There is still time for Biden to deter Iran and support Israel

Excerpt

President Joe Biden warned Iran to “be careful” after Hamas killed 1,400 Israelis and 22 Americans in its Oct. 7 terrorist attack. But Tehran ignored his empty threats, and the Middle East is on the cusp of a regional war.

Biden has only himself to blame. His policy of maximum deference to the Islamic Republic has backfired, creating a dangerous situation for Washington and Jerusalem. Yet there is still time for Biden to reverse himself and strengthen deterrence; above all, he should start enforcing U.S. sanctions already on the books and authorize U.S. troops to retaliate when fired upon by Iran-backed militias.

Within days of the massacre, the administration began to downplay Iran’s role in the Hamas attack. Unnamed senior officials suggested the U.S. intelligence community was still looking for evidence of Iran’s direct involvement. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan acknowledged Tehran provides “support and capabilities to Hamas” but stopped short of pointing fingers at the Islamic Republic.

Anthony Ruggiero is a senior fellow and senior director of the Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He previously served as the National Security Council’s senior director for counterproliferation and biodefense from 2019 to 2021.