The U.S. Alliance Dilemma: Hezbollah, Iran, and Russia's Connection

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The Biden administration has long emphasized its commitment to managing international alliances, yet recent actions suggest it's faltering in key regions. A failed Iranian missile attack against Israel on Tuesday highlights the growing threat posed by Tehran and its proxies. This situation demands a strong response from the United States, but Washington’s hesitation leaves Israel and Ukraine exposed. Iran and Russia are increasingly linked in their desire to challenge U.S. power both in Europe and the Middle East, yet the U.S. has failed to acknowledge the connection. This neglect has alienated two key allies, Israel and Ukraine, undermining their ability to strategically respond to these threats.

 

Last month, Israel's Mossad was likely behind a major attack on Hezbollah that severely crippled its communication network. In a strategic strike, Hezbollah’s pagers were destroyed, followed by explosions in its walkie-talkies. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) subsequently eliminated several senior Hezbollah officers and disabled around 100 rocket launchers. However, instead of offering firm support, the U.S. government expressed dismay at Israel’s military actions. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that such moves could complicate efforts to broker a cease-fire with Gaza, rather than standing with Israel in its fight against a common adversary.

 

The situation escalated further last Friday when the IDF struck Hezbollah’s central command in Beirut, killing its leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah, a powerful militant group backed by Iran, plays a pivotal role in the broader Iran-Israel conflict. Yet, the White House reiterated its call for de-escalation, focusing on mediation with Hamas and Hezbollah rather than fully backing Israel’s defensive actions.

 

Israel’s discovery of the bodies of six hostages executed by Hamas last month, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a dual American-Israeli citizen, sparked outrage but not enough decisive action from Washington. President Biden expressed his grief and anger, but the U.S. continued its negotiations with Hamas, frustrating Israel's efforts to secure long-term safety for its citizens.

 

Ukraine, similarly, has faced a brutal onslaught. During the same period, Russia launched a barrage of missile attacks on Ukraine, targeting its power grid and civilian population. Dozens died in a hospital bombing in Poltava, and a family was almost entirely wiped out in Lviv. These assaults on Ukraine mirror the existential threats faced by Israel in its war with Hamas. Both countries are grappling with larger, more powerful adversaries determined to destroy them. For Ukraine, a Russian victory would mean obliteration, while for Israel, Iran seeks nothing less than the dissolution of its Jewish identity and the displacement of its people.

 

Despite the evident links between these two conflicts, the Biden administration has struggled to coordinate its response. Washington's approach has been to provide limited aid to Ukraine while restricting its ability to decisively strike Russia. Similarly, the U.S. has supported Israel with weapons, yet pressured it to accept cease-fires with Hamas that don’t address the underlying threat posed by Iran. As a result, both Ukraine and Israel find themselves constrained in their efforts to secure lasting peace.

 

Russia’s aggression in Europe is a critical issue, but it is only part of a larger power struggle across Eurasia. Ukraine's strategic importance lies in its size, resources, and location, which makes it essential for both NATO security and global stability. A Russian takeover would solidify Moscow’s dominance in the region, threatening Europe and, by extension, the United States. Iran, on the other hand, aims to dominate the Middle East, creating a coalition of Islamist forces that could rival American influence. Both nations are working toward a long-term strategy of weakening U.S. resolve, believing that Washington will eventually falter.

 

Yet, the U.S. response has been inconsistent and, at times, counterproductive. In Ukraine, Washington has failed to offer solid security guarantees or a clear path to NATO membership, leaving Kyiv vulnerable. In Israel, U.S. pressure for cease-fires with Hamas and limits on actions against Hezbollah prevent Israel from fully neutralizing the threats posed by Iran’s proxies.

 

Both Israel and Ukraine understand that they must outlast their adversaries. Their strategies hinge on endurance—fighting until their enemies are exhausted and the costs of war become too high for them to continue. Yet, they cannot achieve this without clear and sustained support from their most powerful ally, the United States. Both conflicts demand more than rhetoric or temporary aid; they require long-term strategies for victory, something the Biden administration has yet to fully embrace.

 

If the U.S. fails to grasp the urgency of these intertwined conflicts, it risks not only the futures of Israel and Ukraine but its own standing as a global leader. Without decisive action, both Russia and Iran will continue their campaigns of exhaustion, confident that the U.S. will eventually step back from the fight.

 

Based on a report from WSJ 2024-10-07

 

 

 

[Tug]

I’m sure the administration is fully aware no doubt about it they just aren’t broadcasting it.