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MY VIEWPOINT - As I mentioned in my last article, the sensible approach for the US would have been to build a coalition of our allies, impose a blockade (including secondary sanctions against Iran’s trading partners) and maintain the option of bombing nuclear sites and armaments manufacturing facilities.
Trump could have made a strong case for a united front against the Islamic Republic. The Ayatollah’s murderous regime and its grasp for the holy grail of nuclear weapons could have been a rallying cry for certain NATO members to engage with the Administration. But his plea was wrapped in insults and character attacks. Key European leaders would not have been able to secure domestic support for action in the face of Trump’s vile threats.
Now, it is the US and Israel going it alone in the face of world enmity and at the cost of our nation’s strategic reputation. The latter ramification is priceless; recovering it will be nearly insurmountable, at least in a relevant timeframe. Long after the Iran war fades into the past, the bad blood will linger between the US and our allies.
Because of Trump’s insolence, we will bear all of the risk from blockading Iran.
It’s too late to turn back the clock to the beginning of Trump’s second term, before he insulted our allies and reinforced his bonds with Putin.
We are caught in a vortex. The only was to escape is to totally suppress Iran. A wounded lion is dangerous if it survives.
We have a twofold task at this point: restore control in the Middle East……and drive Trump and his MAGA coteries from office. These incongruent objectives will require leadership from both parties and the American people.
It will take more than just the mid-term election to achieve them.
(Paul Hatfield is a longtime community advocate and civic leader. He currently serves as a board member and past president of the Valley Village Residents Association and is a former Treasurer and board member of the Neighborhood Council Valley Village. A licensed CPA and experienced accounting consultant, Paul brings financial expertise to his community service. He regularly writes for CityWatch, focusing on city governance, fiscal accountability, and transparency in Los Angeles public affairs.)
