Op-Ed by Nikki Haley: Peace is Not Possible With Terrorists — Hamas Must Be Destroyed

By: Nikki Haley
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We're living through the worst crisis of the 21st century.

Iran-backed terrorists just attacked Israel, forcing America's ally to protect its very survival.

Russia has invaded Ukraine, threatening a broader war in Europe.

And Communist China is getting closer to invading Taiwan, which would start a war in the Pacific.

Iran, Russia and China are working together. They don't just want to conquer our friends.

They ultimately want to destroy America

We can't let that happen. Our No. 1 goal should be peace, for the sake of our fellow Americans and our children and grandchildren.

Yet to achieve peace, the most important thing we can do right now is help Israel eliminate Hamas, as fast and as fully as possible.

Swift and decisive victory in the Gaza Strip would stop a broader war in the Middle East.

It would also send the best possible signal to Russia and China. Our enemies fear nothing more than a strong America, standing with its friends.

But President Biden isn't doing that. He pushed Israel to delay its counterattack, giving the terrorists more time to prepare their defenses while stealing the aid meant for civilians.

Now Biden is calling for a "pause" to the war, which only works in Hamas' favor.

A pause is another way of saying cease-fire, and it puts Israel's military and hostages in more danger, not less.

No cease-fire

There should be no cease-fire. There should be peace — the peace that comes from Israel's total victory over Hamas.

Such a peace would leave both Israelis and Palestinians better off.

And it would strike fear into the hearts of America's enemies, fostering the broader peace that keeps Americans safe.

America needs a president who will protect our people. We need a president who understands that protecting our people requires standing with our allies and standing up to our enemies.

I will be that president. And we will emerge from this time of crisis stronger, safer and more secure.

The first step is giving Israel everything it needs to wipe out Hamas.

The war in Gaza must not become mired down like the war in Ukraine. It is in America's and the region's best interest for Israel to win quickly and fully.

But achieving peace doesn't end with Israel. We need to stop the genocidal fanatics in Iran

We must bring back the sanctions Biden refuses to enforce and add tough new ones that cripple Iran's economy.

Take fight to Iran

It is the Iranian economy that feeds Iran's terrorist proxies throughout the Middle East.

Cut off the Iranian economy and we cut off the supply of weapons to terrorists. And when Iran attacks American troops, we must not ignore it, like Biden does.

We must respond such that Iran never attacks us again.

The war in Ukraine is another part of the China-Russia-Iran battlefield

A win for Russia is a win for China and Iran. And a win for Russia would not end with Ukraine.

We should continue to provide Ukraine the weapons it needs to reclaim its territory.

Biden has spent nearly two years delaying and denying Ukraine's requests for help.

That's doubly wrong, considering Biden's weakness invited Russia to invade Ukraine in the first place.

The longer that war drags on, the more it encourages other wars, in Europe and across the world.

And in the Pacific, we should bolster Taiwan's defense.

Communist China needs to know it would pay a very steep price by invading Taiwan

America must rally both our Asian and European allies to the cause of containing China's military and technological expansion. Our peace and prosperity depend on it.

These are hard things, but America can do them with stronger leadership than we have in Joe Biden.

Just as important, we can't afford to keep weakening ourselves from within.

Biden is spending America into bankruptcy, building a political-subsidy economy and gutting our future by swapping economic freedom for government control.

If he isn't stopped, Biden will leave America unable to lead in this time of crisis. We'll be financially broke and economically broken. Such are the wages of Biden's socialism.

Chart a new course

I will bring back a free and flourishing America.

We can get our fiscal house in order while modernizing and strengthening our military.

We can rev our economy by ditching corporate welfare and regular welfare gone wild.

And, yes, we can leave China in the dust.

Not by adopting China's communist model of government picking winners and losers, like Biden is doing, but by embracing America's principles and promoting economic freedom.

Only a strong America can chart a course through this global crisis.

Yet we'll only be strong if we're proud of our nation and our unique role. America is the greatest force for good in the world.

That's why the forces of evil are testing us — in Israel, Ukraine and so many other places. We need the moral clarity to recognize the danger to our freedom and way of life.

And we need the courage to renew American strength at home and abroad.

There's no other way to come through this time of crisis.

And there's no other country that can restore and ensure the lasting peace the American people deserve.

Nikki Haley is a Republican candidate for president. She was governor of South Carolina and US ambassador to the United Nations.