David French on War & Peace

Engage jihadists and roll back ISIS's most dramatic gains

On Middle East troops
• "Make no mistake, I'm pleased that we're engaging jihadists and at least making plans to roll back ISIS's most dramatic gains, but by continuing to minimize the threat even as he escalates his military response, he is leaving the American people unprepared for the long struggle to come and leaving his successor to fight the truly big battles. Obama isn't the peace president. He's the man who squandered victory in Iraq &left a legacy of broader conflict & greater human misery. Hope and change indeed."--May 13
• "The next president will face extraordinary national security challenges. Too bad neither major-party nominee appears up for the job."--May 6

Stop responding to Iranian nukes with fear and timidity

In the real world, we have the power to end their nuclear program at any time. In the real world, we have the power to collapse their economy without war. In the real world, Iran has by far the most to lose in any pre-nuclear confrontation. But that calculus changes if and when Iran gets the bomb. It would immediately present a true existential threat to Israel and the US.

The United States is the superpower in this confrontation. It's time we acted like it.