It Will Take More Than Bombs and Missiles to Fix Iran

It’s impossible to know whether the US president will carry out his threats to strike Iran, how the regime might retaliate or what the long-term fallout would be. What’s surer is that neutering the threat posed by Iran and encouraging a better future for its people will take more than bombs and missiles.

With possible talks in flux, worries about a US attack are rising. Early last month, the president warned the Iranian government not to repress protesters flooding the streets of Tehran and other cities, then failed to respond when security forces slaughtered thousands of them. With a carrier strike group now in the region and assets being moved into place to defend US bases and allies against Iranian missiles, his options have increased.