Washington, D.C. — On Thursday, June 12, the Israeli government began wide-ranging military attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, military leadership, and bases as part of an ongoing operation that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated could continue for days. Iran has so far retaliated by launching armed drones against Israel. In response, Damian Murphy, senior vice president for National Security and International Policy at the Center for American Progress, said:
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to launch military strikes against Iran represents a dangerous escalation in the Middle East, placing the safety of American civilians and servicemembers in jeopardy, along with millions of Iranians, Israelis, and others in the region. These hostilities between Israel and Iran were entirely preventable, and Donald Trump owns this failure. One can draw a direct line from Trump’s reckless withdrawal in 2018 from an effective and verifiable nuclear agreement with Iran to this chaotic state of war.
Trump was elected last year promising peace in Ukraine, peace in Gaza, and to prevent conflict around the world. He has failed the American people on all three counts. It is clear he has no plan, nor ability to influence world leaders on national security issues that matter to the American people. And we are much less safe as a result.
At moments such as this, the American people expect their leaders to work full time to deescalate and end conflicts before they spin out of control and result in more destruction. Instead of doing this hard work of diplomacy, Trump will spend his weekend at a North Korea-style parade attending to his main concern—his own ego.
Diplomacy remains the best pathway to ensure security for U.S. personnel and facilities, Israel, and U.S. allies in the region. Trump should work to prevent the conflict from spreading further, identify an offramp from this military campaign, and begin the long process of reestablishing conditions for a negotiated solution that ensures that Iran never has nuclear weapons.
For more information or to speak to an expert, contact Julia Cusick at [email protected].