Like it or not, Iran’s war against Israel is now America’s wars

Dear Friend of Israel, Friend of FLAME:

When Iran massively attacked Israel last week, the United States and other allies stepped in to help it shoot down nearly all 300+ incoming ballistic missiles and armed drones. This assistance makes eminent sense, since Iran is a primary enemy not only of Israel, but also of the U.S. and all Western nations, as well as many Arab states.

Tellingly, a bold, unsettling spearhead of Iran’s jihadi ambitions has recently breached the American heartland. Hundreds of pro-Iran and pro-Hamas demonstrators gathered in Dearborn, MI two weeks ago to scream Iran’s notorious battle cry: “Death to America! Death to Israel!”

Despite the clarity of Iran’s global jihadi mission to destroy first the “Little Satan” (Israel) and then the “Great Satan” (America) and despite its insidious infiltration into Mainstreet America, Biden insists on appeasing the Islamic Republic with soft diplomacy.

While Israel understands profoundly that the fight against Iran and its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah is life and death, Biden and other Western leaders apparently believe they are immune from the Iranian threat. Yet even today, many of Iran’s missiles can easily strike NATO nations, most of whom do not possess Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.

Unfortunately, Iran’s recent launch from its own soil of more than 300 ballistic missiles and armed drones makes the jihadi state seem more emboldened than ever. Yet, with painful irony, Biden and other Western leaders still counsel restraint, forcefully ordering Israel not to retaliate.

Iran has declared war not just on Israel, but also on the U.S. many times. In short, Israel’s war against Hamas and Iran is also America’s war. A winning strategy for the Biden Administration—to win his next election and to win an honored place in history—would be first to support Israel fully in its response to Iran’s attack and in its war against Hamas.

Second, it behooves the White House to show Iran with clear, painful military action that the games are over. Iran’s recent aggression will not be tolerated, and future attacks will be met with harsher, even more devastating response.

Iran has been building steadily to a war with the United States, as well as Israel—threatening also Arab states and Western Europe. On October 26^th, the Iranian foreign minister warned that if Israel did not stop its attack on Hamas in response to the October 7^th massacre, the U.S. would “not be spared from this fire.” Indeed, Iranian proxies have substantially increased their attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East.

Between October 17, 2023 and January 29, 2024 alone, Iranian proxies attacked U.S. forces in the region 165 times. In January, three U.S. soldiers were killed in Jordan by missiles fired by an Iran proxy. Moreover, Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, threatened that any support by Washington for an Israeli counterattack would result in U.S. bases being targeted. Iran-sponsored Houthi militants are wreaking global economic havoc by attacking shipping in the Red Sea.

The Biden Administration’s policies have only served to aid Iran’s war efforts against Israel and the West. First, Biden tried to renegotiate the nuclear deal that the Obama Administration reached with the Islamic Republic. This agreement could have given Iran an estimated $50 billion in sanctions relief that would no doubt be used to finance terrorism. And crucially, the deal would not have prevented Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. In fact, the terms of the accord would have permitted Iran almost fully to return to nuclear weapons development by 2026.

Fortunately, Biden was unsuccessful in his attempts to resurrect the disastrous Iran deal. Nonetheless, he has still released to Iran billions of dollars in sanctions relief. Late last year he gave the Islamist dictatorship $6 billion in frozen funds in exchange for five American hostages, without any mechanism to prevent these funds from being used to fund terrorism. This sends a message to the mullahs that taking hostages pays. Unsurprisingly, Iran’s proxy Hamas took this message to heart when it kidnapped more than 250 men, women and children during their murderous rampage on October 7^th, some eight of whom were American citizens.

Even after the unprecedented attack by Iran on U.S. ally Israel, Biden and other Western leaders still want to prevent Israel from defending itself.  Israel is America’s strongest, most committed, most consistently loyal U.S. ally. Yet a report in Politico reveals that following the belligerent attack on Israel from Iranian soil, “Biden essentially told Netanyahu to ‘take the win,’ given that Israel escaped the attack largely unscathed.” Yet no other country, including the U.S., would tolerate such an attack without a vigorous response.

What is Biden’s strategy, except to avoid angering Iran? What “win” is there if Iran is emboldened rather than deterred? By counselling Israel not to retaliate for Iran’s recent assault, the President is sending a message that the mullahs can freely attack America’s allies without so much as a whimper from America itself.

Now the war Israel is fighting on behalf of the West has reached America’s shores. Last week, thousands of pro-Hamas, pro-Iran demonstrators took to the streets across the U.S., blocking roads, causing chaos and disrupting the lives of hardworking Americans. In New York City, protestors waved the banner of Hezbollah high, even as they burned American flags and chanted “Death to America!”

But rather than fiercely denounce these threats, as Americans would expect, President Biden was silent, seemingly at pains not to offend the sensibilities (and votes) of pro-jihadi Americans. Yet he risks more by condemning Israel’s efforts to stop Iran and defeat Hamas, as well as snubbing the huge majority of Americans, who support the Jewish state. This is a losing strategy, for both upcoming elections and the fight against Iran. Appeasement did not stop Hitler from waging his campaign of genocide and conquest, nor will it prevent Iran’s mullahs from doing the same.

Please make the point when speaking with family, friends, colleagues—or in letters to the editor—that it is in America’s best interest to encourage and aid Israel in defeating Hamas and responding to Iran—unrestrained. Likewise, it serves U.S. global interests to join the fight: Iran has made this war our war, like it or not.

Best regards,

Jason Shvili, Contributing Editor
Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)

P.S.      The events of October 7 have changed our world forever—and especially the world for Israel and the Jewish people. Likewise, the words “Never Again” will never be the same for us. October 7 has shown us that despite all promises of equity and commitments against hate on campus and on our streets, we can never depend on it. We will likely never be free of the scourge of antisemitism, fueled by the most outrageous slanders. I hope you’ll agree that we opponents of Hamas and its savage massacre—and of all who support Hamas, against all humanitarian values—need to speak out. FLAME’s new hasbarah—explanatory message—“Enemies of Israel Tell Five Big Lies”—refutes today’s most vicious lies against Israel and the Jewish people. I hope you’ll review this convincing, fact-based editorial, which FLAME published in the Washington Post, New York Post, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. This piece will also be sent to all members of Congress, Vice President Harris and President Biden. If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on Israel’s behalf is critical, I urge you to support us with a donation.