AVI ABELOW: The moral and strategic imperative to stop a nuclear Iran

The world today faces a moral crisis of epic proportions, and nowhere is this clearer than with the looming nuclear threat posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. We are talking about a radical, jihadi regime—one that openly declares its desire to destroy America, calling it big satan, wipe Israel off the map, calling it little satan, and dismantle the freedoms that define Western civilization via Islamic jihad worldwide. A nuclear bomb in the hands of such a regime is not merely a strategic problem; it is a moral emergency. How can we, the free world, allow the largest state sponsor of terror to arm itself with the most dangerous weapon ever created?

The Islamic Republic of Iran is not just another country with nuclear ambitions. This is a dictatorship driven by a radical ideology, a regime that thrives on exporting terrorism and destabilizing entire regions, already with a foothold in SouthAmerica. Imagine this regime possessing the ultimate tool of destruction, and being able to provide it to her allies in South America. A nuclear Iran will hold the world hostage, threatening not only Israel and America but every freedom-loving nation. To allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons is to knowingly place the sword of Damocles over the heads of millions. The moral imperative could not be clearer: the United States, as the leader of the free world, must ensure that such a catastrophe never happens.

Yet here we are, in a world where the foreign policy establishment in Washington, today underthe Biden/Harris administration, fails to grasp the urgency of this existential threat. Instead of taking decisive action to ensure the Islamic Republic of Iran never goes nuclear, America’s leadership has spent years negotiating deals that only delay the inevitable. The result? With each day, Iran inches closer and closer to achieving its nuclear ambitions while the West is lulled into complacency.

This isn’t just bad policy—it’s reckless. The most important thing the U.S. could do to protect the world right now is to end the nuclear threat of the Islamic Republic of Iran once and for all. Unfortunately, we’re not living in that world. We are living in a reality where Israel, the one country that understands the stakes, stands alone in this fight. Israel knows what it’s up against and is willing to do what is necessary to stop Iran going nuclear. But here's the hard truth: Israel prefers for the world to take care of this because it is a threat to the world, but since the world is not doing it, Israel would love to do it alone, without the involvement of America, but Israel cannot do it alone.

Israel lacks the military tools to destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facilities—fortified sites buried deep within the mountains. Israel doesn’t have 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs or the aircraft needed to deliver them. Only the United States possesses this capability. While Israel is ready and willing to act alone, it simply does not have the means to finish the job on its own.

So, where does that leave us? The United States has two choices. America can join Israel in taking decisive military action to neutralize the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear capabilities. A joint operation would ensure the job gets done swiftly and effectively. After all, it's not just Israel that’s at risk—an Iranian bomb threatens America, Europe, and the entire civilized world.

But let’s say, for whatever reason, America doesn’t want to directly involve itself in the strike. That’s still no excuse for inaction. At the very least, the U.S. should provide Israel with the buster bombs and planes it needs to protect us all. Those bunker-busting bombs, those planes—America has them. Israel needs them. It’s that simple.

In the past, America has been Israel’s greatest ally,an alliance that benefits America tremendously as well,not just a benefit to Israel. All the technology, intelligence that Israel provides the US, and the military products that Israel buys from the US withthose funds, are a hugebenefit to US security and to the US economy. Now, America must continue that legacy by standing with Israel in this defining moment of history. And if direct involvement is off the table, then the least America can do is give Israel the means to ensure that a nuclear Iran never becomes a reality. The stakes are too high, and the price of inaction is too great.

This isn’t just about Israel’s survival. It’s about the survival of freedom, of democracy, and of the civilized world. America has a moral responsibility to act. And if the White House won’t act directly, then it must empower Israel to do what needs to be done. The world is watching, and history will remember whether America stood up to stop the world’s most dangerous regime from obtaining the world’s most dangerous weapon.