OPINION:
Americans are weary of “forever wars,” the seemingly never-ending incursions that require the sacrifice of resources, attention and U.S. soldiers’ lives.
With Iraq and Afghanistan in the not-so-distant past, many are hesitant to support the U.S. engaging in yet another Middle Eastern war. A recent Fox News poll asking voters about President Trump’s handling of the Iran crisis is telling.
Overall, 51% of respondents said Mr. Trump’s relationship with Iran has led to increased risk for America, with just 29% seeing it as offering increased security. Another 19% said there was essentially no difference in safety due to Mr. Trump’s handling of Iran.
A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll commissioned two days after the U.S-Israeli attacks on Iran began found just 27% of Americans approving of the move, with 43% disapproving.
Public opinion aside, Mr. Trump’s decisions on Iran are quite divergent from his first presidential term, when his “America first” mantra seemed to manifest in a reluctance to enter into any form of military battle. Now, the situation has changed dramatically.
Another element worth noting is Mr. Trump’s penchant for polls, particularly those showing favorability ratings for his actions. Despite saying surveys assessing his moves on Iran are “very good,” it seems the president isn’t necessarily taking cues based on popularity.
“I think that the polling is very good, but I don’t care about polling,” Mr. Trump told the New York Post this week. “I have to do the right thing. … This should have been done a long time ago.”
Trump again went on to postulate that the polling isn’t low, but said it doesn’t matter because “it’s not a question of polling.”
“You cannot let Iran, who’s a nation that has been run by crazy people, have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Speculation and fear have long surrounded Iran’s nuclear program, with numerous U.S. presidential administrations attempting to negotiate with the Iranian regime in an effort to prevent nuclear weapons procurement.
Despite war-weariness, Americans do seem to recognize the dangers Iran poses. When asked if the Islamic republic “poses a real national security threat to the United States,” 61% answered the Fox News poll affirmatively, while just 38% saw no threat.
So, despite being weary, citizens do agree Iran is a problem and puts America at risk.
Even if the nuclear element weren’t a primary driver, Mr. Trump’s not wrong that this “should have been done a long time ago.” Of course, it’s easy to make such a proclamation without recognizing the dangers of what comes next.
Too often, the replacement regime or power structure that comes after removing leaders from power is far more problematic than its predecessor. We’ve seen this again and again.
Yet Iran has forced its people to languish in total and utter chaos for decades. Christian persecution rages and Iranian citizens live in total and utter fear. A 2024 report from Amnesty International offered a lens into just some of the problems for the Iranian people.
“Authorities … suppressed the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly,” it read. “Women and girls, LGBTI people, and ethnic and religious minorities experienced systemic discrimination and violence.”
And that’s just the internal struggle. The broader issues surround Iran’s penchant for supporting international terrorism, relying on chaos and horror to push its dangerous ideology.
Iranian leaders have repeatedly pledged to wipe Israel off the map and have long funded Hamas, the terror group responsible for the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel. Iran’s overarching dynamics have created regional — and international — turbulence, as detailed in an American University explainer.
“Throughout its tumultuous history, Iran has strategically employed terrorist groups as proxies in its foreign policy, using these groups to wield influence across the Middle East and beyond,” the text read. “From its longtime financial support of Hezbollah in Lebanon to its backing of militias in Iraq and Yemen, Iran’s utilization of proxy groups has shaped regional dynamics, fueled conflicts, and presented a complex challenge for global security.”
The truth is: Iran’s use of terror proxies has created utter pandemonium, is unpredictable, is deadly, and has long deserved to be halted.
In recent weeks, Mr. Trump has had the fortitude and boldness to do what should have been done long ago: try to thwart the world’s biggest terrorist organization. But it’s certainly a high-stakes undertaking — one that’s certain not to poll well.
Americans are tired of wars, and rightly so. We’ve watched numerous incursions demand blood, sweat and tears only to walk away with nothing changed, and, in some circumstances, a worsened situation in the nations where we have served.
But Iran feels different. If done right, regime change could transform Middle Eastern dynamics and usher in a calmer existence for Israel and regional relations more generally.
There’s no telling what comes next, but America must approach cautiously, prayerfully and strategically to ensure that the power vacuum is filled with the right key players. The safety of the Middle East — and world — depends on it.
• Billy Hallowell is a digital TV host and interviewer for Faithwire and CBN News and the co-host of CBN’s “Quick Start Podcast.” Mr. Hallowell also is the author of four books.
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