Everyone is getting in on the Iran bombing campaign.
Twelve O’clock High was a movie that was later spun into a TV series. The producers had challenges as there were very few B-17s still around, one of which could not fly. So they used historical footage and had to frequently repaint existing fortresses in order to make the show work. In one episode, everybody on the base wanted to go up and take a shot at the Germans. The base commander looks for his adjutant and cook, but they have all vanished. Nobody wants to miss an opportunity to fight the Germans, even those not qualified to be a pilot or gunner.
The air war in Iran has gone from air dominance to air supremacy. I read already on the third day of the war that the head of one of Israel’s largest bases flew to Iran and back on a bombing run. Now it comes out—as one of my boys predicted—that the overall head of the Israel Air Force (Tomer Bar) strapped himself into an F-15 and flew to Tehran and back. I soon expect to see Donald Trump and Marco Rubio sitting in a two-seater F-18 and dropping Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), which convert unguided bombs into precision-guided bombs, all over the mullahs.
As I wrote previously, there are many noise-makers who hate the Iran war because Israel might benefit from it. If the US and say Qatar were the only beneficiaries of the present bombing campaign, then these same frauds would be all for the attacks. But since Israel not only participates fully but would also benefit from a new Iranian government that was not bent on its destruction, they cannot support the war. It is refreshing to hear the president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Admiral Brad Cooper of CENTCOM speak clearly about their intention to keep bombing the Islamic Republic until the country is no longer a threat to anyone. People here in Israel appreciate the positive comments by Hegseth and others regarding Israel being a solid ally, doing its fair share of the present attacks on Iran.
There is no question that Israel gets a lot of aid from the US, which is structured to be spent almost entirely in the US on weapons of war. But the around-the-clock use of F-35s, F-15s, and F-16s is the reason why the US sells these platforms to Israel. It has been said that a single plane might make three trips in one day to Iran and back. Israel is pulling its weight, even as it still has to deal with Hezbollah in the north. It is interesting as to the structuring of the US military assistance to Israel. Ninety-eight percent of the money set aside is used to buy American weapons. That little two percent is used to support local producers. When my company got started, we had no money. So we began working in a small workshop that made rebreathers for Israel’s Shayetet 13, which is the country’s version of the SEALs. That money was critical for the production of the units and the development of more advanced devices.
We have an unusual situation at this point in the war. While the absolute number of missiles is down significantly, we are still receiving some number of warnings each day. The difference appears to be that instead of 20 missiles coming at once, one or two are fired—but require the same protocol of warning and running for cover as if it were a much larger number of projectiles. We have twice seen what appears to be an Iranian missile break into submunitions on its way down to Earth. Donald Trump raised the bar when he demanded an “unconditional surrender” from whatever Iranian leader is still alive at the hour when the war is supposed to end. There is no question that Israel wants no more ballistic missile threat or pathway to nuclear weapons. Do you think that the Iranians would have waited 20 minutes to strap a nuclear bomb onto a missile addressed to Israel, should such a warhead have become available? Israel will also want to see the end of funding for the terror groups supported for decades by Iran.
Those opposed to the war are simply opposed to Donald Trump. Iran kills women for not covering their hair. They hang gays from cranes. They dragged wounded protesters out of hospitals to imprison and torture them. The beautiful people in the West should be thrilled that such a brutal anti-woman (hijab and more required), anti-gay, petro-state is getting pummeled. But the combination of Trump and Israel means hate, hate, hate. Tucker Carlson changed his mind in two weeks from Israel being pretty to being “one of the ugliest countries in the world” that had not made anything pretty since 1948. What happened in 1948? Oh, Israel was founded. And while one can find a dirty river or derelict buildings, Israel has many beautiful nature sites as well as gorgeous public spaces. Whether it be the Mediterranean coast or the Old City of Jerusalem, there are many beautiful places. But when you hate Trump and you hate Israel, then truth is left in the garbage bin. The unhinged left has marched in the streets for Hamas rapists, Hezbollah terrorists and now Iranian lunatics. The left’s hatred of the West and all of the good that it has given the world is breathtaking. The very freedom they have to protest (and probably get paid for it) does not exist in Gaza, southern Lebanon or Iran. They have taken all of the material comforts and freedoms of expression and misused them in demanding the destruction of the West and the promotion of an intolerant Islam. When I see a loony Western Karen crying over the death of Khamenei, I am completely confused. This fellow killed thousands of women who either protested the brutal regime or were arrested for not living up to the standards of the morality police. And she cries for the butcher, but made no effort to support the protesters who literally risked their lives to have a fraction of the good life that was given to her by virtue of being born an American?
Just as the US is currently winning the war by bombing the daylights out of Iran, it must win the peace. Iran must not be a threat to any of its neighbors, near or far. Like Germany and Japan, which were brought back from the dead in a manner that reduced the threat to other countries, Iran must be unable to fly missiles or drones at the Gulf states, Israel, Europe, or the US.
So if you see a long line of Israelis standing outside an air force base, they may be seeking their chance to send a bomb onto the mullahs’ smoldering theocracy. There was the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, in which the US destroyed nearly 500 Japanese aircraft and three carriers. Someone last week used the term “turkey shoot” to describe the situation over Iran, as the country has lost its air force, navy, most of its missile launchers and its leaders. I saw a picture that purported to show a B-2 bomber in daylight over Iran; as with the head of the Israeli Air Force flying in, such a picture—if real—suggests that the US has a very high confidence as to the safety of Iranian airspace. The B-1 and B-52 have joined the attacks, and like during Twelve O’clock High, nobody wants to miss out on this chance to drop ordnance and weaken the evil regime. I want to see a fly-by of all aircraft types used after this war is over. I saw many of them while sitting outside of Nellis AFB’s southern fence, and I’d love to see them again. On to victory!