My take is a little different, but not by much. The U.S. deal with the Middle East is you let us get the oil (technology and markets) and we'll make you insanely rich (well the families in control of the countries).

Iran broke that deal. But it couldn't fight the U.S. directly. Therefore, it did the next best thing, keep it on the backfoot by attacking Israel. I believe that strategy has worked for Iran.

I believe it has nuclear weapons like Israel so there will never be a full-on war between them.

The Mullahs have survived and Israel has prospered in the past few decades.

But Israel is greedy. It wants more. It believes its own PR about a permanent holocaust around the world against Jews. It sees antisemitism everywhere. Jews are mental (I speak from experience haha).

Instead of thinking about the Oct 7th attack, why it happened, why more effort should go into Gaza, Israel has gone into full persecution blood-lust rage. Again, it is spoiled.

So why doesn't the U.S. jettison Israel? Wealthy U.S. Jews. A reminder to the rest of the Middle East that the U.S. has a partner in keeping everyone in line and keeping the Asians out (something no one talks about openly).

I don't know if Netanyahu truly believes a world without Iran would be wine and roses for Israel or if he is cynical and understands they keep him in power. I don't believe he knows himself anymore.