War! Israel Strikes. Americans Divide.
Last night Israel attacked Iran in what will be go down as one of the most important geopolitical actions of the past two decades. I’ve been taking some time away from my Orthodoxy and Order newsletter, but I couldn’t stay quiet for this story.
First, let’s get the facts straight. Last night the Israeli Air Force bombed the Iranian capital city of Tehran. Over the following hours Israel launched a multitude of precise and coordinated attacks on Iranian government officials, nuclear scientists, and nuclear facilities throughout the country. As it stands right now, Israel has taken out top officials within the Iranian military including the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami and Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s missile program. The IDF announced that it dismantled a uranium metal production facility at Iran’s Isfahan Nuclear Site and Natanz Nuclear Facility.
Within the past couple of hours, Iran has launched what is believed to be 100 missiles at Israel, escalating the conflict. The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio put out a statement directly following the initial attacks saying,
“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”
This is obviously a somewhat confusing statement coming from the White House as President Donald Trump said the following in an interview on FOX News yesterday,
"Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see. There are several people in leadership in Iran that will not be coming back,"
Was the United States directly involved in this attack on Iran? It’s unclear. What is clear is that President Trump knew of the attack and, it seems, was in favor of the attack because he believes that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. The reactions, as you can imagine, are heated. Many on both the left and the right in the United States were outraged by the attacks, calling for the US to stay out of the Middle Eastern conflict. Both Candace Owens and Congresswoman Rashida Talib took to X to express their frustration with the attacks and their unwavering hatred for Jews and the state of Israel saying,
“The Israeli government bombing Iran is a dangerous escalation that could lead to regional war. War Criminal Netanyahu will do anything to maintain his grip on power. We cannot let him drag our country into a war with Iran. Our government must stop funding and supporting this rogue genocidal regime.”
and
“The most predictable war, plausibly ever. I’m so sick of Israel and those who pretend its actions are normal or even remotely justifiable. This country has a bloodlust like no other. Have an issue with this tweet? I literally do not care. Think defending Israel’s demonic actions is going to guarantee you a spot in heaven? Double your indulgences and sign your offspring up to die for Netanyahu. Leave the rest of us the hell alone.”
I’ll leave it up to you to figure out who said what. They both come from the same ideological prison.
On the other side, people like Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Ted Cruz took to X to express the opposite; support for Israel and their right to self defense,
“Israel is acting to defend itself.
I stand with Israel.
America stands with Israel.”
and
“Israel IS right—and has a right—to defend itself!”
Across the sea in Iran where the conflict is happening there also seems to be support for the Israeli attacks. The Daily Wire reported on many notable Iranians who are tired of the authoritarian Islamic regime in Iran and want for Israel to take out the head of the snake. Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad posted on X,
“I’ve received countless messages from Iranians celebrating the reported death of Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Air and aerospace force, Ali Shamkhani – head of the Iranian nuclear program and senior advisor to Supreme Leader Khamenei and major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Islamic Republic Iran’s Armed Forces, in Israel’s strike. My heart bleeds for our people, not for a regime built on blood. They were sanctioned by Canada, the U.S. and EU for their key role in crushing the peaceful protests and for human rights violations against peaceful civilians . They shaped the regime’s ballistic missile program. Removing a terrorist is not a tragedy, it is a step toward justice for all the innocent lives they destroyed.”
Reza Pahlavi, the Crown Prince of Iran also took to X to announce his support of Israel saying,
“My message to the military, law enforcement, and security forces is clear: This regime and its corrupt and incompetent leaders do not value your lives or our Iran. Separate yourselves from them and join the people. The Iranian nation’s battle with the destructive regime of the Islamic Republic is to reclaim Iran and rebuild it. The solution is to overthrow the Islamic Republic through street protests and nationwide strikes. I am with you in these difficult moments. We are all in this fight together and we will win.”
This all begs the question: what should we, as Christians and Americans, think about the Israeli attacks on Iran? With Jew hatred on the rise in the Republican party and a sick fetish for individualistic and selfish geopolitical policy, it seems that “America First” has turned into a hedonistic call to turn a blind eye and pretend that the rest of the world doesn’t exist. Proponents of isolationist foreign policy like Matt Walsh, Tucker Carlson, and theologian Joe Rigney seem to have a short sighted and naive understanding of how geopolitical relations operate and function.
“America First” sounds good until you have to reckon with the fact that America is extracting natural resources, goods, and services from hundreds of different countries all across the globe. These goods and services are often specific to a particular region on Earth and cannot be garnered in the United States. And some of these resources and goods are used to create the technology you use, the materials you buy, and the luxury goods you consume. So, I ask one question for the “America First” coalition: to what extent are you actually “America First”?
Is it only until you’re forced to pay $10,000 for a new iPhone? Or until you can’t buy your favorite brand of coffee anymore? Or until Mexico or Canada has nuclear weapons? Who decides what issues and trade relations are actually beneficial to America? An argument can be made (unequivocally) that iPhones and certain technology are not good for American citizens— in that case, can we cut ties completely with China, Japan, and Taiwan and allow for them to continue in their technological progression while we live in the dark ages? How about fentanyl flooding into the America border from Mexico, should we stop that? I would bet that many American fentanyl addicts would be pro-fentanyl because it benefits them specifically in their liberal pursuit of happiness and self expression.
Who decided what is considered “good” and “bad” for 350 million Americans? Is it Tucker Carlson? Matt Walsh? Candace Owens? Or is “what is good” defined by what works? Is it utilitarian? If it’s utilitarian then we should probably legalize and allow for cocaine to flow through the southern border for our hard working stock brokers on Wall Street! They need the energy to keep our economy moving (Mt. Dew won’t do the trick). Maybe we should also pull every single U.S. Embassy from existence and allow for China to set up robust military operations in every country across the World like they’re doing in Africa and South America as we speak so we don’t have spend our hard earned tax dollars on policing the world. Instead, millennials can use that extra money to buy sex online and indulging in grotesque materialistic ideology— that would be good, right?.. Right?
I’ve asked before and I’ll keep asking; what is “America First”? Because it seems clear to me that America First has absolutely nothing to do with keeping Americans healthy, moral, and strong. Rather, it seems to be a way in which morally bankrupt and politically lost generations of wealth-inheriting ghouls can continue to turn a blind eye to geopolitical tragedy while they buy their toys and trinkets that cover for their utter incompetence and lack of purpose in life. America First is precisely the opposite— it’s America Last. It’s rooted in illogical economic theory, unrealistic foreign policy, and individualistic selfishness. For all of the problems with Authoritarianism, one cannot call say it isn’t patient. It waits and waits for Democracy to become complacent, self-consumed, and hedonistic and then it strikes. Ironically, if America First means we turn a blind eye and commit sins of omission, America will cease to exist.