Commentary

I’m returning after a brief hiatus to touch on President Trump’s decision to finally end the era of Iran’s nuclear threat and terrorist activities around the world.

While President Trump has unleashed the power of our military, with the help of Netanyahu’s Israeli forces against Iran, to do what decades of past presidents only talked about doing, the pundits are ecstatic. Looking ahead to the midterms, the Trump haters think he has killed chances for the Republican Party.  Not so quick.

In a Wall Streety Journal opinion piece, Democrat, David Boies, known for his representation of Al Gore in Gore vs Bush, wrote about “Every past president since Bill Clinton, Republican and Democrat alike, has declared that Iran couldn’t be permitted to develop nuclear weapons.

“Every president since Ronald Reagan has condemned Iran’s role in terrorism against American citizens, interests and allies. Not one acted to stop it. Instead, each president left his successor with a more dangerous Iran and a more complicated threat to address.

“If we believe that Iran presents a serious threat, we need to support the president on this issue. There’s plenty to disagree with him about, and we don’t need to like or admire him. But on Iran we should be on common ground.”

On television, from one talking head to another, we hear, ‘there was no threat,’ ‘another long war, a quagmire,’ ‘boots on the ground,’ ‘how long will it take?’ ‘He has no strategy,’ ‘what will victory look like?’

Most of them missed the threat clearly laid out by Iran for negotiator Steve Whitkoff. It brought the diplomatic effort to an end.  There would not be another “kick the can down the road” to the next president.

It’s prophetic that Bois pointed out that three or four years from now, Iranian missiles could be hitting Berlin or London, perhaps even New York or Washington, not knowing what we know now.  European capitals are already in Iran’s reach.

The thought that Iran didn’t have the ability to strike European countries, may be the reason the NATO countries have been slow to offer support to the U.S.

Regarding the midterm speculation. “MAGA Republicans” are the group most likely to back regime change in Iran with 75 percent telling the Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll they supported it, vs.  69 percent “traditional Republicans.”

Interestingly, “Mr. Trump has proved willing to stand up to terrorists, drug traffickers and dictators who otherwise would flourish,” noted Democrat strategist and pollster Mark Penn, adding. “He has found a formula of limited military action combined with diplomatic overtures that wins the approval of most Americans—and especially, contrary to the chatter, of MAGA Republicans—so long as it is decisive and effective.”

Karl Rove, Republican strategist and pollster wrote of a divide between MAGA voters, who don’t share the opinion of a small group of MAGA podcasters, who see Trump’s decision as a betrayal.

Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan opened her column describing the “awe we feel again, again, for the U.S military.  It’s professionalism, cool and courage are impressive and inspiring.”  Then, almost reluctantly, she writes, “And we must give Donald Trump his due: His decision was bold, he took a big swing.”

She wrote, “You’ve got to hope it’s all going to succeed,” but then followed with a ridiculous view “that it will make America’s position an inch or two better in the world and not an inch or two worse.”

“An inch or two better.”  National security experts across the board have predicted that our success will result in a Middle East not heretofore conceived.

Citing several “old Washington” military decisions of the past “in retrospect” she closed indicating she would not support the administration now if she were in Congress.

She was critical of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, too, for his cheerleader-like press conferences. 

But she wasn’t alone. “Asking the American public to pray for our troops on bended knee and invoke Jesus’ name,” was too much for Margaret Brenner on Face the Nation.  Never mind that our wartime history is replete with calls for prayer, from Washington and Lincoln to Franklyn Roosevelt and Eisenhower.

“The boss” says “he’s doing a great job” and recruitment is up.

May God guide our president and our military service men and women who are putting their lives on the line for a free Iran.