OPINION: Why socialists should support the war in Iran

I didn’t come to this position lightly. As someone who canvassed for Jabari Brisport and helped organize three anti-war teach-ins at Littlefield in 2020, I never thought I’d find myself defending a U.S. military strike. But I think we have to start being honest: not every conflict fits neatly into our 20th-century leftist frameworks. Sometimes the world changes. And when it does, we should be willing to reassess — carefully, yes — but with clarity.

What happened last week — the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that dismantled Iran’s nuclear sites — is, frankly, complicated. But complicated doesn’t always mean wrong.

Iran is not a “flawed anti-imperialist ally.” It is a reactionary theocracy built on repression, patriarchy, and violent ethno-nationalism. As socialists, we oppose empire — yes — but we also oppose authoritarian clerical rule that imprisons union leaders, executes gay people, and crushes feminist uprisings with armed militias. The Iranian working class isn’t organizing reading groups about multipolarity. They’re organizing strikes under threat of state violence.

When Israeli analysts said Iran was “weeks away” from nuclear breakout, we all rolled our eyes. But what if, in this case — and I say this cautiously — they were right?

I’m not a supporter of Israel. But I do believe that the idea of deterrence, in this very specific context, shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand just because it comes from a Likud spokesperson. If Iran had reached weaponization, it would have emboldened hardliners in the Revolutionary Guard, justified increased domestic surveillance, and possibly sparked a regional arms race with Saudi Arabia. None of this is speculative — it’s all in the Brookings report I skimmed last night.

Do I trust Israeli intelligence? No. But also... yes. Just on this one thing.