To Stop Hamas, Confront Qatar and Iran
- The Biden-Harris administration's lifting of sanctions is what enabled Iran to profit to the tune of an estimated $100 billion, used for waging terror against Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia -- and the US. Just since October, Iran and its terror proxies and militias have attacked US troops in the Middle East more than 160 times, killing three and wounding more than 120...
- By turning a blind eye to the actions of the Iranian regime's while releasing roughly $100 billion to the treasury of the mullahs, the Biden-Harris administration is responsible for empowering these entities.
- This week in Gaza, more deaths were reported after Israel took out a Hamas command center embedded in what used to function as a school in a "humanitarian zone." If Hamas cares about the Palestinians and does not want them killed, why does it deliberately put its terrorist command centers in the middle of crowded "humanitarian zones"?
- "He was murdered by Hamas.... And if you want the hostages home, which we all do, you have to increase the cost to Iran.... Iran is the Great Satan here. Hamas is the junior partner.... They [could not] care less about the Palestinian people." -- US Senator Lindsey Graham, referring to the murdered US-Israeli hostage, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Fox News, September 1, 2024.
- It is a clear call for the Biden-Harris administration to hold Iran accountable for the remaining hostages, and to target Iran's oil refineries if the hostages are not immediately released.
- So long as the US government continues to sit on the sidelines, the brutality and savagery of Hamas and their Iranian benefactors will only escalate. It is high time to confront Iran's regime head-on and stop its spread of barbarity before more innocent lives are lost -- above all, before the world's "leading state sponsor of terrorism" produces nuclear weapons.
It is almost unimaginable that in the 21st century, such horrors would still take place. The brutal acts of Hamas remind us of the darkest periods in history, such as the atrocities committed by Hitler's Germany. Yet, the Iranian regime and its proxies -- particularly terrorist groups like Hamas -- continue to bring new levels of barbarity into the modern world.
The recent recovery of six executed Israeli hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, from a tunnel in Rafah highlights the extent of this cruelty. These hostages, four of whom were scheduled to be released in a draft ceasefire deal, were murdered by Hamas before Israeli Defense Forces could reach them -- a reminder of the inhumanity and savagery of Hamas, emboldened by their Iranian backers.
The Biden-Harris administration's lifting of sanctions is what enabled Iran to profit to the tune of an estimated $100 billion, used for waging terror against Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia -- and the US. Just since October, Iran and its terror proxies and militias have attacked US troops in the Middle East more than 160 times, killing three and wounding more than 120 -- all while President Joe Biden falsely claimed that under his watch, no US troops were killed. That does not even include the 13 American troops who were murdered in Kabul while the Biden-Harris administration surrendered to the Taliban terrorist group.
Anyone with a soul has to be devastated beyond words at the loss of six innocent lives, whose only crime was being caught in the terror tunnels of Hamas's violence. Each of these individuals had a life, family and dreams, only to murdered by Hamas, which is supported by Iran, with funding enabled by the Biden-Harris team.
All of this started with Hamas' invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023. The barbaric invaders from Gaza claimed murdered more than 1,200 people in Israel, including at least 32 Americans. These terrorists tortured and wounded thousands, and abducted 251 people, and dragged them back to Gaza as hostages -- among them, U.S. citizens.
Most infuriating is the inaction of the Biden-Harris administration. Their failure to confront Hamas, Iran and Qatar -- the other godfather of Hamas and all other Islamic terror groups and poisoner-in-chief of the minds of students in US universities, to which it has donated more than $6 billion -- has emboldened these forces of terror. By turning a blind eye to the actions of the Iranian regime's while releasing roughly $100 billion to the treasury of the mullahs, the Biden-Harris administration is responsible for empowering these entities.
This cowardice in the face of tyranny has only allowed Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iran to grow bolder, unleashing more terror and destruction upon innocent civilians.
This week in Gaza, more deaths were reported after Israel took out a Hamas command center embedded in what used to function as a school in a "humanitarian zone." If Hamas cares about the Palestinians and does not want them killed, why does it deliberately put its terrorist command centers in the middle of crowded "humanitarian zones"?
The world cannot just stand by as these atrocities continue to unfold. What is urgently needed are decisive economic and military measures against Iran. Both Iran and Qatar must be made to pay a price for promoting and sponsoring terror. This means targeting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, striking Iran's oil refineries, strictly enforcing sanctions against Iran, countering its nuclear weapons program and moving US forces out of Qatar's Al Udaid Air Base, headquarters of the US Central Command (CENTCOM). On January 1, Secretary of State Antony Blinken fecklessly extended the lease on Al Udaid for another 10 years. This must be immediately rescinded. The enormous airbase is doubtless thought of by Qatar's ruling Al Thani family as its own private US protection program.
Countries that choose to violate US sanctions should be held accountable as well. So far, shamefully, the Biden-Harris administration allowed them to, even while Iranian forces were killing and wounding the service members of its benefactor. I do not blame them, I blame us.
Only through strong and resolute action can we hope to cut off the lifeline of support that fuels Hamas and its barbarity – and especially the imminent jihad of Iran's nuclear weapons program.
As US Senator Lindsey Graham stated, referring to the murdered US-Israeli hostage, Hersh Goldberg-Polin:
"He was murdered by Hamas.... And if you want the hostages home, which we all do, you have to increase the cost to Iran.... Iran is the Great Satan here. Hamas is the junior partner.... They [could not] care less about the Palestinian people."
It is a clear call for the Biden-Harris administration to hold Iran accountable for the remaining hostages, and to target Iran's oil refineries if the hostages are not immediately released.
So long as the US government continues to sit on the sidelines, the brutality and savagery of Hamas and their Iranian benefactors will only escalate. It is high time to confront Iran's regime head-on and stop its spread of barbarity before more innocent lives are lost -- above all, before the world's "leading state sponsor of terrorism" produces nuclear weapons.
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a business strategist and advisor, Harvard-educated scholar, political scientist, board member of Harvard International Review, and president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He has authored several books on Islam and US Foreign Policy. He can be reached at Dr.Rafizadeh@Post.Harvard.Edu