By allowing Israel to bomb Iran, Trump is pushing Tehran to go nuclear

Trump’s choice to permit Israel’s military strike on Iran marks a pivotal miscalculation, echoing the disastrous consequences of past US interventions. The decision to let Netanyahu’s forces act unilaterally, while US diplomats were engaged in talks with Tehran, risks undermining America’s credibility as a reliable global leader.

Legacy of Bush’s Iraq Miscalculation

George W Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq ignited a decade of turmoil, claiming over 655,000 lives according to The Lancet. It catalyzed the rise of extremist groups like the Islamic State and left a once-powerful nation teetering on the brink of collapse, a state still struggling to recover 14 years later. Trump’s move could surpass this in severity, setting off a chain reaction of geopolitical fallout.

“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. God Bless You All!”

Trump’s rhetoric, delivered on Truth Social, mirrors the same confrontational tone he once used to justify reckless foreign policies.

A Nation’s Trust Eroded

The US presidency, once seen as a bastion of diplomacy, now risks being equated to figures like Al Capone or Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. By enabling Israel’s preemptive strikes, Trump has sown doubt in America’s commitment to transparency, leaving allies questioning its reliability. In a world where trust is currency, this act of duplicity may cost more than anticipated.

Iran’s nuclear ambitions are not mere aspirations—they are a response to decades of perceived betrayal. The country’s history of being attacked by Saddam Hussein, backed by Western allies, has shaped its current strategic mindset. The 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, in which Iran was initially overwhelmed, became a crucible for its defensive doctrines and military buildup.

From Chemical Warfare to Nuclear Ambitions

Saddam Hussein’s use of chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq War, supported by the US and Europe, left a lasting scar on Iranian society. Despite Western assurances, the Halabja gas attack in 1988 haunted generations, reinforcing Iran’s resolve to develop a nuclear deterrent. This resolve was further hardened by the loss of its leadership and military infrastructure in the early stages of the conflict.

When US envoys met with Iranian officials in the 1980s, their focus was on safeguarding oil interests, not preventing chemical atrocities. National Security Decision Directive 114, issued in 1983, explicitly prioritized American military assets and Gulf stability over Iran’s plight. Yet, the memories of those attacks linger, fueling Tehran’s current strategy of nuclear escalation.

“My late and much-missed colleague Richard Beeston of The Times recounted how two British diplomats attempted to persuade him that nothing really happened there.”

This anecdote underscores the Western indifference to Iran’s suffering, a pattern that continues to influence its nuclear calculus.

Targeting the Heart of Resistance

Mossad’s intelligence operations, which predated the Hamas attack, have systematically identified Iran’s key figures and defense networks. By mapping Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Israel has positioned itself to strike at the core of Tehran’s resistance strategy. This preemptive targeting reflects a broader effort to dismantle Iran’s strategic depth, a move that risks provoking an irreversible nuclear response.

The parallels between Saddam’s 1980 invasion and Trump’s current approach are striking. Both leaders exploited Iran’s vulnerability, with the US providing critical support. Now, as Trump lauds Israel’s strikes, he repeats the same logic that once justified Saddam’s aggression, signaling a cycle of miscalculation that threatens to redefine the Middle East’s balance of power.