The Trump administration has said, time and time again, that it does not want to go to war with Iran. Some are arguing that this is a blatant lie because of all the military preparations that are underway in the region. The image of USS Abraham Lincoln, an impressive aircraft carrier, sailing under the Peace Bridge in the Suez Canal was a powerful image. And certainly the warnings to Iran that any war between the two countries would be a devastating one also brings images of military conflict to mind.
However, the United States cannot just sit back and watch how things pan out with Iran. It is being proactive and making sure that it is prepared to defend itself if Iran makes a move.
The Trump administration has been pressuring the Iranian regime for a number of months now. In fact, ever since taking office, the Trump administration has not been silent about the Iran threat. President Trump is very aware that his predecessor’s administration made some very serious foreign policy mistakes with regards to Iran and he is keen to make sure that he does not go down the same route.
War, however, is not the only way to eliminate the Iran threat. The regime is bordering on collapse as it is. The country’s economy is falling to pieces because of decades of mismanagement and corruption. It is losing its grip on power in the region, especially now that the conflict in Syria is drawing to a close and President Bashar al Assad has options. Domestic pressure in Iran is also being maintained by the people who are sick of the regime’s suppression. They want regime change and they are determined to ensure that future generations have the freedom that they have been cruelly denied for the past four decades.
The Iranian regime too knows that it would not be able to handle military conflict. War would push the regime right over the edge almost immediately. But it is being brave – playing a game that it hopes will pay off, but a game that could very easily spark military conflict.
The Iranian regime, in its place of weakness, presents more danger now than it ever did. The Trump administration realises this because it has sent an extraordinary set of weapons and vessels to the Gulf where they are just waiting for the signal. What more can Washington do to show that it is deadly serious when it comes to Iran?
Military conflict, for all concerned, would be the least preferred solution. And there is no need because the people of Iran will undoubtedly be the force behind the regime’s collapse. The United States has correctly identified the Iranian regime as the number one threat to peace and security and the threat is now extending much further.
Former President Barack Obama promised that the regime would become more moderate but this never happened. And it is very clear that the regime is incapable of being moderate. Pressure is what is needed in the immediate term.
Source » irannewsupdate