Following the recent missile attack ordered by President Trump against the Syrian airfield which is believed to have been where the chemical weapon attack against innocent Syrian citizens originated, Iran has threatened retaliation against America or American interests should another attack be forthcoming. Ho hum, stand by while I alert the media, Iran is threatening the United States yet again.
And yes the Russians are also unhappy with the actions taken by President Trump, but unlike the crazy Mullahs in Tehran, Russia is led by a much more cautious and rational leadership. Some politicians and pundits might describe them in less respectful terms, but that would be a mistake.
Vladimir Putin is no religious zealot, nor is he truly an ally of the Iranians. They simply are useful idiots for the Russian leader to use in his goal of reestablishing Russia as a world power. Putin is intelligent enough to recognize that the Iranians are no real friend of Mother Russia. The Iranian ideology is contrary to Putin’s own, as well as to the great secular Russian culture. The two nations are engaged in nothing more than a ‘marriage of convenience’ at this particular time in world history. So let’s focus for now on the Iranians and their threats of retaliation against the United States.
The Iranians certainly are a threat to the interests of the United States, though they pose no real military threat. They are a formidable force against their Middle East neighbors, using bluster and bullying to intimidate more moderate nations in the region. Though with the exit of the Obama Administration the more moderate Middle Eastern nations are starting to regain hope and trust that the United States will once again be there to serve as a deterrence to Iranian regional aggression.
But Iran is nothing but a fly spec on the map to the United States military. Particularly now that the United States has a president who isn’t afraid, or loathe to protect American interests, as his predecessor in the White House was. You won’t see any American sailors on their knees under this administration followed by a ‘thank you note’ to Iran from this American Secretary of State. A lesson Iran would do well to learn very quickly.
So just what is Iran capable of doing to create problems for the United States? Likely Iran will resort to the tactics they have used now for thirty years – taking hostages. Abducting Americans for use as a political pawn and bargaining chip is the primary tactic Iranians can be expected to use.
Any Americans contemplating travel to Iran – God knows why anyone would want to – would do well to cancel their travel plans. And any American corporations might want to hold off on investing a lot of money or opening offices in Iran for the foreseeable future.
Certainly Iran will order their proxies Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza to start raining down missiles on Israel. Poor Israel is always a target every time Iran gets ticked off at the United States. Perhaps Iran will use Muqtada al Sadr’s followers in Iraq to make life miserable at the American Embassy in Baghdad. But Iran poses no serious military threat to America.
In fact if Iran were just plain stupid enough to make any overt military moves against the United States, even considering our military’s weakened state after eight years of Obama, they would be soundly defeated and embarrassed on the world stage. They would surely rue the day.
With regards to Russia, their actions are likely to be more subtle. Vladimir Putin desires no military confrontation with the United States, but he may use proxies like his useful idiot Iran. He may also try to create problems for the United States in other world ‘hotspots’ like Ukraine or the Baltics.
For the Trump Administration now is the time to send the message to Vladimir Putin that Russia’s best interests are served by improved relations with the United States. And lessening Russia’s ties to the ruthless dictators and regimes in Iran and Syria.
Vladimir Putin is a Russian nationalist. His desire is to restore the dignity and respect for Russian strength and culture that he feels was lost with the fall of the Soviet Union. He viewed America as gloating and celebrating a Russian defeat, and was severely insulted and stung by what occurred. His goal is to restore Russia’s honor.
From all reports the personality exhibited by President Trump in private meetings compared to his public persona is quite different. Perhaps it’s time he turn on the charm with Vladimir Putin and use his negotiating skills to convince the Russian leader that Russia’s future will be brighter and Russian honor restored, when Russia is more aligned with the United States instead of ‘tin pot dictators’ and religious fanatics.
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