Pointing out that President Donald Trump has the authority to strike the Middle Eastern country, Vice President JD Vance insisted on Wednesday that the U.S. is seeking a diplomatic deal with Iran.
Indirect talks in Geneva over Tehran's nuclear negotiations have begun. Iran wants to continue to enrich uranium, but President Trump sees an opportunity to constrain its nuclear program, which is in ruins following his ordered attack on three of the Islamic Republic's sites last June. He also wants to address Tehran's ballistic missile program and its support of regional militant forces.
If America attacks, Iran has said all U.S. military bases in the Mideast, including tens of thousands of U.S. service members, would be considered legitimate targets. Iran has also threatened to attack Israel.
Meanwhile, a vast U.S. armada remains in place around Iran.
Gary Bauer, chairman of the Campaign for Working Families and a former board member of Christians United for Israel, says, "Whatever the president does will be because it's in the best interest of the United States."
"What he should do," Bauer adds, "is another question."
"I certainly know that that regime has to end, but this is not going to be a cakewalk. It is not at all certain that what Iran ends up with will be better than what we've got now," he points out. "You could have complete chaos in Iran, which then would be exploited by all kinds of bad actors."
Trump stated on Feb. 19 that Tehran had 10-15 days to make a deal, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said he believes that a good outcome will be achieved. But many observers do not believe Iran can be trusted if an agreement is reached.
While Bauer is "somewhat ambivalent about it," former Congresswoman Michele Bachmann believes the time for Israel and the U.S. to defeat Iran is close, and she is encouraging people to pray for those in authority as talks continue and tough decisions are made.
