When words fail to constrain
The case for when life-loving democrats should declare war
(First published in the Times of Israel)
Nearly a decade ago in Orlando, Florida, I confronted the challenges faced by nurses caring for victims of domestic and sexual abuse. My company at the time, MobileODT, made a device to help capture photo evidence more easily and rapidly, so I was invited to a conference for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) and Forensic Examiners to learn about the examination process and explore improvements. Having just become a father, listening to the lectures and seeing their presentations was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
One of the main things I learned from the conference was that many victims of sexual or domestic abuse are repeat victims. Many more victims have been victimized by the same perpetrator. Documentation is essential for SANEs to help law enforcement protect these victims and prosecute their attackers before they can do more harm.
I thought of that experience when Israel’s current Minister of Internal Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, sought to take inspiration from America and expand personal gun ownership in Israel. I supported the protests led by women’s groups against the policy because data shows that increased gun ownership leads to increased violence against women by approximately 500%. Giving guns to people with a history of violence nearly guarantees they will be used against the target of their violence.
So, too, with the men leading nations such as the Islamic Republic of Iran.
When well-meaning leaders of once-great nations or organizations say Israel’s strikes on Iran could have been prevented with more strident diplomacy, I think of what I learned from the SANEs. The two men who have held the title of Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic over the past 45 years have displayed such a consistent pattern of violence that it would be irresponsible to imagine they wouldn’t use the ultimate weapon once acquired.
Besides the internal violence against Iran’s citizens, regular execution of LGBTQIA+, blinding of women, mass incarceration of journalists, torture of democracy activists, and chants of “Death to America! Death to Israel!,” Iran has conquered and abused countries across the Levant in its quest to choke off the Jewish State. Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen have suffered civil wars far bloodier than the civil war between the Jews and Arabs in the Holy Land. More Arabs have died by the hand of Iranian-funded and trained soldiers than Israeli ones, even considering the death and destruction in Gaza. More Arabs have been occupied by Iranian militias than live under Israel’s military occupation.
When well-meaning people brush this history of violence aside, explaining that things are done differently in our region, I’m reminded of surprised neighbors interviewed after a murder saying, “but he seemed like such a family man.”
Similarly, when I hear well-meaning people cite the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) as proof that diplomacy works, I am astounded they forget the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warnings that Iran has breached the agreement for years. Blaming the US doesn’t consider that the JCPOA remained in place with the Europeans. The only reason Iran would breach the agreement is to gain the ultimate weapon. There is literally no other reason to do so. European efforts at diplomacy for half a decade did not dissuade the Iranians from that pursuit. Did not stop it from further enrichment in recent weeks.
At times, words fail to convince a man like the Ayatollah with a history of violence to refrain from further violence. Abusers are particularly good at using language to mask their intentions, or gain time to follow through with their plans. Sometimes, that means that potential victims or their allies need to prevent those people from getting the weapons they could use to do irreparable harm.
Israel is imperfect in many ways. Its current government is composed of extremists, criminals, and demagogues. Despite recent military and intelligence successes, this government has failed Israel domestically and internationally. Foreign sources say Israel already has the bomb. Yet not once during this conflict has any party – including Iran – feared that it would be the target of that bomb. Because despite the current government’s efforts, Israel is still a liberal democracy with a responsible professional echelon.
Just as guns in the hands of law-abiding professionals can save lives, guns in the hands of countries controlled by supreme leaders with a history of violence are a threat to the lives of all. All the more so for the ultimate weapon. In a world without impartial law enforcement, where the United Nations is controlled by a plurality of autocracies, and democratic governments are influenced by oil dollars counseling special treatment for despotic regimes, Israel cannot wait for someone to stop the supreme leader from using the ultimate weapon once acquired.
Men with a history of violence and no checks and balances to constrain them should not have access to such weapons. I hope those who believe in the sanctity of life and the importance of defending democracy as I do would recognize that preemptive action to prevent access is not only justified, it is required.
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