2 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Let's Not Go Wobbly on Iran
I applaud Operation Midnight Hammer, which could give President Trump a prominent place in the Jewish pantheon of heroes if not a Nobel Peace prize ('After the 'Cease-Fire,' Tests for Iran,' Review & Outlook, June 25). Yet if the president believes he can turn a hungry beast into a vegetarian, he is being uncharacteristically naive. It's unlikely that an economic incentive or military pressure will convince Iran's leaders to abandon the Islamic Republic's raison d'etre: destroying the Jewish state and Western civilization.
Repeating rounds of negotiations, with the inevitable lies and deceptions, and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. 'Public commitments' and International Atomic Energy Agency access have proved unreliable. Declarations of recognizing Israel would be equally disingenuous. Mr. Trump may, for political reasons, be unable to say it out loud, but he must recognize that the only permanent solution to a nuclear Iran is supporting moderate Iranians in replacing the jihadist theocracy with a more temperate, pro-Western government. The cease-fire may be in effect, but this isn't over yet.
