We are yet to see the Gulf States take action against Iran, whether economic or military.
We still do not see Western Democracies, especially the UK and EU take economic, diplomatic or military action against Iran. After all, they are the biggest losers of this conflict with started with the Houthis.
There are still Iranian citizens, children of Iranian leaders, in American universities. Why are they not expelled back home since the breakout of hostilities?
And last but not least, we can never be sure that the US will continue degrading the Ayatollahs and Mullahs economically nor militarily till they raise a white flag.
Joshua, you’re right that something important may be shifting in the region. If Iran’s power is truly weakened and Arab states align more openly with Israel, that could reshape the Middle East.
Credit where it’s due: Trump and Netanyahu have played enormous roles in pushing this reality forward — from the Abraham Accords to confronting Iran directly.
But we shouldn’t imagine a fairy-tale ending. Iran may be degraded, yet Qatar’s propaganda war continues, Turkey under Erdoğan backs Hamas, and much of the hostility toward Israel in the Arab world still remains.
In the end, real peace will come through two things: strength and education. Strength deters aggression; education changes societies. What we may be seeing now is a powerful start — but there is still a long way to go.
Let’s be blunt: this isn’t a fairy tale ending—it’s a power correction. Iran isn’t disappearing, and anyone selling that is pushing fantasy. But it is being boxed in, degraded, and exposed. That matters. What really matters is the alignment forming in real time—Israel plus Arab states acting on shared threat, not old grudges. That’s historic. And it didn’t come from think tanks or peace panels—it came from force. Durable peace in the Middle East has never come from weakness. It comes when bad actors understand the cost of aggression. That lesson is finally being taught—and the region is recalibrating around it.
Exciting realigning of common interests. Let's hope for a new government in Iran, perhaps the prince even, and let's pray for some peace and quiet in the region.
Even if extremely generous support coalitions are currently forming in the Middle East, I can only urgently warn against trusting any Arab or Muslim country.
These countries may present themselves as exuberantly warm and friendly in the current situation, but they don’t even trust each other — and with good reason. Their basic character is highly skilled at emotional negotiation, yet they feel bound only by their words and deeds toward “their God,” and at best within the family.
It would be a massive mistake — exactly the same one that was made with Iran in the last century — to hand over weapons technology to these countries, for example.
We are yet to see the Gulf States take action against Iran, whether economic or military.
We still do not see Western Democracies, especially the UK and EU take economic, diplomatic or military action against Iran. After all, they are the biggest losers of this conflict with started with the Houthis.
There are still Iranian citizens, children of Iranian leaders, in American universities. Why are they not expelled back home since the breakout of hostilities?
And last but not least, we can never be sure that the US will continue degrading the Ayatollahs and Mullahs economically nor militarily till they raise a white flag.
Interesting observation that Iranian students should be expelled from US universities. I'd vote for that.
Joshua, you’re right that something important may be shifting in the region. If Iran’s power is truly weakened and Arab states align more openly with Israel, that could reshape the Middle East.
Credit where it’s due: Trump and Netanyahu have played enormous roles in pushing this reality forward — from the Abraham Accords to confronting Iran directly.
But we shouldn’t imagine a fairy-tale ending. Iran may be degraded, yet Qatar’s propaganda war continues, Turkey under Erdoğan backs Hamas, and much of the hostility toward Israel in the Arab world still remains.
In the end, real peace will come through two things: strength and education. Strength deters aggression; education changes societies. What we may be seeing now is a powerful start — but there is still a long way to go.
Let’s be blunt: this isn’t a fairy tale ending—it’s a power correction. Iran isn’t disappearing, and anyone selling that is pushing fantasy. But it is being boxed in, degraded, and exposed. That matters. What really matters is the alignment forming in real time—Israel plus Arab states acting on shared threat, not old grudges. That’s historic. And it didn’t come from think tanks or peace panels—it came from force. Durable peace in the Middle East has never come from weakness. It comes when bad actors understand the cost of aggression. That lesson is finally being taught—and the region is recalibrating around it.
Exciting realigning of common interests. Let's hope for a new government in Iran, perhaps the prince even, and let's pray for some peace and quiet in the region.
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Sear Joshua!
Even if extremely generous support coalitions are currently forming in the Middle East, I can only urgently warn against trusting any Arab or Muslim country.
These countries may present themselves as exuberantly warm and friendly in the current situation, but they don’t even trust each other — and with good reason. Their basic character is highly skilled at emotional negotiation, yet they feel bound only by their words and deeds toward “their God,” and at best within the family.
It would be a massive mistake — exactly the same one that was made with Iran in the last century — to hand over weapons technology to these countries, for example.
Now, if we could get Turkey to buy into this, life would be grand.
Yes, hope is what counts. Again, thank you for aiding me to see the clarity through the dense clouds of smoke.
Thank you for this hopeful essay. Maybe the light will have truly pierced the darkness.
Much too soon to say
Maybe. But taking South Lebanon and letting the settlers on the West Bank run amok is not right or helpful to your vision or projection