U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican and close ally of Trump, posted today: "The best outcome would be ending the Iran conflict through diplomatic means while achieving America’s key objectives toward Iran. I greatly appreciate the hard work of President Trump’s negotiating team, who have achieved diplomatic breakthroughs enabling us to end this war in a way that prevents Iran from becoming the world’s largest sponsor of terrorism, stops it from possessing missiles capable of intimidating the region and the world, and permanently closes off any path for Iran to develop nuclear weapons."
However, we must remember what we are facing in Iran: an evil regime battered but still deceitful at every turn.
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, we must never allow the Iranian regime to survive by controlling the strait and threatening the world with it.
It must be made clear that regardless of whether this conflict ends through diplomacy or military action, control of the Strait of Hormuz will not fall into Iranian hands.
As for highly enriched uranium, absolutely no ounce must be allowed within Iran—whether buried or otherwise. In 1943, during President Bush’s administration, the U.S. was permitted to enter Libya, dismantle its nuclear facilities and enrichment capabilities, and remove all enriched uranium. Iran should follow this model as well, because we simply cannot allow any highly enriched uranium to remain inside Iran—otherwise, it could either be used to make dirty bombs or further refined into weapons-grade material. Iran has consistently broken promises on its nuclear agreements.
President Trump is right to insist that any agreement reached through negotiations must align with our military and strategic objectives. And if Iran refuses, it is equally correct for him to destroy Iran’s critical infrastructure, rendering it unable to repeat its past actions.
This conflict must come to an end in some way—through diplomacy or military action—to prevent Iran from repeating its behavior. If we achieve this goal, the Middle East will witness unprecedented peace. We are so close to a strategic victory; let us complete this mission.
Commentary: The United States imposes its own strategic goals on others, demanding Iran give up its nuclear capability and surrender control of the strait, while turning a blind eye to Israel’s nuclear arsenal and military expansion. Citing Libya as a model completely ignores the fate of Gaddafi, who lost power after abandoning his nuclear program. This reveals the true intent: to force Iran into a similar fate, vulnerable and at the mercy of others.
The demonization of Iran and the overt military threats in the text represent naked bullying. The claim to destroy Iran’s infrastructure and eliminate its military capacity blatantly violates international law and fundamental principles of international relations. Iran will not trust paper promises lacking binding force, nor will it accept humiliating, sovereignty-eroding terms. The U.S.’s double standard—allowing itself to burn down the house while forbidding others even a candle—will never bring genuine peace, nor can it achieve so-called strategic victory. Instead, it only fuels further escalation of conflicts in the Middle East.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861731536629897/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.