Eli Lake, Columnist

Iran Is Not Looking for a War With America

But Biden should make it clear that the U.S. is willing to respond to anything the Iranians are planning.

December 22, 2020 at 7:30 AM UTC

Eli Lake is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering national security and foreign policy. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for the Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI.

So far, more slogan than policy.
Photographer: ATTA KENARE/AFP

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Ever since a U.S. missile killed Iran’s most important general almost a year ago, the regime has been vowing revenge, with the latest threat coming just last week. Yet aside from a barrage of missile strikes on an Iraqi base last January, causing traumatic brain injuries for U.S. soldiers stationed there, Iran’s response has been relatively muted.

That’s because, even as the U.S. military prepares for anything Iran or its proxies might try, the regime is not looking for an open confrontation with the world’s most powerful military. So says General Frank McKenzie, the man in charge of the U.S. Central Command.