to those who continue to support the regime.

Crucially, he said, the bombing will continue “as long as necessary to achieve our objective of peace throughout the Middle East and, indeed, the world.”

If Trump follows through on this promise of seeing the mission through, not abandoning ship early but ensuring that Iran is no longer a threat to regional or world security, he could easily be the greatest president other than Reagan since the Great Depression.

The bombing also burnishes Netanyahu’s legacy, which had been somewhat tarnished amid Israel’s failure to prevent 10/7.

 

 

Iran has predictably responded to the fusillade by striking American interests in the Middle East and firing missiles at Israel. Sadly, some were not intercepted, and there have been deaths of acheinu bnei Yisrael as well as US soldiers. Every innocent death is a tragedy and a reminder that we still await the true salvation.

But Iran also fired on Sunni states in the Gulf. This appears to be a regime in its death rattle, desperately firing its last few missiles at all its many enemies before it goes down for good.

 

 

One of the great joys of a success such as this one is not only reveling in the victory, but in seeing the enemies defeated. I’m talking, of course, about the jihadis in the halls of power in America.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, Democrat of Somalia and the People’s Republic of Minneapolis, tweeted, “The US apparently loves to strike Muslim countries during Ramadan, and I am convinced it isn’t what these countries have done to violate international law but about who they worship.”

As Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) responded, “Ilhan Omar didn’t care that over 1,000 Jews were slaughtered on a Jewish holiday. Maybe sit this one out, terrorist lover.”

And of course, New York’s jihadi communist mayor by way of Uganda, Zohran Mamdani, tweeted, “Today’s military strikes on Iran—carried out by the United States and Israel—mark a catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression. Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war. Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change. They want relief from the affordability crisis. They want peace.”

Actually, what all Americans know—whether they’re like Trump and say it proudly or like the Dems who wish they can wish it away—is that peace comes through strength.