(Wall Street Journal) Editorial - President Trump's decision to strike Iran's three most significant nuclear sites on Saturday helped rid the world of a grave nuclear threat and was a large step toward restoring U.S. deterrence. Trump gave Iran every chance to resolve this peacefully. The regime flouted his 60-day deadline to make a deal. Then Israel attacked, destroying much of the nuclear program and achieving air supremacy, and still the president gave Iran another chance to come to terms. But the regime wouldn't abandon domestic uranium enrichment. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wanted a bomb more than peace. Iran and its Iraqi proxies have threatened U.S. regional bases with missile fire, but if the regime values self-preservation, it will give up its nuclear ambitions and stand down. Much of the press has fixated on the idea that Trump has now joined or even started a conflict. But Iran has been waging regional and terrorist war for decades. It's as likely that he has helped end the conflict. U.S. presidents have been known to kick the can down the road. To his credit, Trump didn't, hitting the Fordow enrichment site as well as Natanz and Isfahan. The president wanted to leave no doubt about Iran's nuclear program and take it all down. He had to act to stop the threat in front of him to protect America. The Israelis, who proved their strategic value as an ally, would like to complete the mission by destroying what remains of Iran's missile infrastructure. They deserve a green light, especially as those missiles are threatening U.S. bases. Critics had counseled that the world had to bow to Iranian intimidation. The best we could hope for was a flimsy deal that bribed Iran with billions and left open its path to a bomb. They were wrong.
2025-06-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive