Vance Versus Israel
Vice President JD Vance has delivered an unseemly dressing-down of Israel:
Vance: Israel should not attack its only powerful ally left, must abide by peace in Lebanon
by Corinne Baum, Reuters, June 18, 2026:
“What the president gets a little frustrated with sometimes is that we seem to be right on the cusp of a major breakthrough in the agreement, and then all of a sudden, there’s a major explosion that goes off in a civilian population center in Beirut, and a lot of people who have nothing to do with Hezbollah lose their lives. That is not acceptable; that is the sort of thing we’ve asked for closer coordination to ensure that doesn’t happen.”…
Vance is referring to IDF attacks on Hezbollah, with an unbecoming petulance, as if Israel was deliberately timing its attacks to prevent a “major breakthrough” in the negotiations. That is nonsense. The IDF attacks are ordinarily in response to attacks by Hezbollah; that is, the timing depends not on Israel but on when Hezbollah chooses to strike.
“What is the benefit that the Iranians get that they didn’t have before? The answer is nothing. If they don’t change their behavior, they don’t get the benefit of the bargain,” he said….
What does Iran get from this agreement, Vance asks. Here’s what: first, an end to the American blockade of Iranian ports. Second, tens of billions of dollars in unfrozen assets. Third, the lifting of sanctions on the sale of Iran’s oil. Fourth, a promise that the US will help raise $300 billion in private funds to be invested in Iran. Fifth, Iran will continue to keep the 140 kg. of highly-enriched uranium it now possesses. Sixth, Iran will keep its ballistic missiles. Seventh, Iran can continue to supply its proxies — Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis — with weapons and he (sic) delivery of large sums of money. In fact, on June 18, Iran announced it would be sending a large cash infusion to Hezbollah just as soon as the Iranian assets were unfrozen.
Is there anything in this deal that Iran has to give up?
“You’re talking about billions and billions of nuclear infrastructure that the US destroyed. To rebuild that program, they would need a lot of money, and we have them in an economic chokehold right now that we’re not going to release until they fundamentally change their behavior.
The naivety, if not arrogance, to believe that a madness that has existed for 1400 years can be altered by an agreement on paper, is astonishing.
What economic chokehold is Vance talking about? If Trump has his way, not only will the blockade of Iranian ports be lifted, but Iran may be able, possibly with Oman, to charge ships sailing through the Strait of Hormuz a transit toll. Furthermore, Iran will be getting tens of billions of dollars in unfrozen assets. And worst of all, Trump intends to help raise $300 billion in private funds to be invested in Iran. Where’s that chokehold?
Presumably, most of this agreement won't go into effect until the rest of the agreement is negotiated. Or am I being too hopeful here?
“That would mean a real inspections regime. That would mean a real enforcement regime. That would mean the destruction of their enriched stockpile.”
Nothing is said in the MoU just made public about Iran being required to destroy its stockpile of enriched uranium. Does Vance have a different MoU text he is reading from?
He also asserted that, under the MoU, it will not be able to have missiles capable of “broadly threaten the entire world.”
Hmm. I have read and re-read the MoU, and I can’t find a single mention of ballistic missiles, thermonuclear missiles, or, indeed, of any missiles.
AI - Iran fired at least two intermediate-range ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia, a joint U.S.-U.K. military base in the Indian Ocean. The missiles failed to hit the target, with one breaking apart in flight and the other intercepted by U.S. Navy destroyers. The strike demonstrated a significant increase in Iran's missile range to 4000 kms.
This is enough for Iran to threaten three different continents, making their intermediate missiles actually intercontinental, ballistic missiles threatening Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Vance is loyal to his boss, all bluster and braggadocio, and has to defend the indefensible. But we don’t have to. And let’s not. Let every critic of the MoU, beginning with such outraged Republican Senators as Roger Wicker, Tom Tillis, Ted Cruz, Mike Rogers, and Bill Cassidy, appear on television and radio during the next 60 days, describing in detail what’s wrong with the MoU, noting the need to put into the agreement what Trump left out (as, for example, ballistic missiles), and take out some of the things he kept in, beginning with that preposterous $300 billion fund he wants to raise for Iran from investors in the region. There may still be time — just — to rescue Donald J. Trump from his own folly.
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Allowing Iran to continue to arm their proxies, Israel's enemies, while tying Israel's hand from responding will simply encourage Palestinians and Hezbollah to be more bold and aggressive in their attacks.
Judea and Samaria: Nine Israelis wounded as ‘Palestinians’ attack with rocks and metal bar
“Make ready for them all that you can of force and of warhorses, so that by them you may strike terror in the enemy of Allah and your enemy…” — Qur’an 8:60
Nine wounded in series of terror attacks across Judea and Samaria
Israel National News, June 14, 2026:
Nine Israelis were injured on Sunday in rock attacks in Judea and Samaria.
In the morning, near the community of Yeshuat Yisrael, north of Ein Yabrud in the Binyamin region, terrorists threw rocks at an Israeli, mildly injuring him….
At noon, a shepherd from the Elhai Farm near Sebastia in Samaria was attacked using a metal bar. The shepherd was lightly injured and suffered contusions.
In the evening, Arabs threw rocks from a passing vehicle at an Israeli car traveling from Homesh to Shavei Shomron. As a result, the driver lost control, and the vehicle flipped over. Four passangers were lightly injured…
Approximately an hour later, Arabs threw rocks at visitors at a spring south of Dir Abu Masha’al in western Binyamin. Three victims were evacuated in mild condition.
IDF uncovers Hezbollah command center
Breaking: Israeli forces have seized a strategic, Iranian-built Hezbollah underground command center on the Ali Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon. Hundreds of terrorists are believed to be trapped inside as the IDF dismantles the infrastructure.
IDF
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