Peace in the Middle East at Last
As the 44th President packs his suitcases and bids farewell to the White House, President-elect Donald Trump reflects on many of Obama’s shortsighted decisions and sets his agenda for the new year. Many house Republicans aspire to repeal Obamacare—a corrupt system that has failed to achieve its mandate, turning healthcare into a cumbersome and an exceedingly bureaucratic process. Other conservatives, including Jared Kushner and Trump himself, boast about their uncompromising approach towards China, claiming that they will resist the free market and demand “fairer” trade deals.
"Trump must establish an atmosphere of respect between the US and Iranian governments and prevent Hassan Rouhani from using his nuclear program to manipulate our politicians."
In his first days in the Oval Office Trump must reaffirm the United States’ commitment to Israel and modify Obama’s soft and opaque relation with Iran. The recent United Nations decision demonstrated Obama’s apathy towards Israel and stubbornness to empathize with the concerns of the beleaguered state.
Though I question the provisions of the Iran Deal, I do not believe that Trump should repeal it. Rather, he must establish an atmosphere of respect between the US and Iranian governments and prevent Hassan Rouhani from using his nuclear program to manipulate our politicians. The Wall Street Journal revealed a few weeks ago that Tehran received more than ten billion dollars in cash during and after the negotiation process. Just recently, Rouhani ordered scientists to develop nuclear-powered boats when Congress passed legislation making it easier to (potentially) impose sanctions. Rouhani enjoys his elevated status and arrogantly blackmails Western countries on the negotiating table.
Even more concerning is the future of the nuclear deal. Hassan Rouhani ascended to the Presidency in 2013 on a platform of Westernization, emphasizing better relations with the United States and economic liberalization as the key to successful progress. Other Iranian presidents have refused to cooperate with other powers, playing into the Persians’ skepticism and distrust of the West. For example, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad—Iran’s president from 2005 to 2013—frequently spoke against the United States and Israel, quelled public protest and actively pursued a nuclear program despite warnings and sanctions. An Iranian president like Ahmadinejad would not hesitate to exploit the weak nuclear deal and ignore US precautions. President Elect Trump must hold the Iranian government more accountable for its breaches and be more transparent with the American people.
Last week, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani—Iran’s fourth president—died at the age of 82. Rafsanjani was one of Iran’s most fervent supporters of the free market, a strong believer in Westernization and an advocate for warmer relations with the US. His death represents a blow to a small and often ignored Iranian political party that values economic reform and could potentially destabilize US-Iranian relations.
Iran’s nuclear program could have catastrophic effects on Israel. The West Bank—though officially under the leadership of Mahmoud Abbas—is controlled by terrorist groups like Hamas and Fatah, both of which are sponsored by Iran. Israeli politicians worry that the Palestinian groups will not be satisfied by a simple two-state solution. In fact, radical Islamic organizations and even Muslim countries refuse to acknowledge Israel’s existence and would prefer that so-called “peace talks” end with the complete subjugation of the Israeli state.