Author
Synopsis
In this op-ed, former US Ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, argues that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and key European allies “blinked” in the wake of US and Israeli strikes against the Iranian dictatorship, revealing a dangerous reluctance to stand firmly with Washington DC and Jerusalem. Sondland contends that true defence in 2026 cannot mean passively waiting for the next attack – it requires decisive action, unity, and credible Western deterrence against a regime that has waged a 47-year campaign of hostility, including proxy attacks and threats to Israel and international shipping.
Sondland defends President Donald Trump’s frustration with NATO, pointing to chronic burden-sharing imbalances, European legal hand-wringing, and a tendency to create political distance rather than offer immediate operational or political support. He warns that hesitation signals weakness to adversaries in Tehran, Beijing, and Moscow, eroding leverage and inviting further escalation. Effective alliances, he concludes, demand more than rhetoric – they require allies who ask “When and where do you need us?” and back words with concrete action. The piece offers a sharp realist critique of transatlantic drift and the necessity of strong, principled Western leadership in confronting illiberal threats.