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To the Editor:

The brutal attack on Israel is an unprecedented attack on an innocent people. 

The recent and very productive Abrahams Accords brought the possibility of true peace and stability within the Middle East for the first time in a very long time. It is heartbreaking to see radical forces within this region long for anything but peaceful cooperation. For too long the Holy Land has been the setting for unending conflict and destruction. The United States must continue its support of Israel’s right to defend itself from terrorist elements within Gaza and Lebanon. 

Furthermore, I believe it has now become self-evident that the Islamic State of Iran is no longer a country worthy of diplomatic efforts. Since its inception following the coup of the Shah, Iran has been the number one threat to peace and stability in the Middle East. Iran has taken American citizens hostage during the embassy crisis; Iran has continued its efforts to develop a nuclear arsenal; Iran has continued proxy conflicts with the U.S. across the Middle East, resulting in the deaths of American servicemen and women; Iran is responsible for the deaths of thousands of its own citizens after countrywide protests that sought to liberalize their brutal regime and restore the basic rights of women; and most recently Iran has made deals with our geopolitical rivals in Russia and China. 

The recent unprovoked and unjustified attack on Israel is undoubtedly masterminded and funded by the Iranian government. For too long we have tolerated and sought peaceful avenues to curb the influence and power of the Iranian government. This attack proves that Iran has been and always will be a bad actor that cannot be trusted. 

Regime change in Iran is now the only hope for peace in the Middle East and freedom for the Iranian people. I strongly encourage the president and our lawmakers to take a harsh stance against Iranian aggression and facilitate a regime change in this brutal dictatorship.

Dillon Puglisi

Smithfield