The High Cost of Standing Down: Why Isolationism in the Face of Nuclear Escalation Is a Dangerous Illusion

There are five reasons why a U.S. isolationist stance refraining from any military action against Iran, even in the face of clear nuclear escalation and pleas for support from allies like Israel, does not hold.

1. Iran Goes Nuclear

Failing to act gives Iran a green light to complete its nuclear program. The likely consequences:

2. Deterrence Collapses

If the U.S. backs down in the face of a clear existential threat to a key ally, hostile actors worldwide get the message:

3. Alliances Fracture

If the U.S. abandons Israel under nuclear threat, other partners will rethink U.S. security guarantees:

4. American Public Trust in Leadership Erodes

If disaster strikes - such as a nuclear test, missile launch, or attack - the American people will ask:

5. Isolationism Is a Fantasy in a Globalized World

The idea of the U.S. “returning to being a local power” doesn’t reflect 21st-century realities:

Isolation may sound appealing rhetorically - but in practice, it’s an illusion. The costs of inaction are higher than those of limited, strategic action. In a connected, volatile world, retreat invites chaos.