We are roughly six months removed from the deadliest terror attack to ever occur inside Israel. Many experts have made the case that Hamas would never have been in a position to carry out this attack if not for the unwavering financial, logistical and material support it receives from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
These observations are spot on because we all know Hamas carried out the attack but from where did they receive training, guns, bullets and support? All roads lead directly to the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran.
Which leads me to say this; I, like many of you, can’t keep up with the mixed messages from the Biden administration.
In just the last 30 days, the Biden administration has flip-flopped from calling for an immediate ceasefire to sending U.S. generals to Israel to discuss how to best respond to an attack from Iran to unfreezing billions of dollars to Iran. If you’re having trouble keeping up and figuring out where America stands in the Israel vs Hamas (Iran) war, I don’t blame you!
This has been the Biden foreign-policy calling card — double talk, playing all sides and mixed messages. It is an approach that deals cards from a position of weakness, not strength. Our former president, Donald J. Trump, knew that peace is achieved on the world stage by projecting strength, hence his Peace Through Strength policies were so impactful.
So, when you look at it from that perspective, it’s imperative for President Biden to halt the unfreezing of funds and to adopt President Trump’s successful maximum pressure and maximum sanctions campaign.
But we all know President Biden won’t do such a thing. In fact, he has done everything humanly possible to directly embolden and prop up the regime in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
That regime’s track record is rife with aggression towards political dissidents, support for terrorism, and human rights abuses. The unfreezing of assets without concrete assurances of change only emboldens a regime with a history of defiance and belligerence.
It is essential to recognize that Iran’s malign activities extend far beyond its nuclear program, encompassing its support for proxy militias, ballistic missile development, and systematic repression of its own people.
President Biden’s unfreezing of assets provides Iran with much-needed financial resources that can be funneled into its destabilizing agenda. Isn’t that obvious for everyone to see and acknowledge?
From supporting terrorist organizations to fueling regional conflicts, Iran’s access to these funds amplifies the threats it poses to global security and stability. By unfreezing these assets without stringent conditions, the Biden administration is directly facilitating Iran’s efforts to expand its influence and undermine peace and security in the Middle East and beyond.
Moreover, unfreezing billions of dollars for Iran overlooks the suffering of the Iranian people, who have endured decades of oppression under the regime’s authoritarian rule. These funds do not trickle down to ordinary Iranians but rather bolster the regime’s grip on power and perpetuate human rights abuses.
By continuing to unfreeze assets for Iran, the Biden administration effectively turns a blind eye to the plight of the Iranian people and undermines their aspirations for freedom and democracy.
Instead of rushing to unfreeze assets for Iran, President Biden must prioritize accountability and strategic coherence in his approach to Iran. Any engagement with the regime must be contingent on tangible and verifiable changes in its behavior, including halting support for terrorism, ceasing ballistic missile development, and respecting human rights.
The time is now for President Biden to pivot away from appeasing the regime in Tehran. By appeasing them without addressing their malign behavior, the U.S. risks eroding the credibility of international norms and emboldening other rogue regimes to flout the rules-based order.
The Iranian people, the Israeli people and the Middle East at large deserve better, and the world cannot afford to ignore the threats posed by the regime any longer. Enough is enough.
Bryan E. Leib is the CEO of Henry PR, a Senior Fellow at the Center for Fundamental Rights and the former Executive Director of Iranian Americans for Liberty.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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