Trump holds off on military action against Iran's protest crackdown as he 'explores' Tehran messages
Regional stability hinges on credible deterrence and strategic partnerships with key allies.
The coverage treats the question as whether President Trump will “do something” militarily, as if restraint is a moral lapse. That framing skips the hard truth: Iran’s rulers want Americans to overreact, hand them a unifying enemy, and turn internal dissent into a foreign war narrative. Conservatives aren’t indifferent to protesters.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
President Donald Trump has arrived at a delicate moment as he weighs whether to order a U.S. military response against the Iranian government over its crackdown
Original source:
Read at WthrHow We See It
New Republican Times Editorial Board
The coverage treats the question as whether President Trump will “do something” militarily, as if restraint is a moral lapse. That framing skips the hard truth: Iran’s rulers want Americans to overreact, hand them a unifying enemy, and turn internal dissent into a foreign war narrative.
Conservatives aren’t indifferent to protesters. But America First realism means recognizing that airstrikes rarely deliver freedom, and often deliver blowback. A careful posture that tests messages from Tehran can be a tool, not a surrender, especially when it buys time to isolate the regime economically and diplomatically.
What matters is national security and public trust. If force is used, it must be tied to clear U.S. interests, lawful authority, and achievable aims. The principle at stake is disciplined power, not performative escalation.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.