A nation must think before it acts.
President Trump’s withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal has fueled angst in European capitals but new hopes in the Iranian periphery. Managing the latter and building on the former are the essence of what it will take to more effectively roll back Iranian armament and expansionism.
The angst in Europe stems in part from French, German, and British surprise that despite their concerted efforts to change President Trump’s mind, he maintained his long-held core belief about the deal: Wooing Iran with an abundance of carrots has been disastrous, whereas pressuring Iran with an abundance of sticks looks promising.