LARRY KUDLOW: Iran is at war with the United States as well as Israel

As the reports suggest, Israel is rapidly expanding its ground operations, and the airstrikes are intensifying. And while all this is happening, President Biden’s mouthpiece, John Kirby, went on “The View,” a hair-brained far-left TV show on another network – thankfully – to say this. 

Listen and weep:   

JOHN KIRBY: “We don’t seek a conflict with Iran. We’re not looking to escalate into some sort of period of hostilities here with Iran.” 

There is already a conflict with Iran. This is the most unimaginably dumb thing that any White House spokesman could possibly say. To Mr. Kirby and his boss President Biden, I have breaking news: Iran is at war with the United States, as well as Israel, has been for quite some time. The very fact that Iran financed and planned the barbaric Hamas invasion of Israel is the most important evidence of their war-like intentions against the United States and of course against Israel.   

The very fact that Iran is the largest state-sponsoring terrorist country in the world is absolute proof that they have escalated their war with the United States and Israel. Now, will Team Biden, including Mr. Kirby, ever understand this?  Why are Biden officials, including the president, always worrying out loud that Iran might escalate hostilities? Why doesn’t Team Biden understand that Iran should be worried that the United States will escalate hostilities against them – our enemy?  

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This constant hand wringing by Biden officials is so troublesome. Such a sign of weakness and here they go again. Where is the “America First” response to the unmitigated aggression by the Iranian mullahs? In a nutshell, John Kirby’s statement is the perfect example of what’s wrong with Biden foreign policy. Or, should I say, “What’s gone wrong?”   

From day one of the Biden administration, right up through John Kirby’s appearance on the aforementioned, left-wing TV show, the Biden Middle East policy has been one of Iranian appeasement and this appeasement has failed. It has completely collapsed. 

Iran is unappeasable. But importantly, crucially, as much as any other factor, Biden’s Iranian appeasement policy is responsible for the Hamas invasion of Israel and all of the violence that is going along with that invasion.  History teaches that appeasement fails. History teaches that deterrence and strength succeed and, for example, lobbing bombs at unmanned Syrian ammunition depots is so utterly ineffectual.   

Sen. Tom Cotton called it “unserious,” and, I quote, “They are laughing at us in Tehran. Iran will continue to target Americans until President Biden gets serious about imposing severe costs on Iran.” So, I will just say it again: End appeasement. Start deterrence.  Bankrupt Iran by enforcing the economic and energy sanctions. Interdict and impound Iranian supplies on the high seas. 

Or, more bluntly, I’ll say it again: Stop a ship. That would send a message. That’s my riff. 

This article is adapted from Larry Kudlow’s opening commentary on the October 27, 2023, edition of “Kudlow.”