27 Huckabee, nominated as US Ambassador to Israel, opposes a two-state solution and has referred to Samaria and Judea as “disputed” rather than “occupied.” Meanwhile, at Foggy Bottom, Brian Hook, a key architect of the “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran during Trump’s first term, is leading the State Department’s transition team for the new administration. Americans of a certain age can recall an abundance of Iranian malfeasance. Highlights, if you can call them that, include the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis and the 1983 Iran-backed Hezbollah bombing in Beirut that killed 241 US servicemen. During the Iraq War, Iran armed and funded insurgents who killed US troops with advanced roadside bombings. More recently, Iranian-backed proxies in Iraq have attacked US bases; and in the Red Sea, Iran is supporting the Yemini Houthis who routinely attack US Navy ships (so far, without much success). Trump appears to be signaling that he has his eye on Tehran and that continued misbehavior will have consequences. Photo: Shutterstock
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