The multilateral defense of Israel against Iran’s drone and missile attacks, which included not just U.S. but also European and Arab participation, reminds us that the leading bilateral conflicts of our day play out on a broader geopolitical landscape. It is a lesson Washington should apply to multiple other fronts.
Of the estimated 350 missiles and drones that Iran and its proxies launched at Israel, the U.S. Central Command said that U.S. and European-allied destroyers shot down 80 drones and at least six ballistic missiles. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said British fighter jets shot down “a number of drones,” while the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that France also contributed to Israel’s defense.
Perhaps more striking, leading Arab nations also came to Israel’s assistance. Saudi Arabia – which, we must remember, has not yet normalized relations with the Jewish state – and the United Arab Emirates were among several Gulf states that relayed intelligence about Iran’s planned attack, while Jordan’s military reportedly shot down dozens of Iranian drones in its airspace that were headed toward Israel.
All of that action came because Washington, its European allies, and the Gulf states recognize that Iran’s attack is part of a broader effort to extend Tehran’s influence far beyond its borders – an effort that includes destroying Israel, kicking the West out of the region, and destabilizing Sunni Arab states.
Washington, which recognized the big picture and responded accordingly, should apply the same lessons as it decides how much to back Israel in Gaza and whether to further aid Ukraine in its war with Russia.
With regard to Gaza, U.S. policymakers should understand that Iran is both a nation and a terrorist conglomerate, providing funds, equipment, and training through its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to the terrorist organizations in its “axis of resistance” – including Hamas and other groups in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi Rebels in Yemen, militia groups in Iraq, and Shia fighters elsewhere.
Tehran seeks regional hegemony; Washington and its allies seek deterrence. An effective policy of deterrence, however, demands consistency.
In rallying a multilateral defense of Israel from direct Iranian attack, Washington sent a clear message of support for the Jewish state. But, in pressuring Israel not to invade Rafah and destroy the rest of Hamas’ infrastructure – and blaming Israel for civilian casualties while largely ignoring Hamas’ complicity – Washington is undermining the very deterrence it sought to nourish in response to Iran’s direct attack.
Yes, Israel should do whatever it can to prevent civilian casualties in Gaza. But in deciding whether to constrain Israel or let it finish the job (as best it can) against Hamas – which, let’s remember, barbarically slaughtered 1,200 Israelis in the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust – Washington should recognize that Tehran will watch its every move, gauge its resolve, and plan accordingly.
On a related front, Congress is threatening to undermine U.S. deterrence against Russia in its war with Ukraine.
In February, the Senate approved $95 billion in supplemental aid to Ukraine, Israel, and our Indo-Pacific allies. Due to significant opposition to more Ukraine aid within House GOP circles, House Speaker Mike Johnson says he’ll let the House vote separately on aid to Israel, to Ukraine, and to the Indo-Pacific. The net result could be more aid to Israel but not Ukraine – just as Kyiv runs short of manpower and ammunition and Russia hopes to capitalize by gobbling up more territory.
The matters are hardly severable, however. Both Israel and Ukraine are fighting to protect their people and secure their borders, while the United States is seeking to deter further aggression by Tehran or Moscow.
At the same time, Moscow and Tehran are supporting one another in their aggression. Iran is providing Russia with thousands of drones to use in Ukraine and helping Russia develop more sophisticated ones on its own. Russia reportedly has promised to provide Iran with advanced fighter jets and air defense technology, which would help Iran defend itself against future Israeli or U.S. attacks.
Russia and Iran, in turn, are part of a growing military, diplomatic, and economic partnership with China – united by a desire to upend the U.S.-backed liberal order and challenge U.S.-led freedom and democracy around the world.
In Tehran, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei gauges U.S. resolve as the IRGC and the terror groups it coordinates operate far from home. In Moscow, strongman Vladimir Putin gauges U.S. resolve as he eyes targets in the former Soviet empire beyond Ukraine. In Beijing, autocrat Xi Jinping gauges U.S. resolve as he watches Middle East and European battlegrounds and continues to pressure Taiwan.
The fight for freedom, secure borders, and the rule of law are global, and Washington should recognize how its response to threats in one theater will either incentivize or deter threats in others.
About the Author:
Lawrence J. Haas is a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council and the author of, most recently, The Kennedys in the World: How Jack, Bobby, and Ted Remade America’s Empire (Potomac Books).
megiddo
April 18, 2024 at 11:41 pm
Under the brilliant leadership of US under joe Biden, the ‘grangpa’ president who scores a very super high mark in offensive rhetorics, the world is fast approaching ww3.
While Biden bankrolls the bloodshed directly in two places, Ukraine and Gaza, other countries are feeling the pinch as well.
Inflation continues to haunt the US with destitute people living in tents, cars, parks due to unaffordable housing and businesses hounded by massive retail theft.
Due to US domestic inflation, the dollar continues its spiralling upward trend, placing massive economic strain on foreign countries, especially poor ones which rely on massive imports.
Other countries like Iran, china and Venezuela are facing mounting political heat, thus having to change their policies to confront the US and its minions directly.
Meanwhile the US DoD continues to develop new weapons of war, while its Spave force rapidly militarizes space.
As a result, under joe Biden, the whole world is now sprinting on an inexorable path to ww3.
Grandpa knows he doesn’t have much time left in Earth, but must be take along the rest of the world along with him in his unknown journey to the next world ?
JingloBells
April 19, 2024 at 12:22 am
The US under joe Biden (not Donald trump who is intensely disliked by the war-loving media) is dividing the entire world into two armed camps.
Those targeted by US and its allies today must now WAKE UP and realise that the only way to defeat, or at least keep at bay, the current ultra modern imperialism-fascismo bloc is possessing an effective nuclear missile force and missile shield.
China, for example, under very intense non-stop pressure from US pacific forces, has developed novel radar systems supposedly capable of detecting f-22 and even b-21 aircraft.
It has also tested FOBS in space.
Thus china must further develop those oowerful systems and use them, like employing some early versions to Iran to counter the vaunted western systems now operating in the middle east region.
That must be done now, today, and there’s no time to waste.
The imperialist fascists are getting more and more powerful, and so getting bolder and bolder with each passing day.
Down with joe Biden and the American agent in china xi jinping.
Down with the US pacific forces.
Longive world peace !
pagar
April 19, 2024 at 7:07 am
It is super clear, very, very crystal clear, the so-called ‘alliance’ is the 21st century version of the Tripartite Pact that attempted to control the globe.
It is a rehashed version of the (failed) political-military bloc that ferociously attempted to impose fascism on sedantary nations in the tumultous thirties & forties.
Today, history is exactly repeating itself, nearly 100 years later. How neat, huh!
Now, in the year of 2024, a great supremacist leader (in the footsteps of hutler mussolini and hirohito), has proudly proclaimed his country is indispensable to the world, and thus has the right to foment wars, stage coups/regime-change, enlarge or grow super aggressive military organizations and carry out innumerable war drills & war exercises.
And to launch hi-tech strikes and prosecute wars of outright extermination.
What have we got here ?
What we gave is the realization that beneath the smiles, ties and suits and handshakes and cries of emancipation, the human on planet Earth is still controlled by his caveman instincts.
Bill clinyon, George bush, barack hussein obama, benjamin netanyahu, and now joe biden, all (at the end of the day) merely obeying the call of the wild man in each of them.
Jim
April 19, 2024 at 12:48 pm
If the basic premises of the article were correct, then it might make sense.
But the basic premise seems to be, “The fight for freedom, secure borders, and the rule of law are global…”
But what do we get from U. S. policy?
Death, destruction, and disruption masquerading as sound policy… carried out by a foreign policy characterized by militarism, force, and bullying… and writing the “rules” as we go along to suit ourselves.
And, a large portion of the nations on earth are rejecting this approach.
The idea that the U. S. should have Full Spectrum Dominance in any region of the world has left us isolated, disliked, and over-extended… approaching economic & financial exhaustion.
Our problems with foreign policy derive from a congenital misconception of what a successful foreign policy should be.
These policies haven’t been working, not because various presidents have been “weak” as critics often complain when the policy doesn’t work, (see Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria… and, now, Ukraine), but because the policy was wrong conceptually from the start.
The Washington Consensus has taken the American People, who are the Sovereign and pay the tax money, on a “Thelma & Louise” ride towards a bad place.
Those that gave us these failed policies must be removed from power before they hurt the American People even more with “endless war”… there’s always another one around the corner…
Those that advocate these policies have no insight into their failures… and will never admit it… even when the car is sailing over the cliff… their fingers will still be “white knuckled” on the steering wheel… claiming they are right.
Sorry, they are wrong and they were from the start.