Despite being absolutely routed so far in its war against Israel, what's left of Iran's top-level leadership is now threatening a "surprise tonight the world will remember for centuries." Accompanying that state-run media announcement was a video that ranges from disturbing to pathetically hilarious.
ALSO SEE: Trump Gives Bombshell 1AM Presser, Slams Emmanuel Macron, Slaps Down 'Ceasefire' Reports
The implication isn't exactly subtle. Iran is now claiming it has a nuclear weapon to launch at Israel or U.S. positions in the Middle East. What that actually amounts to is a pretty big question, and there are two ways to look at this.
Firstly, I think you have to take this seriously. When a nation led by Islamist lunatics says they are going to launch a nuke, that's not something you can just write off as rhetoric. No doubt, Israeli and American forces are on high alert, and all possible countermeasures are ready to be used.
This does seem to put to bed the idea claimed by isolationists that the entire case against Iran is manufactured and that they had no intention of developing a nuclear weapon. As the vice president, who is the furthest thing from a warhawk, explained on Tuesday, the intelligence they've seen is clear, and even if it weren't, there is no other reasonable explanation for the levels of enrichment Iran has sought and achieved.
With that said, do I think Iran actually has a nuclear weapon that it is preparing to use to turn the war upside down? I'd hate to be wrong about something so serious, but if we are just speculating, I think this reeks of desperation. Iran is getting its clock cleaned right now. It has lost its own airspace, and the IDF is bombing regime targets without any resistance. Further, Iran's ballistic missile and launcher stocks seem to be running low, as their barrages against Israel continue to get smaller and smaller, making them easier to intercept.
So what better way for a clown regime like the Mullahs to try to get everyone to back off than to falsely announce they've got a nuclear bomb and that they're about to use it? That's what this strikes me as, but again, I could be wrong, and all precautions will undoubtedly be taken. Still, does anyone really believe the Iranians would have let their military capabilities be destroyed to this extent if they had a nuclear bomb ready to go in the first place?
What we do know is that given this latest threat, there's no way this war can end with a negotiated settlement that allows Iran to keep its nuclear program. That has to be completely off the table at this point, and all indications from President Donald Trump are that it is. The job must be finished, and Iran's nuclear threat taken off the board for good.
Editor’s Note: FINAL HOURS! Don't miss out on our massive Patriot Sale! Get 74% off a VIP membership with promo code POTUS47.