, Columnist
War Crimes? That’s Not How to Deter Iran
Even assassinating military leaders is bad for America’s long-term interests.
Persepolis, Iran.
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On Sunday President Donald Trump raised the possibility of targeting Iranian cultural sites as part of the ongoing conflict with Iran. He has since received plenty of criticism, but rather than just piling on — though I too think it is a bad idea — I think it is worth looking at the broader calculus of how to choose an appropriate target for retaliation.
Under current circumstances the retaliatory options include targeted assassinations, strikes at military targets, escalating cyberattacks, escalating proxy wars, and now attacks on cultural sites. (Tough sanctions are already in place.)