Carson Messick
On April 13th, 2024 the Iranian government sent drones and missiles into Israel. Most of the attacks were intercepted by Israel and her allies. This attack was precipitated by an Israel attack on an Iranian embassy in Syria on April 1st. Several high-ranking Iranian officers were killed in this attack. Israel responded to Saturday’s attack with an attack of its own which did a minimum amount of its own. This tit-for-tat warfare has the potential to escalate into a much larger conflict. At the moment it is not in the United States interest to be engulfed in a regular war in the middle east. Assuming it is best to avoid war, how do we do that?
If the United States wishes to avoid war in the Middle East or elsewhere it must prove two things. First, the United States must show that it is stronger than any potential opponent or group of opponents. Second, it must show that it has the will to win a potential war. The strength of the United States is not a matter of contention. All nations would be wise to avoid provoking the United States into using its full force because the strength of the United States military is overwhelming compared to its enemies. Willpower, however, is another matter.
In the last fifty years, the United States has shown a lack of consistency in its will to fight. The United States abandoned Vietnam after two decades of investment. U.S.-led intervention in Somalia in the 1990s and its subsequent withdrawal led to Osama Bin Laden calling the United States a “paper tiger”. In 2021 Biden abandoned Afghanistan, weapons included, to rag-tag armies of barbarians. The above incidents can lead some enemies of America to believe they can run all over the world hegemon if only they can wait for the American will to break. The Russian invasion of Ukraine can largely be attributed to the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Putin smelled blood in the water. He did not expect the United States to do anything. During the Trump administration, Putin similarly placed troops on the border of Ukraine but backed down when President Trump threatened repercussions. We see that Putin believed Trump had the will to challenge him while he did not have such a belief about Biden.
It is then clear what must be done. The United States must show that it has the willpower to protect its interests. Several means can be used to show our will. We can fund our allies and the enemies of enemies when they are engaged in proxy wars. If we are attacked we should respond with force. If we take on an obligation, we should fulfill that obligation. It may take decades to restore the reputational damage we have suffered or it may merely mean bringing back Trump. If we want to have an era of peace it will mean remaining dominant militarily and showing that we have the will to use that force.
Carson Messick graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in December. He is a member of the Gibsonville Planning Board. He will attend law school this fal