Guest Post by Scott Ritter
Iran’s retaliatory attack on Israel will go down in history as one of the greatest victories of this century.
I’ve been writing about Iran for more than two decades. In 2005, I made a trip to Iran to ascertain the “ground truth” about that nation, a truth which I then incorporated into a book, Target Iran, laying out the US-Israeli collaboration to craft a justification for a military attack on Iran designed to bring down its theocratic government. I followed this book up with another, Dealbreaker, in 2018, which brought this US-Israeli effort up to date.
Back in November 2006, in an address to Columbia University’s School of International Relations, I underscored that the United States would never abandon my “good friend” Israel until, of course, we did. What could precipitate such an action, I asked? I noted that Israel was a nation drunk of hubris and power, and unless the United States could find a way to remove the keys from the ignition of the bus Israel was navigating toward the abyss, we would not join Israel in its lemming-like suicidal journey.
The next year, in 2007, during an address to the American Jewish Committee, I pointed out that my criticism of Israel (which many in the audience took strong umbrage against) came from a place of concern for Israel’s future. I underscored the reality that I had spent the better part of a decade trying to protect Israel from Iraqi missiles, both during my service in Desert Storm, where I played a role in the counter-SCUD missile campaign, and as a United Nations weapons inspector, where I worked with Israeli intelligence to make sure Iraq’s SCUD missiles were eliminated.
“The last thing I want to see,” I told the crowd, “is a scenario where Iranian missiles were impacting on the soil of Israel. But unless Israel changes course, this is the inevitable outcome of a policy driven more by arrogance than common sense.”
On the night of 13-14 April 2024, my concerns were played out live before an international audience—Iranian missiles rained down on Israel, and there was nothing Israel could do to stop them. As had been the case a little more than 33 years prior, when Iraqi SCUD missiles overcame US and Israeli Patriot missile defenses to strike Israel dozens of times over the course of a month and a half, Iranian missiles, integrated into a plan of attack which was designed to overwhelm Israeli missile defense systems, struck designated targets inside Israel with impunity.
Despite having employed an extensive integrated anti-missile defense system comprised of the so-called “Iron Dome” system, US-made Patriot missile batteries, and the Arrow and David’s Sling missile interceptors, along with US, British, and Israeli aircraft, and US and French shipborne anti-missile defenses, well over a dozen Iranian missiles struck heavily-protected Israeli airfields and air defense installations.
The Iranian missile attack on Israel did not come out of the blue, so to speak, but rather was retaliation for an April 1 Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate building, in Damascus, Syria, that killed several senior Iranian military commanders. While Israel has carried out attacks against Iranian personnel inside Syria in the past, the April 1 strike differed by not only killing very senior Iranian personnel, but by striking what was legally speaking sovereign Iranian territory—the Iranian consulate.
From an Iranian perspective, the attack on the consulate was a redline which, if not retaliated against, would erase any notion of deterrence, opening the door for even more brazen Israeli military action, up to and including direct attacks on Iran. Weighing against retaliation, however, were a complex web of interwoven policy objectives which would probably be mooted by the kind of large-scale conflict between Israel and Iran that could be precipitated by any meaningful Iranian retaliatory strike on Israel.
First and foremost, Iran has been engaged in a strategic policy premised on a pivot away from Europe and the United States, and toward Russia, China, and the Eurasian landmass. This shift has been driven by Iran’s frustration over the US-driven policy of economic sanctions, and the inability and/or unwillingness on the part of the collective West to find a path forward that would see these sanctions lifted. The failure of the Iranian nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA) to produce the kind of economic opportunities that had been promised at its signing has been a major driver behind this Iranian eastward pivot. In its stead, Iran has joined both the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the BRICS forum and has directed its diplomatic energies into seeing Iran thoroughly and productively integrated into both groups.
A general war with Israel would play havoc on these efforts.
Secondly, but no less important in the overall geopolitical equation for Iran, is the ongoing conflict in Gaza. This is a game-changing event, where Israel is facing strategic defeat at the hands of Hamas and its regional allies, including the Iranian-led axis of resistance. For the first time ever, the issue of Palestinian statehood has been taken up by a global audience. This cause is further facilitated by the fact that the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu, formed from a political coalition which is vehemently opposed to any notion of Palestinian statehood, finds itself in danger of collapse as a direct result of the consequences accrued from the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent failure of Israel to defeat Hamas militarily or politically. Israel is likewise hampered by the actions of Hezbollah, which has held Israel in check along its northern border with Lebanon, and non-state actors such as the pro-Iranian Iraqi militias and the Houthi of Yemen which have attacked Israel directly and, in the case of the Houthi, indirectly, shutting down critical sea lines of communication which have the result of strangling the Israeli economy.
But it is Israel that has done the most damage to itself, carrying out a genocidal policy of retribution against the civilian population of Gaza. The Israeli actions in Gaza are the living manifestation of the very hubris and power-driven policies I warned about back in 2006-2007. Then, I said that the US would not be willing to be a passenger in a policy bus driven by Israel that would take us off the cliff of an unwinnable war with Iran.
Through its criminal behavior toward the Palestinian civilians in Gaza, Israel has lost the support of much of the world, putting the United States in a position where it will see its already-tarnished reputation irreparably damaged, at a time when the world is transitioning from a period of American-dominated singularity to a BRICS-driven multipolarity, and the US needs to retain as much clout in the so-called “global south” as possible.
The US has tried—unsuccessfully—to take the keys out of the ignition of Netanyahu’s suicide bus ride. Faced with extreme reticence on the part of the Israeli government when it comes to altering its policy on Hamas and Gaza, the administration of President Joe Biden has begun to distance itself from the policies of Netanyahu and has put Israel on notice that there would be consequences for its refusal to alter its actions in Gaza to take US concerns into account.
Any Iranian retaliation against Israel would need to navigate these extremely complicated policy waters, enabling Iran to impose a viable deterrence posture designed to prevent future Israeli attacks while making sure that neither its policy objectives regarding a geopolitical pivot to the east, nor the elevation of the cause of Palestinian statehood on the global stage, were sidetracked.
The Iranian attack on Israel appears to have successfully maneuvered through these rocky policy shoals. It did so first and foremost by keeping the United States out of the fight. Yes, the United States participated in the defense of Israel, helping shoot down scores of Iranian drones and missiles. This engagement was to the benefit of Iran, since it only reinforced the fact that there was no combination of missile defense capability that could, in the end, prevent Iranian missiles from hitting their designated targets.
The targets Iran struck—two air bases in the Negev desert from which aircraft used in the April 1 attack on the Iranian consulate had been launched, along with several Israeli air defense sites—were directly related to the points Iran was trying to make in establishing the scope and scale of its deterrence policy. First, that the Iranian actions were justified under Article 51 of the UN Charter—Iran retaliated against those targets in Israel directly related to the Israeli attack on Iran, and second, that Israeli air defense sites were vulnerable to Iranian attack. The combined impact of these two factors is that all of Israel was vulnerable to being struck by Iran at any time, and that there was nothing Israel or its allies could do to stop such an attack.
This message resonated not only in the halls of power in Tel Aviv, but also in Washington, DC, where US policy makers were confronted with the uncomfortable truth that if the US were to act in concert with Israel to either participate in or facilitate an Israeli retaliation, then US military facilities throughout the Middle East would be subjected to Iranian attacks that the US would be powerless to stop.
This is why the Iranians placed so much emphasis on keeping the US out of the conflict, and why the Biden administration was so anxious to make sure that both Iran and Israel understood that the US would not participate in any Israeli retaliatory strike against Iran.
The “Missiles of April” represent a sea-change moment in Middle Eastern geopolitics—the establishment of Iranian deterrence that impacts both Israel and the United States. While emotions in Tel Aviv, especially among the more radical conservatives of the Israeli government, run high, and the threat of an Israeli retaliation against Iran cannot be completely discounted, the fact is the underlying policy objective of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the course of the past 30-plus years, namely to drag the US into a war with Iran, has been put into checkmate by Iran.
Moreover, Iran has been able to accomplish this without either disrupting its strategic pivot to the east or undermining the cause of Palestinian statehood. “Operation True Promise,” as Iran named its retaliatory attack on Israel, will go down in history as one of the most important military victories in the history of modern Iran, keeping in mind that war is but an extension of politics by other means. The fact that Iran has established a credible deterrence posture without disrupting major policy goals and objectives is the very definition of victory.
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The USA was created as a secular State. The separation of Church and State was one of foundation stones the Nation was built on. The reason for that was the obvious corruption and immorality of the Theocratic Feudal States that existed everywhere else on the earth.
Despite or pledge to be a Secular State, we supported the illegal and immoral creation of a Theocracy, and then further supported it financially and militarily until we have now created a monster called Israel. We now stand at the threshold of nuclear war because of our stupid mistake, and our failure to admit the truth.
The people of the US must reaffirm their commitment to the foundations of our liberty and freedom that are based on the principals of individual sovereignty, accountability of government, and separation of church and State. If necessary, we should draft an amendment to the Constitution that prohibits the Federal Government from supporting any Theocracy or religion in any way shape or form. We did not build this nation to be the puppet of any religion, and certainly not one that believes in its superiority to the rest of humanity, and commit’s war crimes and genocide without regrets or conscience.
According to the secular history books?
In which history books do the founder call for foreign entanglements on behalf of foreign theocracies?
CENSOR KAREN 55 thinks your thoughtful post is “KNEE JERK”.
I think you are spot on.
the separation of church and state was not a foundation of this country. the nation was deeply religious and there was no intent that it would be secular. the separation of church and state was secondary to the larger aims of limited government, but yet an extension of it to limit the reach of government, and thus a move of economy rather than of philosophy. that is where you libtards fail. practically speaking an established church would not succeed in keeping the nation united.
Bullshit. Separation of church and State is the foundation of freedom. There is no such thing as a free Theocracy. You are either secular and free both to practice religion, and to be free from religion, or you are mandated by a tyrannical Theocracy to believe in the State religion.
You may be free to practice your religion, but you are not free to impose it on me. And if you try, I will plant you where you stand.
Jefferson invented the Legal Device of “God Given Rights” as a way to place those rights beyond the jurisdiction and hand of mere corrupt legislators to violate with unconstitutional laws. Your rabid hatred of anything bigger than yourself has you blind and batsh*t crazy.
Bullshit. There is no such thing as God given rights, because there is no God.
There are however natural rights, that the US Government was formed to recognize that every human being is endowed with. I have the right to believe what I choose and if you think you have the right to impose your fucked up religion on me, than come try, I would love to show you the consequences.
Consequences. Yeah. I deal in that. Have a nice day.
I’m sick of hearing the word Israel. They’re getting a good dose of FAFO and it’s well deserved.
This is why Israel should nuke Iran immediately. If not for UK, US, Jordanian and Saudi help they would probably been hit by the majority of those munitions.
The days when you were able to steal and kill without retribution are over. But keep on blathering about all the people you think you’re going to bomb.
I’m not nuking anybody but I hope the Jew Boys nail those filthy rug merchant scumbags you are so in love with.
I just want to be left alone. You’re the one who keeps reaching in my pocket and stealing money for your foreigner friends.
No, you want to get Isr wiped off the face of the earth, apparently. Iran says they ain’t playin next time. If that happens, US et al have nothing to gain and everything to lose defending a smoking crater.
If Israel ever uses nukes, it will be wiped out, and jews all over the world will be attacked….
Russia would obliterate ISR in such a case. They said they would support Iran in a conflict.
this is precisely why iran should nuke israel – a nation of demented, psychopathic, violent, genocidal, arrogant, parasitical, malevolent filth.
are you talking about isreal or usausa???
Anony is talking about Israhell, but it applies to the leadership and sycophants of USA INC. also.
You mean the government propaganda “nukes”? LOL
HR, seek help before you snap and kill us all.
Next, Israel threatens the world with the “Sambo Option”.
Does ritter ever break kayfabe?
Everyone was waiting all week for this attack. Every air defense capability was on high alert. This wasn’t a sneak attack.
And Iran defeated Israel’s defenses.
Perhaps the low-lives and evil people in the West and Israel will understand what this means now.
LOL, the lamestreet media including the useless Mr. Beck are claiming that 99% of the missiles were destroyed by the really super dooper defense systems. Once again, truth appears to be lost in the fog of war.
Yes, I remember that 3 years ago Western media was lying that something else was 95% effective. And it wasn’t exactly true. This is no different.
it doesn’t matter how many missiles were destroyed. the only question of consequence is where did the successful ones land? The answer is profound because the jewcunts lost a lot of human and technical assets from the few missiles which reached their targets.
This means they need to nuke Iran yesterday.
You are deranged. Since the USA and Israel are bosom buddies, “they” means “USA” to the rest of the world. So it would be a de facto nuclear attack by the USA again. Do you really think we wouldn’t be hit back, with gusto, this time?
“assuming” nukes actually exist ;). Beck was blovicating the result of an imagined nuke deployed on the 6 sided facility in DC this AM. He accurately described all of the things that NEVER happened in 1945 to the poor folks of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I’m still on the fence if they exist or are merely fiction used to quell the masses…..
I have some ideas about what you need to do.
Go away.
Iran scored a field goal in garbage time. Whoopy ding dong.
iran kicked jewland’s ass. it was well calibrated to the attack on iran. the only remaining task is to turn israel into a glass and asphalt parking lot.
No Draft. Never Again.
Ground Truth.
This is going to have enormous consequences if the neocons manage to drag the USA into WW3 over Ukraine and/or Israel on behalf of the MIC. Why? WE WON’T GO. Even worse, if they attempt to conscript us or our sons, we’ll actively sabotage the neocons at every step to the point they will give up on conscription. If they actively try to forcibly dragoon our sons into meatgrinder wars on behalf of the MIC, and to wipe out conservative white men, we will know which way to turn our guns and our skills. This time, the neocons who hate us can send the pink-haired tranny commusexuals from Berkeley and Harvard to fight their wars for the GAE.
Bracken
The dothead warcunt nikki needs white bodies !
Y’know, it’s true that politics is showbiz for ugly people, but Nikki abuses the privilege.
Anony, you should pick a screen name, you need credit for “commusexuals”. I’m stealing it, thanks.
Sneak attacks and ambushes are so passe.
Iran inflicted significant damage, material, psychological and political.
If the Nigerian Christians had leaders named Zelensky or Netanyahu they’d receive all the aid the US government could borrow.
Message for Scott Ritter and all readers:
Thank you Scott for your long service to Peace and Liberty, especially since you have begun to serve the interests of Peace as an independent writer.
The Zionistas, both Israeli and elsewhere, want nothing more than to “immanentize the Eschaton”, in the immortal words of Robert Anton Wilson. If it ever goes down that way, those worms will crawl out of their bunkers, and soon perish in a wasteland of ashes, empty of slaves and full of armed survivors.
The US is a slave of Zion, due to the fact that it is a requirement for membership in the GLOBOHOMO cabal to abase and compromise oneself to join. Epstein for GOV and Diddy for Hollywood and the Mockingbird Media. Their curtain is burning.
Personal note: I have voted for every US President since Reagan, and none of them twice except Reagan, for obvious reasons. I was a sucker more than once.
I was going to add The Donald to the exception column, until his recent statement in support of Zion against Persia. Zion is on recently stolen land (from Jesus actually) and Persia has been a conscious and peaceful empire for millennia, and only recently been forced to violence in the face of Satanic attack.
I forgave him for the Soleimani murder, because that one was forced by FAT MIKE POMPEO.
Unless he walks that back well before the election, Ronald Reagan will be the flyer on that list. I am sure I am not alone.
Mr. Ritter, if you are reading these comments maybe you can get Trump’s ear and pass this along. Open Letter perhaps?
PEACE
and thank you Ritter for your service to ZOG and little girls the world around!
trump is a jewfuck. he is as evil as netanyahu
I agree with you for the most part, but, for me, there’s not enough walking back in the world that could make me vote for Trump. Of course, I don’t vote anyway, but still…
[imagine emoji bovine and emoji pile o’ poo]
One does not simply criticize Israel or Jewry at the AJC. U.S. politicians of both ‘sides’ obey the AJC.
Doug, now you’ve got me looking for a “Fuckin’ A” emoji. 😉
Since 1973 this doctrine is being publicly propagated for the guidance of religious Israeli soldiers. The first such official exhortation was included in a booklet published by the Central Region Command of the Israeli Army, whose area includes the West Bank. In this booklet the Command’s Chief Chaplain writes:
When our forces come across civilians during a war or in hot pursuit or in a raid, so long as there is no certainty that those civilians are incapable of harming our forces, then according to the Halakhah they may and even should be killed… Under no circumstances should an Arab be trusted, even if he makes an impression of being civilized … In war, when our forces storm the enemy, they are allowed and even enjoined by the Halakhah to kill even good civilians, that is, civilians who are ostensibly good.7
all of that killing and violence stems from the talmud and the psychopathy of the jewish mind.
Playing to win earthly treasure is psychopathy, said Jesus, said Saul of Tarsus.
In the early 2000’s I thought Ritter was a UN communist plant. Not today. He may be wrong about some details but he is exposing the US government for the liars they are almost on a daily basis. I thank him for teaching me some things.
Has anyone ever noticed all these narrative heroes on the Right come from the Left? Elon Musk, Don Trump, Kanye West, Tulsi Gabbart. Maybe your first instincts about Ritter (convicted child molester) were and still are correct, overthecliff. One does not simply … phuqit.
people trade their gut instincts for ideological labels
Fuck you, Scott.
That is all.
Seriously, Scrote, STFU.