During the past week, Washington was focused on the effort to elect a Speaker of the House of Representatives. With that task now complete, we’re sure our elected officials would agree that it’s time for Congress to get to the hard work of governing this nation. As they do so, here are a few items they might consider bearing in mind in the context of U.S. foreign policy.
Iranian Drone Manufacturer Sanctioned
Late last week, the Treasury Department announced that new sanctions are being imposed against six people associated with Iran’s Quds Aviation Industry. This company has played a very significant role in Russia’s use of drones against the Ukrainian people.
Secretary of State Blinken noted in a statement, “Iran must cease its
support for Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt and delay these transfers and impose costs on actors engaged in this activity."
We agree with Mr. Blinken’s comments, but if the Biden administration wants to achieve real results, they need to back the Stop Iranian Drones Act (which we expect to be re-introduced in the current Congress in due course), and the administration also needs to ratchet up the diplomatic and economic pressure aimed at curbing the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program and support for terror.
Chemical Terror Attack Thwarted
Speaking of Iranian support for terror, this week, two Iranians were arrested by German security forces after the U.S. government tipped off the Germans to the individuals’ plans to carry out a terror
attack in Germany using chemical agents.
While much attention is rightly focused on Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions, their support for terror is a clear and present danger to the free world. There are no depths to the Islamic Republic’s depravity. Iranian agents and proxies have plotted and, at times, executed terrorist activities in the Middle East, Europe, South America and the United States.
We thank God the plot in Germany was undermined, but we view it as a stark reminder that Iran and its terrorist-agents seek to kill those who do not see the world as they do anywhere, anytime and by any means necessary.
The Biden Administration’s Nonsensical PA Policy
In late December, the Biden Administration informed Congress that the State Department was imposing travel bans on leaders of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for failing to live up to commitments to condemn terrorism against Israel. In the very same statement, the State Department informed Congress that they were waving those travel bans – citing U.S. national security interests. Seem a bit ridiculous, but don’t worry, there’s more.
There are
laws on the books stating that certain PA officials cannot travel to the U.S. and cannot spend money in the U.S. The Supreme Court has upheld these laws. Despite this, the Biden administration got the Justice Department to issue a memo stating that the administration “may reasonably assess that being prevented from hosting the PLO delegation in Washington would seriously impair the president’s diplomatic efforts.”
In other words, the Biden administration has given themselves permission to break the law. Moreover, in recent months, Team Biden has twice (!) made the claim that it is in the vital interests of American national
security to do business with the terrorist-backing PA/PLO.
The Biden administration is making the same mistakes with Iran and the PA. They are trying to compartmentalize issues – or ignore them completely. The result is an emboldened Iran willing to engage in chemical attacks against innocent Germans and aid Russia in murdering innocent Ukrainians.
Likewise, the PA effectively enjoys American largess - the Biden administration has supplied more than $800 million in aid to Palestinians since taking office - while continuing to support terror (which the Biden administration completely acknowledges). And if that’s not enough, the leaders of the PA and PLO are welcome to come to New York and grab a slice of pizza if they so choose.
Appeasement doesn’t work. Even when you double and triple down on it. One would think that after two years of seeing their approach fail Team Biden would reverse course. Sadly, that’s not the case,
and the world is suffering for it. Congress must step in, and in the coming year, we’ll be there to ensure they do.
Sincerely,
