The Israel-Iran conflict is pushing the world "very close" to a third world war, particularly after four years of former President Joe Biden's weak leadership, Rep. Pat Harrigan said on Newsmax, Sunday.
"The world burned because America did not lead," the North Carolina Republican said on Newsmax's "Sunday Agenda," adding that even though President Donald Trump is now in charge, "you don't just get to have peace because you say you want to have peace."
Trump, he added, has done a "great job" in achieving the strategic interests of the United States without getting Americans directly involved in conflict.
"But the American people have to understand how tall of an order it is to pull this off," said Harrigan. "President Trump has been able to do it up to this point, given all of the complexities and the desires of our adversaries to bring us into these conflicts. The fact that we aren't in it yet and still look like we don't have to be is remarkable."
Meanwhile, when conflict breaks out around the world, the United States should provide the force to bring the temperature down, he said, but at the same time, Israel has a right to self-defense.
"The intelligence changed in the days leading up to these strikes," he added about Israel's hits that took out several members of the Iranian military's leadership as well as nuclear scientists and facilities.
"I think everybody understands Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," Harrigan said. "A nuclear-armed Iran is a world that we do not want to live in. Unfortunately, you got to make some very tough decisions under those circumstances."
Trump, though, is "doing everything he can to keep America directly out of this war, but yet stand behind our greatest ally in the Middle East, which is Israel, as they provide for their own defense," he continued.
The strikes, meanwhile, did not hit Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini, but that's only because Israel did not want them to, said Harrigan.
"They just want to change his thought paradigm," he said. "They want him to change his decision-making process to actually choose peace. The best way to do that, when you're not paying attention, you don't listen, and you keep going after a nuclear bomb, is to simply show that you are too strong to deal with any other way."
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight’s special series and President Trump’s comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.