As the chair of American Democrats in Israel, it is clear I consider myself a Democrat. I have voted for Democrats my entire life. I believe in liberal democracy, strong alliances, diplomacy whenever possible, and constitutional limits on presidential power.

I also live in Israel.

Living here has a way of clarifying certain realities that can sometimes become blurred in American political debates.

One of those realities is Iran.

From Israel’s vantage point, Iran is not an abstract policy debate. It is not simply a talking point in Washington or a partisan argument between Republicans and Democrats. Iran’s current  regime  openly calls for Israel’s destruction, arms militias that attack Israel’s borders, and relentlessly works to expand its influence across the Middle East. And Iran does  not care if the Israeli government is headed by Menachem Begin or Benjamin Netanyahu.

Which is why I find myself increasingly uneasy with the way many Democrats in the US are reacting to the current confrontation with Iran.

Too often, our analysis stems from an emotional reaction that is less about Iran and more about Donald Trump.

Let me be clear: there are plenty of reasons for Democrats to criticize Donald Trump. His rhetoric, his approach to alliances, and his governing style have alarmed many of us who believe deeply in democratic norms.

And yes, there are legitimate constitutional questions about presidential authority to initiate military action without explicit congressional approval. Democrats raising those concerns are performing an important function in a democratic system.

But something else is happening in the current debate.

For many Democrats, opposition to Trump has become so central to their political identity that it is beginning to distort how they view the world.

Instead of asking the strategic question: How should the US  confront Iranian aggression? The debate often begins and ends with: What is Trump doing, and how do we oppose it?

That may be........

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