Is Israel defeating Iran?

The Institute for the Study of War is conducting daily studies on the effect Israel's air strikes are having on Iran's facilities in and near Tehran.According to today's report, "Israel struck military and military-industrial sites around Tehran as part of its ongoing campaign into Iran. There are also unverified reports of an Israeli strike around the Fordow nuclear site."

Another sign that Israel is winning is this WSJ article reporting that "Iran has been urgently signaling that it seeks an end to hostilities and resumption of talks over its nuclear programs, sending messages to Israel and the U.S. via Arab intermediaries, Middle Eastern and European officials said." Iran had 60 days to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the war it's been waging against Israel since 1979. Grnted, most of the hostilities haven't been open clashes. They've been primarily fought by the Iranians' proxies (Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis) with Iran providing these proxies' funding, training and weaponry. Still, Iran's been behind these hostilities.

Israel is devastating Iran's launch sites, nuclear facilities, nuclear scientists and the IRGC's upper echelon of commanders. The truth is that Israel has established air supremacy. They should use this well-earned opportunity to exploit the battlefield. The mullahs can't be trusted to dismantle their nuclear facilities. Further, there's no indication that Iran's sitting down at the negotiating table will produce anything meaningful in terms of new proposals.

At this point in the war, Israel and the U.S. should demand the complete dismantling of Iran's nuclear program. Further, there are rumors that Ayatollah Khamenei. At this point, the U.S. pretty much has to deliver their bunker-busting bombs. If they don't help Israel take out Iran's nuclear facilities, these nations won't have a reason for trusting the U.S., rendering the Abraham Accords meaningless. That will start a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.

There's no upside and little downside for the Trump administration to help destroy Iran's warmaking machine.

Tehran has told Arab officials it would be open to returning to the negotiating table as long as the U.S. doesn’t join the attack, the officials said. Iran also passed messages to Israel saying it is in the interest of both sides to keep the violence contained.

That's quite some spin. That's spin that KJP or Jen Psaki would be proud of. It's in Israel's interest to take this opportunity to eliminate Iran's nuclear facilities and help the Iranan people ship Ayatollah Khamenei into Russian exile. Remember, too, that a new U.S. president could undo the good that Israel has produced. Once the facilities are destroooyed, though, that reality will last a generation or more.

As for anti-war doves who say no to any military intervention anytime, they should be ignored in this situation. First, the odds of Israel needing anything more than our bunker-busting bombs are virtually nonexistent. Next, there are Persian bankers living in LA and NYC who would jump at the oportunity to invest in a new, modernized Iran. This type of nation-building is right in President Trump's wheelhouse. Let Persians rebuild Iran with private sector money. That wouldn't cost the U.S. trillions. Further, negotiating a trade deal with the new Iranian government would be a net positive for the U.S. The anti-neocons have legitimate points, generally speaking. Their arguments crumble, though, in this specific situation. Wendy Sherman was part of the team of negotiators who gave us the JCPOA. Here's her thoughts on the Israel-Iran matter:

If you believe that it's impossible to take out Natanz and Fordow, then you have to think that the JCPOA is a legitimate plan. I don't buy that. I think our bombers are quite capable of taking out Iran's nuclear capabilities.