I for one will be anxious to see how President Trump spins his decision to halt energy infrastructure bombing on Iran while a “productive” dialogue takes place that Iran says isn’t happening. Spin city here we come, and both Trump and Iran are great at that game.
The U.S. and Iran are having “very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East,” Trump announced in all caps on a social media post this morning. After the post, the U.S. stock market skyrocketed.
Yesterday I wrote in an opinion piece that Trump was facing his “Tet Offensive” equivalent to what President Lyndon Johnson faced in 1968, when an onslaught by North Vietnam put the lie to the positive spin the U.S. was putting on its effort in the Vietnam War. For Trump, two potential “Tet” events had already taken place.
First was the closing by Iran of the Strait of Hormuz. The second was sending missiles 2,400 miles toward the military complex on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. “Europe, here we come” was the underlying message.
These two wake-up calls were followed by Iranian missiles piercing Israel’s Iron Dome and causing massive injury and damage.
I have no doubt that Trump has had enough of this war. The way I read things is that Sir Donald thought two to four days of intense bombing would lead to a popular uprising in Iran, with potential regime change in sight. That, of course, never happened, and still hasn’t happened.
