Look at the Ukraine War to Understand Why Israel Struck Iran
While it's far too soon to tell whether Israel's military strikes will cripple or even substantially set back Iran's nuclear program, the necessity of stopping Iran's march to a bomb is far more clear today than it was even three years ago.
Two things have happened since President Trump's first term that alter the strategic calculus: Russia invaded Ukraine, and Hamas massacred Israeli civilians.
The first event taught the world a lesson it shouldn't forget. When a nuclear-armed nation engages in armed aggression, the rest of the world's options narrow considerably. If Russia didn't possess a nuclear deterrent, it's highly likely that Western support would have been more immediate, more intense and more decisive.
Instead, Western powers were often slow to approve new weapons transfers, and when they did provide more capable weapons, they initially placed sharp limits on their use. Western aid certainly kept Ukraine alive, but restrictions on that aid have inhibited its defense.
One could easily imagine a NATO-enforced no-fly zone, or granting Ukraine weapons and a freedom of action to use those weapons that is more similar to the freedom Israel currently enjoys. But at every step Western powers have worried that they might be pushing Russia too far. This means that aid has often been too slow and too limited to give Ukraine a viable chance of reversing Russian gains.
Russia's nuclear arsenal, in other words, serves as the world's most dangerous insurance policy. It grants Russia the ability to launch aggressive military operations while also exercising at least some degree of control over the armed response.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
7 minutes ago
- Fox News
US Embassy in Israel tells government employees, families to shelter in place amid Iran strikes
The United States Embassy in Jerusalem has issued a security alert stating that American government workers and their families in Israel remain indoors, as Iran has hit the Jewish state with drone and missile strikes. The alert, first made on Saturday and then posted again Sunday morning, comes as Iranian strikes have so far killed at least 10 people in Israel and injured upwards of 180. "As a result of the current security situation and ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, the U.S. Embassy has directed that all U.S. government employees and their family members continue to shelter in place until further notice," The embassy's alert, posted on its website and X, said. "Given the proximity of missile and debris impacts, the U.S. Embassy has offered employees living near the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv the option to voluntarily relocate to new accommodations further away," the alert continued. Meanwhile, Israeli airspace remained closed, with arrivals and departures, according to a statement from an Israel Airports Authority spokesperson. Iran's bombardment of Israel came in response to Israel's strikes against Iranian nuclear and military targets, which Israeli officials said were preemptive measures as Iran drew closer to developing nuclear weapons. "I'll tell you what would have come if we hadn't acted. We had information that this unscrupulous regime was planning to give the nuclear weapons that they would develop to their terrorist proxies," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X on Saturday. "That's nuclear terrorism on steroids. That would threaten the entire world." Israel has also made clear that strikes against Tehran are far from over, issuing a warning to the people of Iran. "Urgent warning to all Iranian citizens: All individuals currently or soon to be present in or around military weapons production factories and their supporting institutions must immediately evacuate these areas and not return until further notice," the Israel Defense Forces said in an alert posted in Farsi. "Your presence near these facilities puts your life at risk." The IDF contrasted their approach with that of Iran, which has launched attacks at civilian areas. "This is the message we spread to Iranian citizens. While Iran chooses to strike without warning, we choose to warn a innocent [sic] people even if it means giving up the element of surprise," the IDF posted to X Sunday morning. "We warn them, in Persian, across many channels. Because human life comes first to us. That's the difference between us and our enemy."
Washington Post
10 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Israel and Iran trade strikes for a third day as nuclear talks are called off
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Israel unleashed airstrikes across Iran for a third day on Sunday and threatened even greater force as some Iranian missiles evaded Israeli air defenses to strike buildings in the heart of the country. Planned talks on Iran's nuclear program, which could provide an off-ramp, were called off.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
An Aggressive Social Security Garnishment Is Underway for Over 1,000,000 Beneficiaries -- Here's How You Can Legally Avoid It
Between 80% and 90% of retirees count on their Social Security income, in some capacity, to cover their expenses. The Trump administration has ended the Joe Biden-era overpayment and recovery rate of 10% and implemented a monthly clawback rate of 50% on Social Security overpayments. Beneficiaries who've received an overpayment letter from the Social Security Administration have multiple options available that can waive or reduce the amount they'll need to repay. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › In May, nearly 53 million retired workers brought home a Social Security check, with the average payout making history by cresting $2,000 for the first time ever. Though this is a relatively modest amount of monthly income, it's imperative to the financial well-being of most aging Americans. For more than 20 years, national survey-taker Gallup has polled retirees annually to gauge their reliance on Social Security income. Without fail, 80% to 90% of retirees have consistently responded that their monthly check was a necessity, in some capacity, to make ends meet. For beneficiaries, nothing is more important than knowing how much they're going to receive each month and having their payout keep pace with the inflationary pressures they're contending with on a year-to-year basis. But based on a new policy recently implemented under President Donald Trump, more than 1 million beneficiaries can expect their Social Security checks to shrink by up to 50%. With so many beneficiaries reliant on Social Security income to cover their expenses, this is income some can't afford to lose. Since Trump took office for his nonconsecutive second term, he's overseen a number of critical changes to America's leading retirement program. This includes beefing up personal identification methods, signing an executive order to eliminate paper Social Security checks, and creating the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which encouraged the Social Security Administration (SSA) to slash 7,000 jobs and shutter some of its locations to reduce its administrative expenses. But what's making headlines above all else are the two Social Security garnishments that the Trump administration has improved. For instance, by "sometime this summer," a 15% monthly garnishment is expected to be reinstated for the roughly 452,000 delinquent federal student loan borrowers who are currently receiving a Social Security benefit. Federal student loan payments ceased in March 2020 during the height of the pandemic and haven't recommenced. Between 2017 and 2023, the number of federal student loan borrowers aged 62 and above surged by 59% to roughly 2.7 million, based on data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But a 15% monthly garnishment is peanuts compared to the 50% garnishment rate that's currently underway for beneficiaries who were overpaid. Keep in mind that "beneficiaries" encompass retired workers, survivors of deceased workers, and workers with disabilities. Under the Joe Biden administration, Social Security clawbacks for overpayments were reduced to 10% per check, which is down from the 100% clawback rate that existed when President Barack Obama was in office, as well as during Donald Trump's first term. Based on statements from then-acting SSA Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi in 2023, the agency overpaid more than 1 million beneficiaries in fiscal 2022 (the federal government's fiscal year ends on Sept. 30) and over 980,000 recipients in fiscal 2023. With the garnishment rate slashed to just 10% under President Biden and having no new overpayment data published since fiscal 2023, it's likely safe to assume that more than 1,000,000 beneficiaries are still making good on their overpayments. Social Security overpayments can occur for a number of reasons. Sometimes, these errors are entirely the fault of the SSA and result in beneficiaries receiving too much per month. But they can also be caused by a recipient not updating their income. For example, non-blind workers with disabilities can earn up to $1,620 per month in wages and salary without having their long-term Social Security disability benefit stopped in 2025. If a worker with disabilities began collecting $3,000 in monthly income and didn't report this income change to the SSA, their federal tax filing would show they received Social Security disability benefits they weren't due, thusly resulting in an eventual clawback from the SSA. For the more than 1,000,000 beneficiaries who've received a letter from the SSA informing them they've been overpaid, there are options. The most desirable of these options is to request and be approved for an overpayment waiver (Form SSA-632BK, "Request for Waiver of Overpayment Recovery"). If the overpayment wasn't your fault and repaying the added benefits you received would lead to financial hardship -- you'll often need to supply documentation of your income and qualified expenses -- there's the possibility that the SSA will grant your request and waive your need to refund the overpayment. Along these same lines, beneficiaries can also file Form SSA-561, which is officially known as a "Request for Reconsideration." This route is taken by beneficiaries who don't agree with the SSA's decision that they've been overpaid and essentially want to appeal, as well as those who admit they've been overpaid but don't agree with the amount presented by the SSA. If your appeal is granted, you won't have to refund a dime to America's leading retirement program. Your appeal may also reduce how much you'll have to repay. The third option available to beneficiaries who've received a notice informing them of eventual clawbacks due to overpayment is to negotiate a different payment rate. Going this route is an admission that you've been overpaid but that removing 50% from your check on a monthly basis would create a financial hardship. Filing Form SSA-634 ("Request for Change in Overpayment Recovery Rate") with the SSA requires you to explain your financial situation, which includes documentation of your income and qualified expenses. Though the SSA typically aims to recover an overpayment within 12 months, some payment plans extend payments up to 60 months (five years) out. If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Join Stock Advisor to learn more about these Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. An Aggressive Social Security Garnishment Is Underway for Over 1,000,000 Beneficiaries -- Here's How You Can Legally Avoid It was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
