Steven Erlanger in NYT: ‘Iran will try to rapidly increase the cost for Israel, the United States and its Gulf allies “to force them to back down before this succeeds in destabilizing the regime,” said Ellie Geranmayeh, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa program at the European Council on Foreign Relations.’

And: ‘A new and more moderate government could take office in Israel after elections later this year. With Iran defanged, it may feel it has the mandate to build on the cease-fire in Gaza and negotiate seriously with the Palestinians, under pressure from Washington and the Saudis.’

A miracle.

In 1991, George H.W. Bush urged the Iraqi people to rise up against Saddam.

‘They did, and the U.S. stood by as Saddam’s security forces slaughtered them in huge numbers.’

Abandoning your weakest allies, an American tradition. But other countries have the same habit.

(a sf 2068)