Seven Questions About Iran Strikes
Rumors are rampant, facts are few. Plus, did the CCP get Biden elected?
The answers may not come soon, but here are some of the burning questions surrounding the US airstrike on Iran on Saturday:
What intel did Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu have that compelled his strike on Iran last Thursday?
Netanyahu claimed the threat of Iran having a nuclear device was imminent and pressed for the US to join in the attack. Some pointed to his barely surviving a vote the day before that would have forced an election as motive for the attack. Details of the intel on Iran were not shared. As posted last week, Netanyahu also seemed to be pressing for regime change and the Trump administration has been vocal against that goal.
Was DNI Tulsi Gabbard and the Intel Community wrong when she testified in March that “Iran is not building a nuclear weapon”?
Trump was asked about the March assessment and said they were wrong. When he was informed that Gabbard made the statement, he said ‘she is wrong’. Gabbard has insisted that her statement is consistent with Trump’s position - that Iran has the materials to build a bomb and enriched uranium far above what is needed for domestic power generation. Since it may only take a couple of weeks to construct a nuclear device from the components they are known to possess, the situation could easily have changed since March.
Did President Trump’s intel differ from Israel’s in any significant way?
Trump indicated he would make a decision within 2 weeks but that may have been part of a deception strategy while the strike operation came together and persons in danger could be moved to safety. Conjecture ensued that he would do nothing, but the strike ended that speculation and spurred renewed interest in what he knew.
How will Iran respond?
Sleeper cells in the US are of utmost concern for Americans, particularly given the open border during Biden’s administration and reports of fighting age males entering the country unvetted. We also saw recently what drone strikes could do deep in Russian territory and wonder if the US is vulnerable to something similar. Iran may also retaliate with more common tactics attempted before like closing or hampering sea traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Its parliament already approved the closure, but the final decision has yet to be made. 20% of the world’s oil flows through that strait.
How will other nations respond, particularly CCP China?
While several nations in the region have voiced concerns about the attack, Secretary of State Rubio claims that public statements do not always reflect actual sentiment. He has indicated that Iran represents a threat to many of the middle eastern and Arab nations and that it is the main reason the US has bases in those countries.
Meanwhile, a top Iranian diplomat will be meeting with Russian Medvedev who posted on social media that many countries have offered Iran their nukes, including North Korea.
As for China, they have condemned the attack, and all eyes are on the impact of Iran’s oil supply to China. Should the US get bogged down in an on-going war in Iran, it could also make Taiwan more vulnerable to a CCP move.
Will US troops be engaged?
If this happens, Trump would likely lose considerable support from his most ardent MAGA base. He campaigned on ‘no new wars’, which he achieved during his first term.
Will a final resolution require regime change in Iran?
Rubio said repeatedly that regime change is not the intent and stressed that regime change is up to the people of Iran. Israel’s original attack has been called a ‘decapitation strike’ with targets including top military and political leaders. Trump supposedly ruled out a strike on the Iranian leader Khamenei.
Did China Influence the 2020 Election?
Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley had inquired of the FBI about an attempt to influence the 2020 election by using mail-in ballots based on fake driver’s licenses developed by China. This past week, FBI Director Kash Patel turned over declassified documents about the allegation. The allegation was apparently substantiated but the investigation went nowhere.
The details are murky at this point but apparently, the CCP was manufacturing fake licenses that would enable Chinese residents living in the US to register and then obtain an absentee ballot. While the 20,000 fake licenses mentioned in the allegation would not be enough to have overturned the Presidential election, it could still play havoc with down ballot races as well as show the vulnerability in our elections.
Meanwhile, Trump posted on social media calling for a special prosecutor to investigate the 2020 election.
Gov Little and Idaho Reps Weigh in on Strike
The Governor posted his support on X and Senator Crapo and Rep Simpson also posted support for the strike.