I am, again, Persuaded. Perhaps enough has been written about how we got here, or rather the psychology of someone that would put the US in this position in the first place. Words like naivete and egotistical and even deluded come to mind. But I think there is another one that is more accurate, and that is Gambler. I am beginning to think this is actually what is behind the mask. Perhaps the other words as well, but definitely Gambler. Just like Putin walking into Ukraine was a big bet on the West not being willing to get involved (how's that working out for ya Vladi?). Trump trying to show he can do it too! Try it out and if it doesn't work, then obfuscate and back out. The Gambler.
You can’t fight the regime in Iran and win. You can only create regime change to rid the world of it. The government of Iran doesn’t care about anything other than its religious jihadist ideology. Nothing else matters to it. Not Iran. Not Iranians. Not Muslims. Nothing.
I think at best this is just another extremely fragile ceasefire that Bibi can blow up at any time by launching an attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon, after which Iran will immediately close the strait. The delay in signing is a tip-off. It gives Iran time to see whether Bibi is onboard
The deal gets us back to well behind the February starting line. It achieved nothing beyond a vague promise to talk about the stuff that matters—nuclear, missiles, proxies etc.—while setting our international standing back across the board. Of course, hard-core MAGA will support regardless. But the administration can’t count on the rest of the world being so blind and stupid.
Mike Pence was spot on: "The reported MOU with Iran smacks of the kind of appeasement that we saw during the Obama years, the kind of appeasement that Joe Biden tried to accomplish and was ignored by the Iranians, and the kind of appeasement we categorically rejected during the first Trump administration."
But give the devil his due. While harshly criticizing the MOU, columnist Clifford May did concede: "What Mr. Trump has accomplished cannot be gainsaid. Experts estimate that before the 12-day war, Iran’s rulers were weeks away from a nuclear weapons breakout. They were building missiles and drones by the thousands while lavishly funding and arming their proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen."
Military action that delays - and hopefully stymies - Iran becoming a nuclear-armed nation is a win for the civilized world.
The greatest gift the Democratic Party could have asked for: For all his bluster Trump made a worse deal than the one Obama made. And he is paying Iran BILLIONS of dollars for this awful deal.
What Trump accomplished with this war:
1) He's let Iran make him look submissive.
2) He betrayed the supporters who he promised no more wars and lower prices.
3) He's practically guaranteed the Republicans a disaster in November.
4) He's given people reason to compare him unfavorably to the person he hates more than anyone in the world.
Am I missing anything?
I am, again, Persuaded. Perhaps enough has been written about how we got here, or rather the psychology of someone that would put the US in this position in the first place. Words like naivete and egotistical and even deluded come to mind. But I think there is another one that is more accurate, and that is Gambler. I am beginning to think this is actually what is behind the mask. Perhaps the other words as well, but definitely Gambler. Just like Putin walking into Ukraine was a big bet on the West not being willing to get involved (how's that working out for ya Vladi?). Trump trying to show he can do it too! Try it out and if it doesn't work, then obfuscate and back out. The Gambler.
You can’t fight the regime in Iran and win. You can only create regime change to rid the world of it. The government of Iran doesn’t care about anything other than its religious jihadist ideology. Nothing else matters to it. Not Iran. Not Iranians. Not Muslims. Nothing.
I think at best this is just another extremely fragile ceasefire that Bibi can blow up at any time by launching an attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon, after which Iran will immediately close the strait. The delay in signing is a tip-off. It gives Iran time to see whether Bibi is onboard
This article needs to be sent to Trump. Just post it on his X page!
The deal gets us back to well behind the February starting line. It achieved nothing beyond a vague promise to talk about the stuff that matters—nuclear, missiles, proxies etc.—while setting our international standing back across the board. Of course, hard-core MAGA will support regardless. But the administration can’t count on the rest of the world being so blind and stupid.
Mike Pence was spot on: "The reported MOU with Iran smacks of the kind of appeasement that we saw during the Obama years, the kind of appeasement that Joe Biden tried to accomplish and was ignored by the Iranians, and the kind of appeasement we categorically rejected during the first Trump administration."
But give the devil his due. While harshly criticizing the MOU, columnist Clifford May did concede: "What Mr. Trump has accomplished cannot be gainsaid. Experts estimate that before the 12-day war, Iran’s rulers were weeks away from a nuclear weapons breakout. They were building missiles and drones by the thousands while lavishly funding and arming their proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen."
Military action that delays - and hopefully stymies - Iran becoming a nuclear-armed nation is a win for the civilized world.
The greatest gift the Democratic Party could have asked for: For all his bluster Trump made a worse deal than the one Obama made. And he is paying Iran BILLIONS of dollars for this awful deal.