A RECIPE FOR BIDEN UNDOING HIS APPEASEMENT OF IRAN

It can be done. All it takes is will.

My last article, Appeasement in Real Time, described how Anthony Blinken and Joe Biden are playing word games with the vague modifier “direct” when they claim that the U.S. has no “direct evidence” that Iran was involved in in Hamas bloody barbarism in southern Israel. Theirs is an attempt to avoid having to live in the real world, which requires massive sanctions against Iran for its involvement, direct or not. I also pointed out the well-known dangers of such appeasement that have been taught by history.

This article suggests specific steps that President Biden can talk now to repair his and Blinken’s projections of weakness.

SETTING THE STAGE -- EXTRACTS FROM MY LAST ARTICLE

For those who have not read it, here is a short excerpt that new readers a general idea of my argument (please do hit the link and read the whole thing).

Often the end results of policy decisions and statements, and how they invite more aggression and war, are not fully apparent until sometime later when it is too late because the damage has already occurred. . . .  

To the extent that we can, it therefore is important to call out such projections of weakness and appeasement in real time, as they are occurring. Because of the homicidal intent of the Islamists in the Mideast – indeed, across the globe – it is of over-riding importance to shine a light – no, to focus, focus and focus – on the most recent examples of this appeasement that are certain to cause more bloodshed, not only in Israel and the Mideast, but in the United States, Europe, and other countries worldwide.

I am referring to the blatant lies and craven cowardice by U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and his ostensible boss, Joe Biden, which have further encouraged Iran in its support for its and its proxies’ murderous jihad against Israel (and potentially the U.S. and Europe) about the supposed non-involvement of Iran in the barbaric atrocities Hamas is perpetrating upon Israeli civilians. These are not civilian “collateral damage” caused by bombing, when Hamas attempts to hide among civilian shields or has situated its arms caches near hospitals and mosques.  And, contrary to some attempts by our media to equate the two, they most decidedly are not in any way comparable to the IDF’s targeting and killing of the barbaric Hamas fighters terrorists. 

Blinken led off on Sunday, October 8, with his claim that our government has no evidence that Iran is behind Hamas’ bloody and barbaric attacks on women, girls, babies, and other civilians. And his weasel-worded statement encourages both Iran and Hamas with its blatant evasions and flat-out lies. . . .

In the days since I wrote that, others in the administration compounded their cowardice. Press Secretary John Kirby doubled down by claiming that although Iran was guilty of “broad complicity” in the attack, the U.S. had "no specific evidence that Iran was directly involved.”

A DECISION TO USE U.S. MILITARY FORCE SHOULD BE MADE SPARINGLY AND WITH CAUTION.

I did not and do not call for U.S. military force to be used against either Hamas or Iran, at least not yet. Unlike Lindsay Graham (who seem to have never seen a war he did not want us to be involved in), I believe that U.S. military might should be reserved for extraordinary situations that are critical to our national interest. Even then, we should only wage war with wide approval by Congress and the American people. Before entering any war, our military must also be given a clear and sharply-defined mission, which must include an end-state analysis. So, I do not wish to see Delta Force or any other U.S. units fighting in the streets of Gaza, much less against Iran, whether to rescue U.S. citizens or for other reasons.

WHAT BIDEN SHOULD HAVE SAID AND WHAT HE SHOULD DO NOW

Instead of playing word games to camouflage his reluctance to confront Iran, Biden should have started his October 10, statement (in which Biden never even mentioned Iran) with something along these lines:

We do not yet have compelling direct evidence of Iran’s involvement in this barbaric blood-letting that would meet the test for the commitment of troops or other military forces by the U.S. But we do have clear and undisputable evidence that Iran has support this attack with years of military and financial assistance to Hamas and other terrorist groups, including supplies of massive amounts of weapons, training and planning. This Hamas offensive literally would have been impossible without the support that Iran has provided to it. And it is inconceivable that Hamas would have attempted this barbarism unless it had the green light from its benefactor, Iran – a benefactor upon whom Hamas depends for its very existence.

So even though we are still lacking direct evidence of Iran’s involvement in this particular attack, what we do know is that the available evidence confirms that Iran is an outlaw terrorist regime. I therefore am announcing that we will engage in no further negotiations with Iran over the __ nuclear treaty that my predecessor scrapped. My administration renewed those talks with the expectation that our good faith efforts would be reciprocated. But they have not been, and I take full responsibility for that. So, the nuclear talks with Iran are off. Dead. And they will not be renewed as long as the current regime of radical mullahs rules Iran. But, if Iran thinks that this means that it can now freely proceed with development of a nuclear bomb, then it needs to understand that is not the case. We will NOT permit Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. That is a red line for us and would be an existential threat to Iran and its murderous governing regime. 

Biden could have added more specifics. And there is no reason why he cannot make such a statement now. But, in addition to making a such a statement, the President should announce a Presidential Directive to all Cabinet Secretaries. In a competent administration, something along these lines would fall in the category of stating the obvious but to my knowledge has not been done or announces.  Nevertheless, immediately after making the above statement to the American people, Biden should issue the following Directive to all his Cabinet Secretaries:

As I said in my comments to the American people this morning, we do not yet have evidence of Iran’s direct involvement in Hamas’ latest barbarous attack on innocent men, women, and children. But we do have enough evidence that requires us to take all possible steps now to ensure that we are not in any way providing any sort of support, financial or otherwise, to Iran.

I am therefore directing each of you to submit to me no later than October __, a complete list of all possible steps to ensure that we are not we are not supporting the Iranian regime in any way. That means financially, economically, culturally, or in any other way. It includes assistance that comes from other sources nations that we have the power to stop. I am asking you to focus on matters that fall within the scope of your department and agencies. However, you should not limit your list to aid that is directly administered by your department. In some cases, you may be award of aid or assistance coming through other sources where that type of aid falls within your departments area of expertise.   

Following that initial submission, I am directing each Secretary to provide to me no later than October __, a plan for accomplishing each step, together with a timetable for each.

This is a sea change in our policy. It must be done. If anyone disagrees, please resign by noon today.

People more familiar with the wording of Presidential Directives can make any necessary changes to the terminology, but you get the drift. Every day this does not happen is another day of incompetence on display.