Headlines proclaiming, "Should America Be Joining Israel In Their Conflict Against Iran," are not just misleading—they fundamentally misrepresent the dynamics at play. In reality, the geopolitical tension with Iran and its allies is not merely Israel's battle; it is intricately woven into the strategic interests of the United States and Western nations.
Have We Forgotten?
In November 1979, Iranian students, fervently led by Khomeini, stormed and seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran, capturing 52 American hostages and holding them for a grueling 444 days. This audacious act followed closely on the heels of the Iranian Revolution, a transformative moment that saw the overthrow of the Shah and the establishment of what is now the Islamic Republic of Iran, guided by Khomeini's vision and its slogan “Death To America,” with Iran developing its nuclear program since then solely to destroy the big Satan which they openly describe as the United States of America.
As history has shown, the U.S. and the West have faced significant challenges in military engagements in the Middle East. The costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan drained trillions of taxpayers' dollars without achieving sustainable peace or stability. The abrupt evacuation of U.S. embassy staff in Iraq which can’t be protected by the U.S. after spending trillions in Iraq, sacrificing tens of thousands of troops marked another retreat in a region that remains fraught with tension and unrest. The resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan underscores the limitations of military might and financial expenditure in tackling complex regional dynamics and is a true embarrassment to western nations.
On the contrary: Within mere hours, Israel effectively neutralized leadership targets and infrastructure critical to Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas and redrew the map of the Middle East. This efficiency is unmatched by Western military efforts, which, despite advanced technology and resources, have struggled to achieve outcomes of such after tens of years and trillions of U.S. taxpayers dollars spent on loss after loss with nothing to show for it other than financial losses and tens of thousands of American lives destroyed.
Therefore, it is time to reconsider how we frame and identify with the Iranian conflict. Rather than viewing it as Israel's struggle, the world must acknowledge it as a global struggle lauding Israel for its ability to do what no other nation including the U.S. was capable of achieving. Israel’s proactive operations have contributed markedly to regional and global security, acting as a first line of defense against regimes that openly declare hostility toward the West.
Israel's Solo Action Against Iran's Nuclear Ambitions Should Include Global Solidarity
While Israel strikes Iran’s nuclear facilities solo, it will most definitely not come with any sort of thank you from the West. Instead it will come with a political price of international backlash, particularly from entities such as the United Nations. Israel would most certainly be condemned by the international community for aggression, overshadowing the underlying motives of self-defense and regional stability.
Israel has a strategy and the means to finish off Fordow which is buried deep under a mountain near Qom, believed to be one of the key sites of Iran's nuclear enrichment activities and infrastructure, but it would be nice to see America step in with its 30,000 pound bomb and help finish it off quickly.
Bottom line:
The narrative must shift from headlines asking if we should join Israel's conflict, to questioning whether America and its allies have the stomach to stand openly with Israel to show solidarity in eliminating the Iran Nuclear threat they all face.
Though Israel might not seek gratitude and might end up doing it all alone, it is imperative for global powers to acknowledge the weight on Israel shoulders in carrying out operations that profoundly impact international security. Israel is achieving the impossible to make the world a safer place for all.
Duvi Honigis the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber Of Commerce.