Arming Authoritarian Regimes in the Middle East Why did Israel have to destroy American-made jet fighters in Iran? by Moshe Phillips

https://www.frontpagemag.com/arming-authoritarian-regimes-in-the-middle-east/

When the Israeli Air Force destroyed two F-14 fighter jets on an Iranian airbase on June 16, many Americans asked the same question:

How did Iran—a sworn enemy of both the United States and Israel—end up with top-tier American-made military aircraft?

The answer, as uncomfortable as it is, should serve as a powerful warning. The U.S. sold those F-14s to Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when Iran was ruled by the Shah and seen as a strategic American ally in the region. But when the Shah’s regime fell and Islamic extremists seized power, those very same fighter jets fell into the hands of America’s adversaries.

This is not ancient history. It is a lesson in the long-term risks of arming authoritarian regimes—especially in the volatile Middle East—and it is more relevant than ever today.

In recent years, the U.S. has agreed to sell its most advanced aircraft, the F-35 stealth fighter, to countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Bahrain and other authoritarian regimes in the Gulf have also expressed interest in acquiring similar technology. These sales may be seen as diplomatic wins or short-term economic boons, but they represent profound strategic risks.

America’s most sophisticated military assets should not be placed in the hands of authoritarian rulers whose grip on power is inherently unstable. Today’s “friendly” regime can become tomorrow’s adversary. As we saw in Iran, it only takes a single revolution or coup for U.S.-made weapons to be used against American interests—or those of our allies.