Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has called for a robust Israeli response to Iran’s recent missile and drone attack, urging Israel to seize the moment to obliterate Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Bolton’s position emerges amid heightened tensions following a substantial missile and drone strike that Iran launched against Israel, which was largely thwarted by Israeli defense systems.
In the aftermath of the assault, characterized by Bolton as “a massive failure of Israeli and American deterrence,” the ex-advisor has been vocal in his criticism of the current deterrence strategy and has called for Israel to adopt a far more aggressive stance. “I think that means by definition, Israel’s response — and there should be a response — should not be proportionate,” Bolton stated on CNN. “It should be far stronger because when deterrence fails to re-establish, you have to teach the adversary that any gain they may hope to get by any future attack will be more than outweighed by the damage that will be called.”
Bolton, who played a key role in the withdrawal of the US from the Iran nuclear deal during the Trump administration, has argued that the Iranian regime appears “weak” following the attack, which saw most of its missiles and drones intercepted. He took this as an indicator that Israel should act decisively against Iran’s nuclear program. “I think Israel should be looking at this as an opportunity to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons program, which is the existential threat that Israel faces,” Bolton emphasized in an interview.
While some in Israel’s Cabinet and security services echo Bolton’s call for action, critics argue that the situation is not merely a test of will but one of strategic calculation. Detractors of the hawkish stance point out that the complexities of Iran’s nuclear ambitions cannot be addressed solely through military means. Iran’s nuclear program has progressed despite international pressure, with the Institute for Science and International Security reporting that Iran could produce a significant number of nuclear weapons in a short time frame, highlighting the nation’s status as a threshold nuclear power.
The risk posed by Iran, both directly and via proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis of Yemen, is acknowledged, but there are fears that a military escalation could backfire. The contention remains over the best method to thwart Iran’s nuclear aspirations, with some favoring continued diplomatic engagement and others, like Bolton, advocating for military intervention.
While the Biden administration has assisted Israel in countering the aerial assault, it has maintained a stance against engaging in a wider conflict with Iran. White House national security communications advisor John Kirby stated on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “support for Israel’s self-defense will stay ironclad,” but emphasized that the US President Joe Biden did not want to escalate the situation further.
Relevant articles:
– Iran Hawks Want to Strike Now. They’re Wrong.
– Former Trump advisor Bolton: Opportunity for Israel to destroy Iran nuclear program, The Jerusalem Post, Sun, 14 Apr 2024 13:19:00 GMT
– John Bolton calls for a ‘far stronger’ response from Israel after Iran’s missile and drone attack, Yahoo Singapore News, Sat, 13 Apr 2024 01:31:00 GMT
– John Bolton calls for a ‘far stronger’ response from Israel after Iran’s missile and drone attack, Business Insider India, Sun, 14 Apr 2024 18:25:00 GMT