Don't forget that Iran murdered Americans for decades

There are, of course, good reasons to oppose this war, but the idea that Iran poses no threat to the United States or its citizens is not one of them

This column was first published by Washington Examiner

After weeks of tensions, threats, and will-they-wont-theys, the United States and Israeli military finally kicked off their campaign to kneecap (or potentially eradicate) the despotic Islamist regime of Iran. Most of us have responded like sensible adults, patiently awaiting news (from the safety of our homes) of the war while praying for the safety of our service-members as they defend our freedom and values. And yet — as usual — there is the almost unified response from the small-and-whiny coalition of radical Islamists and/or pseudo-libertarian professional tweeters, who couldn’t be more outraged.

Cenk Uyghur praised Khamenei for dying “on his own two feet, instead of kneeling to Israel,” who “pushed us into this asinine war,” Dave Smith called President Trump a “traitor,” and Tucker Carlson called it “Israel’s war,” amidst an explosion of moronic declarations across social media that “I’m not going to die for Israel!”

As usual, the obsessive desire to tie this war — much in the same way as wars of the past — to the warmongering Jews who want your children to fight and die for them is sheer unadulterated nonsense.

First, the American military is undoubtedly the finest and most awesome military force in the history of humanity, made up of the best-of-the-best who volunteer to serve our country. Does anyone seriously believe they’re desperate for a bunch of chubby keyboard warriors and their privileged children — some of whom even have cushy jobs in the Trump administration — to fight alongside them?

Second, does anyone seriously believe that Israel is simultaneously all-powerful that they can manipulate the United States into war, but waited decades to twist Donald Trump of all people into attacking Iran? Is Donald Trump that easily manipulated? Donald Trump, the man who has done what he wants, where he wants, when he wants for his entire life?

Lastly, and most importantly, we should also address an underlying argument that this war is somehow unjustified — as Rep. Ilhan Omar argued — as if Iran hasn’t been our enemy for almost 50 years. Yes, casualties from this campaign are both inevitable and tragic, as is the case with all combat casualties. But you will also notice that some of those who are particularly outraged by these casualties also couldn’t care less about the hundreds of casualties of Iran and its proxies before this war.

Let’s even set aside the apocalyptic carnage that would be brought upon the United States and its allies if — God forbid — Iran obtained nuclear weapon capabilities. It is undeniable that Iran’s proudly-declared “Death to America” policy has brought death to Americans since the Iranian revolution in 1979. Examples include the bombing of both the U.S. Embassy and Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1983 — killing hundreds of Americans — the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia — killing 19 Americans and wounding hundreds more — and the roadside bombing campaigns by Iran-backed insurgent groups in Iraq that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of American troops.

The idea that Americans haven’t been impacted by Iran’s regime of terror is debunked solely by the attacks of October 7, 2023 by Iran-backed Hamas. Tucker Carlson may have described the attack as a “foreign tragedy” over which “some commentators” were being disproportionately emotional, but it was a “foreign tragedy” in which Americans were murdered and kidnapped.

Was their “foreign” status imposed by their tiny hats?

There are, of course, good reasons to oppose this war, but the idea that Iran poses no threat to the United States or its citizens is not one of them. Not only that, the argument that any and all military action against Iran is unquestionably unjustified is nothing but a disgusting expression of disrespect for every American citizen that has been wounded, brutalized, or murdered by the Islamic Republic of Iran.