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Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin on Saturday drew a comparison between the Israel-Iran conflict and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, stating that the biggest difference is that the United States is not trying to conquer Iran, as Russia did with Ukraine.
Rubin said that the US does not pose any existential danger to Iran. "There's one major difference. In Vladimir Putin's speech before the Ukraine war, he questioned the very existence of Ukraine. He wrote an article for the Kremlin Journal arguing that Ukrainians are basically just wayward Russians. No one is arguing that the US believes that Iran is America, that the US seeks to annex Iran. Therefore, the Iranians don't have the same incentive... they're not fighting to defend the existence of their country, and they have no desire to fight to defend the existence of a regime that recently killed upwards of 30,000 people in the streets. That is a huge difference, and that's why we've seen videos today of Iranian school kids and others dancing in the streets of Tehran, rather than running to grab arms," he stated. Furthermore, he highlighted that the supporters of US President Donald Trump will back him with some republicans in the opposition arguing that the military strike shouldn't have occurred without Congress's approval. However, Congress has a history of folding before Trump's outrages. "His (US President Donald Trump) base will support him. Not every Republican is in his base. The Republican Party is divided between those who support Donald Trump, many of whom support him blindly, versus a libertarian wing, which has already come out. Thomas Massie, for example, who is a representative, has argued that the US has no business, that this is illegal because Congress hasn't approved this. Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky has said much the same thing, and that's to be expected. You've also had, push comes to shove, if this is a quicker operation, there's not much Congress can do. If I can be cynical and blunt, Congress has folded before the outrages of Donald Trump, and so there's no reason why they're going to find their spine now. Spines tend not to be stiff when they're made of gelatin," he stated. Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticised the Iranian regime over nuclear programs, ballistic missiles, and violence. In an X post, he recalled when Iran attacked Australia twice in 2024 to allegedly induce fear into the Australian Jewish community. "Iran directed at least two attacks on Australian soil in 2024. These appalling acts targeting Australia's Jewish community were intended to create fear, divide our society and challenge our sovereignty. In response, Australia took the unprecedented steps of expelling Iran's Ambassador, suspending operations at our embassy in Tehran, and listing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a state sponsor of terrorism," he wrote on X. The Australian President further said that "Our government has sanctioned more than 200 Iranian-linked individuals, including more than 100 linked to the IRGC. With international partners, including the United States and the G7, we have called for the Iranian regime to uphold the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Iran's citizens. These calls have gone unheeded. Instead, the regime has instigated a brutal crackdown on its own people, leaving thousands of Iranian civilians dead. A regime that relies on the repression and murder of its own people to retain power is without legitimacy." Furthermore, he said that it has long been recognised that Iran's nuclear program is a threat to global peace and security. The international community has been clear that the Iranian regime can never beallowed to develop a nuclear weapon. The United Nations Security Council has reimposed sanctions on Iran for failing to comply with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and the International Atomic Energy Agency Board has formally declared Iran in non-compliance with its non-proliferation safeguards obligations. "Given our concerns around security in the region, we have also upgraded Australia's travel advice for Israel and Lebanon to Do Not Travel. Australians should leave now if it is safe to do so. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has activated its Crisis Centre to provide consular support to Australians in the region. Australians requiring urgent consular assistance can contact the Consular Emergency Centre 24/7 on 1300 555 135 in Australia or +61 2 6261 3305 from outside Australia," Albanese added. (ANI)
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