Jackson Jambalaya

 Last week Iran launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia, a key U.S.-U.K. base in the Indian Ocean 2,500 miles away. Even though neither missile reached its target, the range of these missiles is much farther than many believed. In fact, Iran could deliver missiles to nearly every national capital in Europe.  

Before the missile launches, most NATO countries said they did not want to join the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. For what it’s worth after the missile launches, NATO countries indicated they may be willing to help secure the Strait of Hormuz to keep oil flowing to the rest of the world. Iran had demonstrated its imminent threat to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. 

In U.S. politics, those who have resisted all things Trump suddenly switched from international disputes to domestic issues. Maybe Iran had posed an imminent threat to U.S. after all. How close was Iran to lobbing nuclear warheads into Western nations? Or, into Middle Eastern or Asian nations for that matter? It’s much safer to argue over photo IDs these days than to take on terrorists and their nuclear designs.

Securing the Strait of Hormuz to keep oil and gas flowing around the world has become an international value. That’s good. Anything to unite the world. But, what about the “little foxes” that threaten U.S. citizens? You know, terrorists? Islamic terrorists like those Iran has sponsored around the globe?

President Joe Biden and the Democrats opened our borders for four years to millions of undocumented and unvetted people from nearly every nation, including Iran. How many international terrorists are in America plotting chaos through physical violence, riots and protests, as well as across electric, water, and Internet grids? How much damage can lone wolves, gangs, and terrorist cells create. At least we have the Department of Homeland Security and other local and federal law enforcement working together to detect attacks and defend us. 

With all the big fights going on “over there,” we need to keep a closer eye on those who want to shut down or interfere with law enforcement here at home. Can you imagine the damage terrorists or other anarchists could do by undermining our transportation infrastructure? Senators would have to walk themselves through airport cues with their own luggage. 

Humans are not inclined to think about consequences of untested ideas. What else might happen? Well, I never thought about that! Stop right there! That’s the key problem: “I never thought….” Worse still: “What IS the worst that could happen?” 

Sixty or so years ago, I remember a little guy who wanted to build a rocket just like the big ones on TV. He taped three big coffee cans together and sealed the rocket. Then, he attached two large funnels to the rocket with a rubber hose from the top funnel to the bottom funnel just like the big rockets on TV. So far, so good. 

It’s a good thing…or, a bad thing depending on one’s perspective…that nobody was around that afternoon while he fueled the rocket with gasoline. Let’s just say, the experiment spiraled way out of control quickly. Gasoline had already spread from the rocket to the driveway, so he decided to light it before it spread too far. 

Take it from someone who knows. Consequences breed fires quickly. 

Daniel L. Gardner is a columnist who lives in Starkville, MS. You may contact him at PJandMe2@gmail.com.