Recruiting for the Good Guys

Iran’s behavior, consisting of irrationality, belligerence, and instability, is turning out to be “the best recruiter” for the US coalition in the Middle East, Joint Staff Director Vice Adm. William Gortney said last week. The members of the Gulf Cooperation Council—most of the nations on the west side of the Persian Gulf—”rush into our coalition” every time Iran takes another threatening step, said Gortney in his address at AFA’s Air & Space Conference. Iran’s rhetoric is “not helping itself” and the nation is “isolating itself” economically, he said. All these steps tend to strengthen US ties to allies in the region, he said, noting that Iran is “scaring” the GCC members.