04-15-2024, 02:38 PM
(04-15-2024, 01:27 PM)GK3 Wrote: I hope there is a Red line somewhere in this mess, but I am increasingly of the opinion there isn't one that has been clearly defined by the US. It seems to me that the two sides are locked into a continually escalating game of "Get Even". When Israel attacked the Iranian Embassy in Syria, it upped the level of the Get Even game. Now Iran had to attack Israel in some way. It elected a way that I am sure they felt wouldn't do too much damage but that they could point to as them taking action. Here is where cooler heads need to step in. Another Get Even attack, this one almost certainly bigger and better than the attack on the embassy will only require the same from Iran. Their role of leaders in the Jihad against Israel is at stake. As we showed after 9/11, the game of Get Even is very hard to win.All true. One problem with making a "public declaration of a red line" is that you have to actually be willing act if it is crossed. As we have seen in Syria, that can be an even bigger problem. That is why a policy of "strategic ambiguity" is often the only possible public position. You are of course correct about the "Get Even game. Iran gave Israel an off ramp. Lets hope they take it. Lets also hope that Iran doesn't regard Israel's next "hostile act" (which will inherently come in any case) as a response to the recent attack by Iran.