@Alexandra Brockton, said below, "Few people believe that you ever gave an order to execute the strikes and then jumped in, as if it was a TV Show, like "24" or "Homeland" and said Stand Down, 10 minutes before the bombing was due to start. And, stop blaming Barack Obama, or Hillary Clinton, or the negotiators of the Iran Deal that you bailed on even though you had no proof that Iran was not in compliance."
Absolutely! Well said!!.............
Trumps ignorance of 'all things' is magnified and on full display by his always making excuses, trying scapegoat/blame and passing the Buck! The cure for his ignorance is LISTEN and LEARN.....i know, moot point...
10
We shot down an Iranian airliner full of people in 1988., we have crippling sanctions in place. Leave these somewhat normal people alone. They have their issues as we do, Attacking and killing humans over the loss of a drone is silly. I will vote for Trump.
4
You think Trump really cared about killing 150 people? He hates Muslims or anybody else that doesn't share his genetic make up. I can't believe he left it so close before calling it off, it definitely wasn't his conscience as he does not have one. There was surely something else going on, maybe too close for elections!
6
This is all another of Trump's big lies. There is no way that the Defense Dept. would even have begun to prepare for the strike without knowing, beforehand, how many civilian "casualties" it would cause, nor is it even possible that Trump was not informed of that beforehand. Now, perhaps he didn't listen, or didn't understand, but his story is reprehensible. Apparently he wants to have a way to blame the Defense Dept. for his own stupidity, eh? In fact, the whole thing pure political raz-daz. The big problem is that we have a very unstable person as president, a person who will play frightening games like this simply to please himself.
6
Liz Cheney criticizing the aborted “response” to the alleged Iranian “provocation” tells me all I need to know about this whole affair. No wind in the orchard on the day she was born; that’s for sure!
4
No matter what he does it’s wrong
4
God help all of us.
4
It has been said and i will reiterate: leaders develop the trust of those they lead It’s absolutely necessary in times of crisis even times of self inflicted crises
This will never happen with a presudent that refuses to lead ALL the American people not just those that vote for him
No cred = no leadership= dangerous waters
It’s long past the sell by date for this incompetent petulant fool to leave office
And pls turn out the lights on your way out the door
2
he does love slinging that "tough guy" lingo around, doesn't he ?
3
The whole caper seems like something cooked up in order to make trump look rational. But you can't put lipstick on a pig.
8
We are so unsafe in the hands of this madman.
6
This man has the finger on the nuclear trigger? Scary thought ...
2
This episode shows Trump's ignorance and sloppy thinking. Why didn't he know about potential casualties before ordering the strike? Why is he unaware of the process after he gives a command? What if he had changed his mind ten minutes later?
Trump, at this point in is life, does not have the mental capacity to be commander in chief, and should not have the nuclear codes.
9
Him, Him, it was and is all about Him. Make Obama look ugly in the Iranian agreement and all the multiple billions he gathered for the deal (Treaty) Trump fails to add to the American people that the multi billions were off shore accounts for oil etc that was Irans' funds to begin with that we seized. Then I recall that the Saudis are inhibited by Iran, so Trump naturally wishes to make himself look good to the Saudi Prince who ordered the mutilation and murder of a Wash Post reporter.
Does anyone get that we have a major criminal Inc of the US placed as POTUS? He will have us in WWIII without a care or twitch.
8
I’ve been reading these comments for over an hour, and not one mentioned that Putin came out with a statement Thursday, saying attacking Iran would be bad (paraphrasing)
Trump is just following orders.
Duh
7
If it is truth that Tucker Carlson was a decisive factor in the President decision to do not retaliate, he should be nominated national security adviser or secretary of Defence, and I mean "permanent" not "acting".
4
He changed his mind because he is a coward. I disagree with the idea of an attack. But Trump started out ready to prove he is the tough guy, and then he realized that Iranians can attack the US and, more importantly, they can attack Trump. Maybe he'll credit his bone spur with reversing his tough decision.
3
Make no mistake, trump started prodding Iran the minute he withdrew the US from the Iran deal. He has done this intentionally. He is now exactly where he wants to be. Saluting the military members that hold his limo door open is just not enough for trump. His ego demands that he be Commander in Chief. The man is mentally ill. Imagine the suffering wrought by the sanctions he has imposed. He cares not for regular human beings when it comes to his own aggrandizement.
5
"But a senior Trump administration official said there was concern inside the United States government about whether the drone, or another American surveillance aircraft, or even the P-8A manned aircraft flown by a military aircrew, actually did violate Iranian airspace at some point. The official said the doubt was one of the reasons Mr. Trump called off the strike."
This proves that the US aircraft or aircrafts violated the Iranian airspace and Iran was fully justified to shoot down the spy plane.
7
One idea that isn’t much discussed is that Trump could have some dementia. That would account for the variance in his stories. He could’ve forgotten any causality numbers were discussed earlier in these conversations. And people with dementia fabricate stories to fill in the missing memories in their stories. Show someone with dementia that indeed they said something they now deny, they will still deny it. It’s time for a full psych/neurological exam for this president.
5
Trump was right not to strike. One of the very few times I've ever agreed with him.
The fact is Iran is not Iraq in that they would be a formidable foe if attacked. The US track record is to attack countries that cannot fight back at all or very well. At least since after WW2.
4
For those of you that have never been in the military, before you pull the trigger it is a difficult decision. I do not like Trump at all, but he made the right decision. Regardless if it was a democrat or a republican in the White House you are still surrounded by Hawks and Doves. Clearly, he made the right decision. A un-manned missile destroys an un-manned aircraft. It was a statement by Iran and we have other ways of responding rather than killing 150 possibly more Iranians.
Quit criticizing him. He did okay on this. Brother.
2
I poured gasoline all over the house and stood there with a lit match in my hand but decided not to light it up because it might not look good for me. Now thank me for not doing it.
8
I am glad there was no military strike on Iran, but even Fox News doubts the veracity of Trump's version of what happened in the "war room" to change his mind--in just "one second"--so that he aborted the attack he had ordered. Given Trump's inability to tell the truth and his love of drama that glorifies himself, I suspect the version the public got--after some revision and tweaking (the planes were not, as first reported, in the air)--was concocted by Trump and his enablers: order the strike and then call it off.
8
His only thoughts are on the 2020 election and starting a war would kill his chances of re-election. That's all he's concerned about. Nothing else. Win in 2020 at whatever cost. His base would support him but he would lose everywhere else because he started this mess. He knows it and will be very reluctant to proceed here. He's stuck
5
The man tells so many lies I find myself disbelieving everything he says. I'm sure he didn't find out that 150 people's lives were in jeopardy only 10 min. in advance of the planned retaliation. But I'm glad he did!
1
It looks to me as though Mr. Trump's handler (Mr. Putin) got through to him late in the day and said "What in blazes are you doing? Are you crazy? Call this thing off".
The money quote of the entire episode is buried deep in this piece -- "The official said the doubt was one of the reasons Mr. Trump called off the strike." In other words, our own military admits that the downing was justified.
2
Again he lied about knowing of 150 potential civilian deaths, or being told, only moments before calling off his military attack. He was told about the risks, when given the options.
4
Seems like another episode of The Apprentice — Presidential Edition and designed to boost ratings.
7
So I'm curious what the proportionate response should have been against the US for shooting down, and lying about, a civilian Iranian airline. Trump deserves tremendous blame, and I would guess Iran is pursuing it's own strategic goals independent of being a moral leader. While American history has provided White house leadership that may have been equally incompetent and heartless, never did it also have such violent destructive power at it's fingertips.
2
Congress has never authorized military action against Iran (or Yemen for that matter.) Why is it that the president has the authority to attempt such an attack in the first place? And he apparently didn't even notify senior members of Congress. Why aren't 535 members of Congress screaming about his willful ignorance of the Constitution?
22
A. I don't believe Trump knows the word 'proportionate'. One too many syllables for his vocabulary.
B. All the story tells me is that Trump wanted a disproportionate response until he was argued down by someone, probably in the military... like a West Wing episode.
17
The idea that this con man and egotist can put the men and women of Ameroica's armed forces at risk is a travesty. Members of our armed forces are not political playthings. He has turned the government of the United States into a service organization for the 1% and corporations.
14
Does anyone really believe that the man who, even today, believes the exonerated Central Park Five should still be executed; the man who has ordered that children be forced to sleep on a cold, cement floor and not given soap, toothpaste or a toothbrush is actually troubled by the possibility of collateral damage? He'd brag about any dead as an example of how tough he is.
21
Trump has no foreign policy. His bellicosity toward Iran is no different than his insults of Kim, allies, and countless Americans who have displeased him. When things get too hot, he simply changes the conversation to beautiful letters and falling in love, and Fox News and his base support his momentary whims. If he creates a disaster that he cannot fix, then his shrinking base will blame others.
Defeat. This. Man.
17
Regardless of all this nonsense about strike or no strike, everyone is missing the point: Trump tore up the Iran deal because John Bolton wanted a war. Period. Bolton is a typical American hawk who is the epitomy of what, with good justification, the rest of the world calls “Yankee Imperialist”. There is the mindset that America can do whatever it wants anywhere in the world and it can bully other countries any way it wants, and tear up treaties at will, if it wants. Then send a huge military presence on the doorstep of a country at will and not expect that country to push back, because America is the boss. Period. Rah rah rah, America the Beautiful, hand on heart. “USA, USA, USA”. Fist pump.
13
Are you sure Trump did not say he was "crocked and loaded" ?
I don't know that he drinks, but he acts like it sometimes.
I think it's obvious that Trump does not make any long term plans or have any philosophy on how to govern. It's just fly by the seat of his pants which are on fire most of the time.
9
Trump is once again proving that he likes seeing his name in the news. Chaos over a possible war fits his narcissistic drama queen personality perfectly.
We do have Democratic contenders for the presidency who show much more intelligence on this matter.
Bernie Sanders,“Congress must assert its constitutional authority and stop Trump from going to war,” This power has become heavily eroded since the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US.
Elizabeth Warren accused the president of instigating “another unnecessary conflict”. She said: “There is no justification for further escalating this crisis – we need to step back from the brink of war.”
Joe Biden had a personal take on the crisis since he was one half of the previous Obama-Biden administration which in 2015 secured a nuclear deal with Iran. He lamented that by tearing up that agreement last year, Trump had only succeeded in making Tehran more aggressive in what he called a “self-inflicted disaster”.
In a Twitter stream Biden added that “by walking away from diplomacy, Trump has made military conflict more likely. Another war in the Middle East is the last thing we need.”
10
Does anyone really believe that the man who, even today, believes the exonerated Central Park Five should still be executed; the man who has ordered that children be forced to sleep on a cold, cement floor and not given soap, toothpaste or a toothbrush is actually troubled by the possibility of collateral damage? He'd brag about any dead as an example of how tough he is.
4
For someone who is all about the message, this was a powerful message to Iran: shooting down an unmanned drone brought you within 10 minutes of a shooting war with the America; do you really want to play this game with a superpower whose finger is on the trigger. If Iran doesn't get this message the leaders there are tone deaf.
3
Ahh yes! The Master of "Reality TV", now doing his one man stand up act on Broadway! Pure tRUMP Theatre for his debased base!
When will we ever learn?
7
A public relations victory for Lying Trump. His name appeared in all newspapers around the world for at least a week.
Unfortunately, this seems to be a propaganda trick, if not bluffing. Iran is not Iraq, Syria, Yemen, or West Gaza. Shameful lies and TV-showbiz could hardly do anything in international relations.
Lying Trump's domestic difficulties are still there, that may end his re-election chance at any time. Stop cheating us, Lying Trump.
6
So if you threaten to do something stupid, actually initiate it and then suddenly realize that bombs kill people and call it off you are a wise leader? Trump selected a pack of war mongers to advise him on "national security" and eventually war is what we will get, mark my words.
I find it curious to watch things like this unfold and to not even be able to believe my own government as to what really happened. This administration has less credibility than most of the other players involved, being headed by someone who seems to lie by default and only tells the truth by accident.
10
The mainstream media and corporate-wing Democrats paint Trump voters as under-educated racists, but I believe the vast majority of the so called "base" that voted for President Trump were #NeverHillary voters because she is a war hawk and global investments puppet to the 1% of the 1% global big banks Oligarchy that has provided an inadequate push back to the massive tax cuts to the rich and tax breaks to corporations that allow them to pay ZERO taxes! Amazon: ZERO on over $11 billion in profits! etc. The rustbelt states were part of a #StopTPP movement, fighting against another "lousy trade agreement" to bring on another 1/3 of the slave-labor workers of Asia, without any real protection for workers. President Trump made promises to stay OUT OF WAR! The fact that war monster Dick Cheney's daughter is now the third ranking Republican in the US House is a terrible, awful fact.
5
If what you wrote were true, Trump would not have John Bolton as his secretary of defense...an uber warmonger who was part of the Iraq war think tank, and now he wants to go to war with Iran...
3
I appreciate the map.
2
Trumps red line moment - actually much worse than Obama’s. You point the gun but don’t pull the trigger. It will encourage America’s adversaries to challenge you in other theaters.
8
Trump the liar. Lie, lie, lie.
Most all people must understand this now. He is a bragger and a chronic liar.
But now he's playing with his toy soldiers.
21
When policymakers makers, of whatever level, roles, ranges of responsibilities, and quality, get elected, or selected, we receive types of information about them. Of whatever validity and “spin;”
varnished or not! We may never learn, know, sense or experience their types, levels and qualities of their adequately UNDERSTANDINGS of the implications and outcomes of the dimensions of the unending challenges which they face in their complex, dynamic life- death and wellbeing-policymaking- roles. As they perceive, daily. Or not.Pay attention and are aware of...Or not. Think about- conceptualize...Or not. Feel about...biased or not. Judge, weigh, assess; realistically planning. Or not. Decide... in terms of...Or not. Carry out. Or not. Learn from, so as to Repeat success as well as to “Fail better.” An example of a made-UP policymaker, who chooses to BE a personally accountable, fellow human being. Not of the current specious-species who choose to harm by words and deeds. With impunity. Which each of US, in our own unique ways, choose to enable in OUR toxic, WE-THEY, violating cultures. Environments. Networks. Neighborhoods. Communities. Perhaps even families.Daily! Trump, his minions, words and deeds are focused on.Our willful blindness is not! Nor is our willful deafness to the existential experienced pains of others.Willful ignorance about starving to death in Yemen.”Kidnapped” children in cages in the USA. New Jim Crow imprisonments. Willful silence in lieu of outrage! Drones?
3
No Mar-a-Lago this weekend.
8
President Stable Genius didn’t want 150 dead people, so he called off the strike. What, 150 wasn’t enough for him? He wanted more?
16
This can not be said too many times on too many occasions: POTUS lies.
Why should we believe whatever he says? And even more importantly, why should our (hitherto) allies?
15
Why are we quibbling over this? Whether the retaliatory mission was 'underway'----a shot fired, a missile launched---or merely 'locked and loaded' with minutes to spare, what difference does it make? Given that, even with the communications apparatus at the president's fingertips, even he isn't likely to know p-r-e-c-i-s-e-l-y when conflict has begun. Ten minutes....8 minutes....20 minutes----it's all imprecise, especially given the chain-of-command. It's not like the movies, where the Commander-in-Chief gives the go-ahead, and then there's a jump cut to Steven Seagal all suited up, boarding a chopper, locked and loaded.
Besides which, has it occurred to Times readers that the order to move ahead by Trump, followed by the sudden remorse and stand-down, wasn't all contrived to be the military equivalent of the 'feint' or the 'fake-out' in boxing or football terms? Whatever it was, the message appears to be: You are forewarned; Next time we'll go through with it.
Having said that, here's my humble solution: Lift the sanctions on Iran. Employ the 'good cop/bad cop' approach. Be the benevolent goliath. Play nice.
This would serve to ratchet things back. Iran would see that---ultimately---we do not intend them harm...unless, and Iran would be allowed to 'save face.' Both sides come out a winner. Then, we'll wait and see.
Short of that, all of this bloviating by the media does nothing but rile up factions that---myself included---simply lack all of the facts.
8
The arsonist again wanting "credit" for trying to put out the fire.
25
Everyone knows the reaction would be open season on any Trump branded hotel around the world. Caution is reasonable, now move back and defuse this fake war with Iran. Israel alone would be the beneficiary of a destruction of Iran. Look up "USS Liberty" and decide what the "apporpriate response" should have been.
3
So Trump is now posing as an angel of mercy, refusing drag us into war because it might kill so many Iranians. What utter bosh. I suspect the Pentagon has merely given him a dose of reality, and being a complete phony, he’s trying to make himself look like a wise and generous leader. I ain’t buying it. Nobody should.
11
Again, time to get off oil and into renewable energy sources.
11
Are ppl that stupid to think DT actually made a strategic decision for our country and was the patient and rational voice for us (and cared about saving lives?)?? Let’s review his MO: create chaos, make it look like he’s in charge, make it look like he took a decision. The guy has no idea. NO IDEA.
11
He even lies about who told him that about 150 people would be killed.
In fact he lies with such ease that you have to assume that anything resembling the truth would be the rare exception.
9
The very last person on earth who should be making decisions about sending American men and women to war is the "star" of the TV show The Apprentice.
13
Iran has a huge air defence system. In gulf war one for example the US went about destroying Iraq's air defence systems with cruise missiles and stealth bombers before attacking other targets. Truth be know the other day as US fighters headed towards Iran a huge activation of the Iranian air defence system was most likely observed. Somebody was thinking really fast as if the US jamming systems didn't work on Iranian air defence systems then all those aircraft and pilots would have been at risk of being shot down. Iran would only need have shot down a few US fighters and captured a few US pilots to have had a huge victory over the US. Somebody must have reminded POTUS that the last President to have a botched military mission in Iran with US servicemen deaths was called Jimmy Carter. Along with the US embassy hostage crisis this clearly cost Carter even a chance of a second term. In one moment Trump could have become Carter and Biden the 2020 incumbent even before one cast vote!!
1
This is absolutely sickening. A lite or death situation with huge implications for our country playing out like a game at the erratic whims of a malignant narcissistic. Trump MUST be removed from office.
12
"I thought about it for a second and said...."
He makes these kinds of decisions in such a nonchalant manner as if he is deciding between KFC or McDonalds. Actually he probably more deliberate in his choice of food, i.e.: "... a big beautiful piece of chocolate cake."
5
This was Trump's brain on display. Whether you wanted the strike or not. Unless it is just a "movie thing" wouldn't you think in the briefing before the strike a casualty estimate would be included.
The problem is, after so many years of lies you have no idea what the truth is.
5
So he's supposed to look like a hero for deciding his insane advisors who he appointed are insane? Sooner or later his own insanity will trump as all!
7
Trump, Bolton, Pompeo—all sadistic nightmares. None are fit to be in their positions and all are liars. Obama and the other singers of the multilateral Iran nuclear agreement were on the right track. We’ve been at war for 18 years and NOTHING to show for it but our dead. And those of us whose precious loved ones were killed in Iraq are simply unwilling to believe more lies. Trump will lose many votes if he continues on this path.
5
Funny how this article is so one sided. Republicans are angry at Trump because he didn't start war with Iran and Democrats are angry because they say Trump is responsible for trying to get us into war with Iran. According to the New York Times who cares that 100 some people might of been saved by Trump's decision making. No what matters is that Trump's administration is in chaos and is not following the established party modus operandi. Trump is a Republican and he's suppose to strike Iran to protect Israeli interests that's what Republicans are supposed to do. Any deviancy from the established party roles is chaos, there already is an order established, why is Trump not following it. This argument that is being made is ludicrous since Trump promoted himself to be a unconventional candidate and was supposed to go against the establishment. Ironically the New York Times is making it seem Trump is in fact what he purports to be and that there job is to defend the establishment. Iran has been an enemy to the USA since 1979. Former President Barack Obama's administration, Democrat, in fact didn't bring peace to the region at least not prolonged. In fact his administration opened the doors for Iran to expand in the middle east and endanger our buddy Israel. I don't think Obama was against Israel instead I think he was creating a counterbalance to control ISIS which his administration had a hand in creating. Israel wants Iran back in there place and the New York Times agrees.
2
Dear Twitter,
Can you please shut down Donald Trump's account? We need to have an US President where there is a time lap used for thinking and reflection between a "thought" and until it is spread to the world.
5
One line in a news report about the US Iran situation from a Middle Eastern source is one of the most significant reporting on the possibility of war that I have seen. US approves sale of KC135 aerial refueling tankers to Israel. In all the wall to wall coverage of the current conflict absolutely no sources in the US have mentioned or discussed the elephant in the war room. Regardless of what Trump and the USA says or wants the Israelis will ultimately make a decision and they are clear about it since Natanyahu cheerleaded the Trump decision to end the Obama Nuclear deal with Iran which set this off in the first place and the real decision on war will be made by the Israelis. Sooner or later they are going to bomb the Iranian nuclear facilities [KC135 purchase is a clue] and they will decide when we go to war with Iran not the American President or people.
2
In other news, Congress did absolutely nothing to advance American interests again this week.
6
So even more than playing president, he likes playing God - who shall live and who shall die. This is what it's come to: the insecure whims of a playground bully.
5
"And here we are, sitting with 150 dead people that would have taken place probably within a half an hour after I said go ahead. And I didn’t like it.”
Once again, there is the use of your favorite single part of speech, the personal pronoun 'I'.
Donald John, you want me to buy the pitch that the genuine empathy you feel for any loss life was the driving force behind the heroic decision to end this strike. Come on, you can do better than this.
The truth be told, the possibility of losing votes from your infamous following is your driving factor. You desperately need the 2020 win because the legal troubles you will face as a private citizen are a bonafide threat to the essence of who you are, your empire the Trump Brand.
Now because of your favorite personal pronoun, the singular and impulsive 'I' our nation and neighbors are faced with a dangerous game of cat and mouse with Iran you have created, and you have no idea how to end it.
4
This is very serious comedy.
1
Aside from being "cocked and loaded" (he can't even get the idiom right), this entire episode just appears to be one more example of his cliffhanger political shows, in which he can ultimately emerge as the "hero."
How anyone could accept his "I hope nots" and "We'll see what happens" statements about retaliating against Iran is beyond belief.
As the supposed leader of the Free World, Trump seems to believe that daily doses of uncertainty will convince the public and our allies that he is a mastermind of international relations. The fact remains that he is too ignorant or lazy to read or pay attention to the military and intelligence reports he receives, so the contradictory stances he constantly takes make sense.
Trump personally appointed the Bolton and Pompeo hawks to his cabinet. His pulling out of the Iran Nuclear Agreement inevitably led to the current crisis. His presidency is not "The Apprentice-Part 2" but the real world!
Trump deserves no praise for his action yesterday. What this anti-hero does merit is ridicule and condemnation of his dangerous isolationist policies that have diminished our nation's standing on the global stage.
3
This is typical "school yard bully" behavior by a stunted, insecure man that indulges himself at every opportunity. What a wonderful image of the United States he is projecting.
3
trump has been dying to say "cocked and loaded" since Jan. 20, 2017. These words serve two purposes for him:
1. It is red meat for his base.
2. It is even more read meat for his immeasurable ego.
1
Trump’s Iran reversal exposes one of his most dangerous lies
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/06/21/trumps-iran-reversal-exposes-one-his-most-dangerous-lies/
@M
Except Trump has been entirely consistent on not wanting war with Iran:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/16/world/middleeast/iran-war-donald-trump.html
1
“Cocked and loaded”???? What does this even mean? Anyone who uses a gun knows that you do not cock a weapon before loading it. Good way to shoot yourself or someone else by accident.
Is America the set for a really bad reality show where a draft dodger with fake bones spurs attempts to transform himself into a courageous and patriotic war hero? Wow.
2
I look forward to Maureen Dowd's inevitable gunslinger column.
2
I don't believe they were really ready to start (another) war. surely American military generals know the consequences of war with Iran, especially as Iran has different military groups which are shaped to be a silence back-up! Popular Mobilization Forces, and Badr Organization in Iraq, Hezbollah in Lebanon, international Quds Force (and a couple more) which are supporting Iran and in case of war, they might be dangerous for US allies in the region, especially Isreal which they hope to destroy it, and they are looking for a special occasion. A war with Iran might be the best occasion to start a major war against Isreal too.
1
Shouldn’t we be happy that we didn’t go forward into a conflict? Does everything have to be spun negatively? Sometimes it’s ok to de-escalate. Even if I dislike Trump, I think he did the right thing.
2
Probably the only sensible and rational decision the Prez has made till now - and hopefully not the last , whatever be his motivation. The hawks i.e Bolton et al should get the message that they are not running the show. I hope Trump has the same spine in the trade war - at present presidents Navarro and Lighthizer are in charge with disastrous consequences for the country.Unfortunately the republicans have become nothing but a rubber stamp for Trump , and the democrats and liberals are so consumed by hate that they cannot think straight - in this instance they do not have the intellectual honesty to admit that his decision to pull back was brave and statesmanlike.
"Cocked and ready . . ." ? What kind of a comment is that from the President of the United States? Furthermore, how much of this can we believe from an administration that lies and lies and lies?
3
Disturbing to see how even in a national security crisis, Mr. Trump is more concerned with what he did or didn't do and what everybody else thinks of his performance. This country desperately needs mature leadership.
3
That was today who knows what tomorrow will bring. Every time I have met with friends in the last few days everyone says the same thing using slightly different words "Let's hope some say pray Trump does not drag us into a war in the Middle East". It will never end there will be no winners a man who has never been to war could not understand that.
The episode of the on-again, off-again war against Iran shows that the president of the US has far too much power. Trump makes the call and chooses to operate without ministers in vital areas like defense. This is bad in all cases but with a man like Donald Trump, playing with fire. The presidency has evolved into a monarchy with the "king" as commander-in-chief of the armed forces able to go to war, when this should be the prerogative of the Congress. It would be better for the US and the world if the president were made a figure-head as in Ireland or Germany. The famed checks and balances of the US constitution have failed when one man can decide issues of war and peace. In accepting this Americans are sleep-walking toward disaster. Next time the president's whim could be to drop the bombs.
4
Bolton is probably the only person on the planet who could succeed in getting Russia and China to form an alliance against America. Iran is a major ally of Russian influence in the Middle East. And Iran is a major supplier of oil for China. It's in both their interests to maintain the current Iranian regime.
Make no mistake about it, if the Trump administration insists on war with Iran, both Russia and China will be actively dedicated to seeing the US fail.
This crisis is totally unnecessary. By all reports the deal Obama and America's European allies struck with Iran was working. So what if it had an expiry date. Most contracts do. It would've been just a matter renewing it. Which likely would've been easier than negotiating the original deal since it was working for both sides.
We need to get these Trump fools out of office before they do something really stupid.
6
Half cocked, I’d say.
2
the really scary part of all this is it Trump took office tourism 10 minutes I'm starting what could be a very destructive war.
he has no idea what he's doing. he blows in the wind like a piece of cloth un
he follows whoever commands the most attention if he follows anyone
will the next stupid order be rescinded 10 minutes too late?
2
One would be confident that the predicted casualty figures for each option would have been provided to the President several hours prior to him selecting a particular option... it is rather disappointing that this didn’t register until after putting his troops into danger.
2
Yes, this is played out in the president’s mind in the way that promoted grudge matches and ‘World Championship’ bouts are staged by promoters and ‘tag teams’ in the professional wrestling world that informed his feeling for theatrical morality and violence.
The promoter - a Vince McMahon or Donald Trump writes the script. If we’re lucky, Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson becomes a greater star than Hulk Hogan, and nobody dies.
1
Thank you Mr Trump. I am sure that not many posting here say that but your professional call to halt the strike on Iran, which was called for as they are and have been the aggressor, was a grea one. You have their attention I am sure.
A big thanks to your stewardship that has our economy, our stock market, our jobs growth and employment numbers roaring. It is a pity when the Left only focuses on personality (some of the things he does I don’t care for either) rather than productivity.
1
So very glad for the moment that he doesn't react. But the truth is so evident that a guy like Trump has always behaved lie a coward, and incapable of making decisions and taking real choices of consequence. This is the danger of such Reality Television president who hasn't a clue about international affairs. America, and the world at large, face serious consequences due to his inept
understanding of reality. This could heat up and turn really ugly. And, who is minding the store?
1
Trump blundered his way into a bad idea, then (thankfully) chickened out. This is a man who has finally, unavoidably confronted his own ignorance, banality, and the fact that his words have mortal consequences, but has no idea what to do about that. If he had any substance he first of all would not be in this position, but finally would have enough sense to shut up and call for help. He could start with a hat in hand call to Robert Gates.
2
Bombing Iran would result in the mining of The Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz-cutting of 1/3 of the world’s oil. Oil prices would surge, and a world-wide recession would result.
2
Why did President Trump learn only 10 minutes before a strike on a sovereign nation that 150 people could potentially die from the attack?
I can think of at least three reasons, non of which evokes any confidence in this administration.
1. Trump chose to not be present at the briefings leading up to the attack.
2. The generals chose not to include Trump in the briefings.
3. Trump was at the briefings but did not ask the most important question about human collateral damage.
But there is a fourth option - that Trump is lying about asking about potential deaths at the 11 th hour. After all, what do you expect from a president who, according to the Washington Post, tells on average about 9 lies a day?
It is quite possible that Trump gave the go-ahead for the attack, knowing about the human cost but changed his mind at the last minute.
3
Walk out of a deal. But demand that your partner in the deal continue to abide by its terms. Punish your erstwhile partner so they stick to the deal. Complain that in spite of the punishment you are inflicting the partner is threatening to renege on the terms of the deal. Punish them more. What happens next? There are always thoughts and prayers.
2
Either Trump is lying when he says he had to ask how many people would be killed, or the military's failure to advise the risk to personnel shows the administration to be breathtakingly brutal. What has the USA become?
1
I hate Trump, but his course correction needs to be applauded. Bravo for giving a good reason why not to attack. It should have been clear from the outset that drone deaths are not equaled by people deaths. Now what to do with sickos like Bolton is another matter.
1
It is intriguing to imagine the comments that would result if Iran would be able to send drones and spy-plane to patrol just of the coast of the US. Just for curiosity, is it not true that they have the legal right to develop nuclear power and nuclear weapons, just like India, Pakistan, and Israel? What law would such actions violate? (UN Resolutions, ignored by everyone when they feel like it, don't count).
Based on the history of the two countries I would think Trump pulled back because Iran presented proof that the drone and the plane both crossed into Iranian space.
150 deaths would not bother a country that murdered millions in Vietnam simply because the US did not like their form of Government.
1
I can no longer believe anything coming out of Trump or his administration. I do believe that we are the ones who initiated the conflict, and continue to egg Iran on to react so that we can feel we have to take necessary steps to defend our interests. We are now the bullies on the block. Shame on us.
Well, if the shoe had been the other foot - we, Republicans would have been shouting with calls for impeachment of a POTUS over dereliction.
Obama caved in over objections to bomb Syria over his infamous red line by asking for a congressional support. And he was rightly criticized.
Well, this POTUS has had his Obama moment.
This whole episode is either a gross miscalculation on behalf of our military or a dereliction of duty by POTUS.
He has reduced this incident to a highway accident where experts are debating whether a driver lost control or the vehicle had a mechanical problem after discovering skid marks before it went over.
I am with Ms. Cheney on this that a weak response will lead to a yet another reckless action by Iran or by this POTUS.
You would think that his military advisers would have had a range of targets that would have minimized deaths - if that was the Express concern of POTUS.
I would think that his aides would have had targets even like the little rocket man has in those islands of South Korea. He fires at them not to kill but to let the South know he is there.
Today, it is an unmanned drone that we lost.
But what was lost was America's credibility to use a proportional force.
As Madeleine Albright once famously asked of Gen Powell, "General, what the heck we have military for?"
The expression used to denote a weapon prepared to be fired is ‘locked and loaded’. It’s apparent that Cadet Bone Spurs never quite got to experience that. He can’t even get military jargon correct. Now we face decisions with lethal consequences promulgated by a man bereft of moral consciousness unless prompted by others to consider the consequences. When will we hold Mitch McConnell accountable for not stopping this unhinged person? When will Congress show some courage? ‘I could have started a war, but didn’t’ is perverse and an expression of ‘Militant Ignorance’ which is also a definition of Evil.
2
Well, if the shoe had been the other foot - we, Republicans would have been shouting with calls for impeachment of a POTUS over dereliction.
Obama caved in over objections to bomb Syria over his infamous red line by asking for a congressional support. And he was rightly criticized.
Well, this POTUS has had his Obama moment.
This whole episode is either a gross miscalculation on behalf of our military or a dereliction of duty by POTUS.
He has reduced this incident to a highway accident where experts are debating whether a driver lost control or the vehicle had a mechanical problem after discovering skid marks before it went over.
I am with Ms. Cheney on this that a weak response will lead to a yet another reckless action by Iran or by this POTUS.
You would think that his military advisers would have had a range of targets that would have minimized deaths - if that was the Express concern of POTUS.
I would think that his aides would have had targets even like the little rocket man has in those islands of South Korea. He fires at them not to kill but to let the South know he is there.
Today, it is an unmanned drone that we lost.
But what was lost was America's credibility to use a proportional force.
As Madeleine Albright once famously asked of Gen Powell, "General, what the heck we have military for?"
The right decision in my opinion and, while I think he may be the most inept president of my lifetime, in this instance, when he's right, he's right!
I think that Trump was persuaded to call off the attacks because of the American casualties rather than the Iranian lives since Pentagon is aware that Iran is fully prepared to defend itself and retaliate against the US positions in the region. Of course, Trump may change his mind tomorrow or Bolton, Pompeo, Graham, Cotton, et al., and Fox News may convince him that the US must attack Iran in order to show the world that Trump is a strong leader.
Regarding the attack, the US was provoking Iran. In fact the US has been provoking Iran on all fronts and goading Iran to react. In this context, Its provocative action include imposing multiple rounds of illegal sanctions, pressuring world countries not to buy Iranian oil, gas, and other products in order to crush its economy and isolate the country internationally. Its tactics also include targeting Iranian scientists, luring them to come to the US, and arresting them upon arrival in the US in order to harm the Iran’s technological and scientific development. For example, last October, noted Iranian stem cell scientist Masoud Soleimani was lured to come to the US to work at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Upon arrival at Chicago O'Hare airport, he was unlawfully arrested and has been indefinitely detained even though he was granted visa permission to visit the US
and work at the Mayo Clinic. He was invited to head one of Mayo Clinic's research programs."
1
It is obvious that Trump never contemplated an attack - it was all the usual bluster. Trump surely knew, and maybe even understood, that the US would have to go it alone without any European allies who know that he started this whole thing by withdrawing from the nuclear agreement. And as for destroying the country, that too is typical hot air from a hot head. Is the IUS really going to eliminate millions of people? Does the US want the condemnation of pretty much the rest of the world?
This reminds me of a kid playing in his back yard with planes and action figures. He has a plane in each hand, pretending they are firing on each other. Using sound effects and getting all excited. Then Mom calls and says "Donnie, it's time for dinner". And he says "Man, I was just about to destroy the other army." He shrugs his shoulders, throws the planes to the ground, and runs into the house yelling "Coming, Mommy" as he does. I am not saying this is how it went down. I am saying his maturity level appears to be like this.
2
"'tis a pageant / To keep us in false gaze." (William Shakespeare, Othello, 1.3.19-20)
2
I find it extremely difficult to believe that Trump cares about casualties. This is the best story they could come up with? It's gotten so bad they're running out of lies.
3
I don't believe we're seeing real diplomacy here one way or another. This is pure political theatre in view of a coming election. We must remember we're dealing with a con artist and a reality tv star who never stops campaigning. Don't fall for the ploy. This is all fake.
1
Trump does seem to like Generals. Thus my guess is that it was a trusted Military Officer who convinced Trump to call it off. Reminding the Iranians that we have superior conventional military capability in the form of a strike isn’t telling them (or anyone else) anything new and has no benefit. More importantly, killing 150 Iranians would certainly back the Iranians into a corner and force them to retaliate - possibly against Israel - and force us into a war with limited international support.
That said, the argument that convinced Trump to use restraint was probably less his acceptance of arguments about strategic influence and more so appealing to his ego and desire for reelection. Someone probably told him that calling off the strike and announcing the pull back makes him look like the bigger man. Maybe they also told him that he should not tank another market rally with threats of war like he did when he threatened North Korea? The market has been sideways for too long to be good for his re-election.
1
It’s as if Trump is playing out his own fantasy war action movie on his basement pretend battlefield.
As if our military brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, are his personal toy soldiers.
But they are not; they are our loved ones, and they are real living breathing human beings.
The way Trump described the scenario brought to mind some kind of B-grade action movie where the President stops a strike at the last minute as the camera cuts back and forth between fighter jets in the air heading towards a target, and the group of officials in the war room watching it all on screen.
But conflict has consequences; conflict costs lives. It is not a game.
3
The only reason Trump chose a cautious road is that Pentagon could not convince him that the mission will not meet the same fate as Carter's rescue raid that cost him the re-election.
Iranian defenses would have downed the attackers the same way as the Drone, with needless loss of American life, and loss of face for Trump.
If a stealth Drone can be detected, how about the stealth bombers? American tech has become over-priced, under-performing, like 737 Max, Patriot missiles, and F-35s ... Perhaps Pentagon should start buying cheap and reliable Chinese and Russian hardware for American security.
I give him credit for showing some humanity for once.
It’s said that the office of the presidency changes its occupant. I hope that’s happening.
1
@S. Philip
He has always been against war.
This is a "war tease", and is classic Trump: invent and conflate a "conflict", fire up the base over said conflict with a carefully choreographed "rally" while waving the flag and touting nationalism, say that you are making plans to fight ("you'll see"), call off said plans because you didn't realize that innocents will die, feed the press the story of how you did it at "the last minute" while patting yourself on the back for your keen insight and heroism. Meanwhile he doesn't know the phrase is "locked and loaded".
The only thing certain is that there will continue to be similar acts in this Greek tragedy known as the Trump administration.
1
However way it worked out I'm glad that Trump hasn't bombed Iran-at least, yet & I hope, never. One of the other themes that seem to be playing out here is that Trump is making a concerted effort to engage the Iranians in negotiation through back alley channels-through the Japanese & Swiss. Even though I am not a Trump supporter, I'm pleased with that aspect as well. It will be a difficult task. We should not forget how evil the Iranian leadership is-they support Assad in Syria, Hezbollah, the Houthi rebels in Yemen, etc., etc. They probably have been involved in the bombing of the oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The entire civilized world shouldn't countenance that.
How would the US respond IF the Iranians placed a drone near a US warship in international waters of the Persian Gulf? Would the Command ignore it? The US placed one near the mainland of Iran. Should Iran Command ignore it? By what rule should US naval presence be "welcomed" (or accommodated) near Iran's shores? Is the downing of a drone a more hostile action than the interference in the US electoral process by Russia? How to contain the Russian spread of invasive hacking? Would the Russians "welcome" US surveillance drones near their borders? Just what nation would welcome US surveillance of their borders by US drones? By whose rule is surveillance risk free?
1
It's inconceivable to me that Trump cares about the lives of 150 people who are unable to vote for him.
1
If the media can get a named source to confirm that Trump is lying, I will believe what I read. It is my policy to ignore anonymous sources.
1
Trump is pleased that he could milk this drama twice to show his decisiveness . First when he called for the strike, and then when he ordered, "never mind!" That's twice as many decisions as Obama made when he took out Bin Laden. So, he's 100% more decisive, see?
Tucker told Trump that the generals didn't have the president's best interest at heart. Shame on the generals for putting the interests of the country ahead of Trump's.
When making life and death decisions, Trump prefers to go with his guts. Unfortunately for us all, he doesn't have any to go with.
1
Why don’t I feel relieved? It’s good to know Trump values life, unless they are undocumented. I wonder what would his take would be before the election with him down in the polls? Wag the dog? Am I being cynical?
If your considering military action, it would seem to me like the first question out of the President's mouth would be, "How many casualties?". The second question out of his mouth should be, "Is this appropriate to shooting down an unmanned drone?".
I can't believe that ten minutes before the bombs started falling that the President decided to start asking these questions.
So I now have a last question: When are we going to remove this obviously incompetent man?
3
Iran is a democracy being sanctioned by an out of control American democracy. We have gone to war with Iran by using sanctions against the voters in Iran. The media in our country needs to show the American people that Iran is very similar to the people in the US. This conflict is manufactured by a Republican Administration with no clear goal other than harassment for the people of the Middle East.
1
There used to be a Sega video game called "General Chaos" One side was led by a "General Chaos" and the other side a "General Havoc." Is the U.S. President General Chaos? Absolutely. Is the Iranian leader "General Havoc?" Probably but I know nothing about Iran. It has been written & reported by many sources that the Iranians provide for terror support throughout the mideast and beyond. I'll go with the written reports for now. But I know nothing beyond that. Here in this country we have leadership Chaos! If you know anything about the military (I spent four years) you'll know that chaos is the last thing a military commander wants. It has to be beyond frustrating to commanders & decision makers to constantly face chaos from the commander-in-chief. You can only imagine the kind of agita that they have not to mention the intensity of their high blood pressure. The sooner this President can be removed from office, impeach & convict (I know it's a pipe dream) or better please resign, the better for the country and no doubt the world. We can't go on like this even for another year and 7 months. Who knows what will happen.
2
Restraint may well have been the right choice, but I can't help but feel that the way this played out, including Trump's description of a last-second report from a general projecting the number of Iranian deaths, is a made-for-TV script of Trump's own design. It seems pretty clear that in this, as in all things, you can't believe a word Donald Trump says.
8
The full and most meaningful costs of war cannot be measured. Thus, the use of the most primitive cost-benefit concepts are used to provide a sense of moral due diligence, in this case, proportionality. We can do so much better.
2
Hey. Just want to say thank you to the Times staff for all you do and also allowing us to have a voice. You are wonderful and appreciated more than you know.
50
@karen In a true democracy it´s a given. Not something you should have to thank anyone for. Oh..... sorry, forgot! The US is not a true democracy anymore.
Why are the last two paragraphs relevant to current events and what’s happening today? They are not. Just a subtle dig to imply the U.S was an imperialist aggressor then, and today.
5
Yes they are. Much is made of Iran's supposed support of terrorism - with little or no evidence. As far as I can tell it's the Saudis that should bare that mark. But I remember that incident and that and our support of Sadams war against Iran killed tens of thousands.
1
@Nicholas Conservative - I am not conservative, but your observation is apt. The author might try to argue it was for contrast, but, in this case, your estimation of the purpose is what an honest and critical evaluator should conclude. The rest of the article was perfectly fair, but that last part definitely crossed the line from news to editorializing.
Conservative, it is historical perspective. Actions today have been driven by historical actions over possibly hundreds of years. Trump has the perspective of about one news cycle or less. Trump is also a known liar, how can we believe a word of his side of the story. Recalled to active duty for last two gulf wars. War college grad, Iraq vet, Marine retired.
This is just pitiful. Once again Trump lying about this series of events in order to make himself the hero - saving lives. Once again, only he can solve the 'problem' he created. He's toying with starting a real war, with real lives at stake. There is nothing Trump can do or say to turn republicans against him. Hopefully the rest of American is paying attention.
40
The discovery phase of Summer Zervos’s defamation lawsuit is supposed to begin on June 28th. Which means Trump will testify UNDER OATH about his interactions with Ms Zervos and most likely other interactions that he has had with other women. Maybe this is the real reason why he almost started a war. If he can create an international crisis he can claim he doesn’t have time to testify. Perjury will be a real danger if he testifies under oath and it will be his own fault. When you tell so many lies eventually they mount up and the lies conflict with each other.
19
And the reason he will testify at her trial is...?Mueller couldn’t get him to come in the answer any questions and essentially let him off the hook.
5
@Max Green this is different. Mueller didn’t pursue a subpoena because of two major reasons: 1. the justice department had already established a precedent that a sitting president cannot be indicted and 2. pursuing Trumps testimony under oath via subpoena would have been a long and lengthy court battle due to the supremacy clause of the constitution which would have ultimately ended up at the Supreme Court increasing the costs of the special council investigation. Mueller was trying to wrap up the investigation as opposed to getting into a prolonged legal battle. The Zervos trial is a state matter and a judge has already ruled that the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution does not protect the president from state affairs as it arguably could with the special council investigation. (Trump can thank past republican investigations into Bill Clinton’s issues with women for that)
7
Wasn't this classic war movie? "10 Minutes over..Wait a Sec" or something like that.
Military people like missions. They do not like being actors in some civilian's games of "should I or shouldn't ?"
Way to build that military. I wonder Donald, do you understand the military is more than just machines? It is men and women who are willing to plunge into hell if the command comes down.
Saber rattling is one thing. Actually putting our forces into war-imminent posture and strike, is just sadistic.
17
Does cocked and loaded mean that the most stable genius president believes the military is using muzzle loaders?
Or use non magazine fed firearms?
17
Who are the "two senior United States officials" who told the Times "again" that the planes were in the air when the president ordered the mission stopped? I always thought "lose lips sink ships." There may be times when unnamed sources inside the government need to blow the whistle on wrongdoing and newspapers need to publish what they say. But this was/is a military operation in a very tense situation that is far from over. Whether we believe this president's version of events or not, for high-level officials to publicly dispute it undermines the authority of the commander-in-chief in his relations with Iran and also demoralizes the men and women in uniform he commands. There is a time and place for pulling back the curtain on executive actions but in the heat of events that could led us into a terrible war is not the time. What am I missing?
6
I agree with your line of “loose lips sink ships” line of thinking, but maybe say that to the president. Trump himself decided to offer far more information, as well as essentially confirm the reporting, and is recklessly exposing his decision-making process, which our enemies could easily use against him.
@abigail49
On the other hand they may be saving us from this noodnik’s next self- aggrandizing fatal raid.
OMG, the stable genius deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for averting a crisis that he created to begin with!
32
@paul lol I like stable geniuses that know the difference between a drone flying “over” international waters and a drone flying “in” international waters. Maybe the drone Trump was talking about is the one that hangs out with the Prince of Whales.
3
Thoughtful actions by 45th. Next is to take care of North Korean
nukes. Then come Nobel prize. who can stop Donald Trump in 2020 Election? Joe Biden? Nope.
4
Whatever may be the intensity of anti-Trump campaign, Mr.Trump has proved that he is not the kind of president who puts action before thought or action without thought
but to think,discuss,display his power and justify the reason for not pulling the trigger to the world. In 2016, when the the investigation into 'UK-USA's invasion of Iraq" complete, Mr.Tony Blair came forward apologizing to the world but Mr.Bush told he was feeling sorry for that. Mr.Trump's match with Mexico,Iran and North Korea has proved that he is a president who learned the pros and cons of the debacles of his predecessors. Mr.Trump could become the first president of USA in a decade who contained the GHG emission from war if he is able to avert war in his first term and also to proceed for his second term with a credible score.
1
This administration has not put thought before action. Or thought. In general.
1
The perspective from India is far different than from the US. Living as we do only a few miles from the White House, we see a far different view of Trump: a willfully uninformed, arrogant and foolish man, with absolutely no political experience in matters of state or foreign affairs.
His infamous ‘only I can fix this’ comment early In his Administration really says it all.
2
The president did the right thing. Still his critics fault him, unleashing howls and vitriol, unable for one brief moment to stop, think, and form their own reasonable and informed opinion.
5
Glad this country didn't strike, but the thing is -- he has a pretty solid history of creating problems so that he can be the one to solve them. Do we really know what Iran has done / is doing? Proof positive??
I mean, all of Trump's lackeys want war, so that's a given... Gotta dig a little deeper.
25
Seriously? You really, really believe that dude?
19
Trump needs to fire his entire staff, Cabinet Secretaries etc since they all withheld casualty estimates from him until he had the leadership ability to ask for an estimate. Oops.
6
Great relief to the world that the 'trigger happy' US President had second thought and 'defused' the otherwise ugly 'situation' that could be disastrous to mankind.
There appears to be some kind of 'blank spot' in Presidents thought process.
one would imagine that he 'would' consult his political colleagues before taking a 'unilateral decision which could spell disaster.
Some checks and balances must be put in places even though the President is already in 'election mode'.
7
As an American living in Germany, I'm nervous. I wake up every day wondering if I should fear that what our commander has done is going to affect the world and throw it into chaos. We can only hope that a more level-headed President is elected in 2020 so we can regain face with our allies and pursue peace. The world was laughing at us, now it's not so funny.
24
In Trump's Bizarro Universe, TR's "speak softly, but carry a big stick" has become:
"Shout, scream, and bully, and carry nothing but a bag of lies"!
And make sure that other peoples sons and daughters -- all the "losers" -- are the ones carrying the sticks, dropping bombs, and having themselves shot at, because you have depraved moral indifference to their deaths and also to the lives and deaths of all the "losers" caught in the cross-hairs of war.
Morally bankrupt and depraved on so many levels...
33
ye Gods. Tbe nuclear deal Obama negotiated prevented more WMDs. The withdrawal made no sense, other than to confirm Trump knows snot about diplomacy.
This latest dust up is the result of an ignorant president playing in the world theater.
Shameful
32
The correct expression is:
a) Cocked and loaded.
b) Locked and loaded.
c) Rocky roaded.
d) Mocked and goaded.
45
On the best of days, Donald Trump goes around half cocked and well short of a load. This five time draft dodger hasn't a clue what "cocked and loaded" means.
35
It's hard to tell what or who to believe anymore -- that's the current state of affairs of this administration. Trump has surrounded himself with war mongers (Pompeo, Bolton, Stephen Miller), and does not even have a secretary of defense as a buffer between him and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Trump reneged on an agreement with Iran which, while not perfect, was by all accounts attaining it's main goal of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. But since this agreement was an achievement of Obama's, Trump had to undo it.
18
The president should have known what the casualty estimates were early in the process. I doubt that he first learned about them ten minutes before the operation. Of course, he is not the best listener in the world.
23
Well said David, were you in the Navy?
Another barrage of Trump lies. An estimate of casualties would have been part of the advance planning of any strike - not something Trump learned at the last moment. And the strike, if it had been launched, would have been airborne much more than 10 minutes before he decided to cancel it. Right out of the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld playbook that the GOP drags out to frighten the electorate. Trump, trying to appear 'presidential', yet moving the US toward another mid-East intervention. This episode should scare the pants off anyone who thinks DT is fit to hold office.
39
@John M Trump is essentially throwing Pence, Bolton, and Pompeo under the bus by saying he wasn’t aware of the casualties until minutes before the strike was to take place. I hope all three of those gentlemen take note that Trump will always put his own image and self-preservation above anyone else’s.
1
Iran should just plan on mobilizing 1,000 troops to nearby Canada, staging aircraft carriers off the coastline and flying drones around our ports. Perhaps enact some crippling economic sanctions, too. Stop of the flow of oil resources to the US. Take out a few of our nearby neighboring countries while they're at it, to destabilize the North America region.
I'm sure we'd just sit back and hang out like we're expecting them to do.
21
I so want to give Trump the benefit of the doubt, and I surely don't want to see another war. However, I fear the president suddenly recollected that Iran and Russia are allies.
Trump hardly cares about anyone dying. He's more afraid of angering Putin and losing out on any future Moscow deals. That's what stopped this. Yes, I have become that cynical!
14
Can we take this as a warning and a wake-up call—
Regarding an utterly unfit individual acting-out as "commander-in-chief".
And do we have the will to do something about it.
Before catastrophe. [He has already caused staggering damage.]
12
At times such as this, I could care less about Trump's 'policies' on this or that topic. Nor should any of his supporters care so much. What everyone of us should care about.... every American...much less every person on planet earth, and who understands that what the US does Does impact the rest of the world.... everyone of us should be greatly concerned about the national security threat that Trump himself poses. His bullying, insulting, juvenile, indecisive, reckless manner and behavior is his biggest fault.
Many of us Dems may not have cared for Bush, or Reagan, etc., but at least they conducted themselves in a 'presidential' manner. But Trump? He's a national embarrassment, and a serious danger for this nation. And he has been, since Day One.
His supporters need to think long and hard, about why they would want such a blatant buffoon goon, for their president a possible second term.
21
This President runs the country like he is still on the Apprentice.
Absolutely frightening...He represents himself as a macho Wildman with end stage narcissism.
Can someone in the White House tell him it is not about him but about the country. He is not in a John Wayne movie. He needs to act as a statesman not playing to his base. Is his White House years to be a sequel to the soap opera As the World Turns?
15
It’s hard to keep all his lies straight.
12
Why don't we drop Pompeo and Bolton in Iran and let them fight the Iranians themselves if they are so tough?Or better yet send the Ceos of the oil companies behind this and let them fight their own war and stop pretending is about more than $$.
15
@Morris Lee
You say the US interest is "about [no] more than $$."
If you say this with a solid awareness or Iran's bad behaviour over the last 40 years, fine. But some others think the middle east needs protection from Iran, and I agree with them.
The irony that the Iraq war was itself bad behaviour is not lost on me. But there is a reason I deem it beside the point, which I'll try to point out by analogy:
Let's say the police in Seattle are brutally corrupt, criminal even. Then, owing to burning a local gang war, riots, arson, and murderous rampaging break out all over the city. Should the corrupt Seattle police move in to stop the violence and restore order? Or, being corrupt and therefore wanting in legitimacy, should they remain in their station houses and let the city burn?
I expect my point is clear: The middle east needs the US to oppose Iran. The need, if any, for US atonement for its mistakes elsewhere in the region is a separate matter. Serious but separate.
@Morris Lee
You say the US interest is "about [no] more than $$."
If you say this with a solid awareness or Iran's bad behaviour over the last 40 years, fine. But some others think the middle east needs protection from Iran, and I agree with them.
The irony that the Iraq war was itself bad behaviour is not lost on me. But there is a reason I deem it beside the point, which I'll try to point out by analogy:
Let's say the police in Seattle are brutally corrupt, criminal even. Then, owing to a local gang war, riots, arson, and murderous rampaging break out all over the city. Should the corrupt Seattle police move in to stop the violence and restore order? Or, being corrupt and therefore wanting in legitimacy, should they remain in their station houses and let the city burn?
I expect my point is clear: The middle east needs the US to oppose Iran. The need, if any, for US atonement for its mistakes elsewhere in the region is a separate matter. Serious but separate.
Trump creates disaster then acts like a hero when he begins cleaning up HIS mess. 2020 cannot get here fast enough to get rid of this clown. Ive never been so sick of anything more then I am sick of Trump.
21
The good, the bad, the shiftless.
15
Every six-year-old in the United States knows what a drone is and wants one for his/her birthday. Every six-year-old in the United States is more knowledgeable than our President. These are truly frightening times. Trump does not know what he is doing. I fear the results of his provocative actions - withdrawing from the multi-lateral agreement with Iran when Iran was in compliance with the terms of the agreement.
20
The US hesitation is one more piece of the unraveling of the post-WWII framework in its many facets. A tenant of US imperialism was to maintain a 'multilateral' cover for every war: "allies," "coalitions," the UN. That has remained true up to this point. What stayed Obama's hand when his administration wanted to invade Syria was both the stinging defeat in Iraq but also the first ever refusal by their loyal British bulldog (er, ally) to sign on to the war. For the US to engage in an unsupported, unilateral war against Iran with no "allies," no UN resolution, and all to the contrary, would be to blow up the entire framework and accelerate inter-imperialist tensions. The US, while still the biggest 'capo' is a declining power. Surely the generals and 'titans of Wall Street' must have trembled at the prospect of undoing the known world. Every economic conflict sharpens, military plans are dusted and unfurled, the unthinkable suddenly becomes a possibility. The Europeans and Japanese imperialists would be further forced to rethink everything. The Russians and Chinese would be obliged to react as a matter of self-defense. Mix this in with trade wars, the abandonment of NATO, the US war drive against China. The pressure builds. Time to get rid of capitalism before it finishes us.
2
The Trump administration's actions towards Iran are inflaming this "crisis."
I suspect it is scripted, all-to-real, reality TV.
We may well see escalation and continued incidents to prop up Trump's and the GOP's poll numbers.
On the bright side, if journalists can uncover evidence of this suspicion, maybe it would finally be enough to whittle away a few GOP senators from Trump. If any remain with even a fraction of a spine.
7
With prior recent actions to arm Gulf nations and how we surrounded Iran with two bordering wars over the last 18 years, I consider a high likelihood of all this being staged to start a war. I understand Iran is a regional threat since their radical revolution in 1979, but there is the matter of being the bad guy that started a new war. Bolton knows what I mean. He's been around a long time deep. I suggest the wimpy Democrats recognize the multi decade strategy of taking over the south Asia Middle east region by force in a very long incremental mission creep. I do believe our actions such as this got us attacked on Sept. 11 and all this military radical rush to yet another regional conquest is insane and endangering our nation in the name of defense. I realize the dominant issue is nuclear weapons, but we were on the way to peace with Iran under Housani who was very compliant and seemed sincerely endeavoring for better relationships. I understand there were terrorists within the ranks there, but they were slowly declining. This isn't about Tankers and Drones. This is about a strategy begun in 1979 after the Radicals took our Embassy staff hostage. I know they are still hostile, but must we pound our chest for every episode. An antiwar movement must emerge because the future is clear. I want to stop aggresions to save American lives. I hope others agree. Force Peace on Israel and Palestine and let the hateful generations give way to greater peace. If your brave enough.
2
@SHAKINSPEAR
I hope I've helped Trump understand his situation better. He was correct to be questioning the rush to action. Good Job Trump. I'll never understand you, but good job. Now expunge the hawks that have your ear as a puppet. Thank you for saving American lives and treasure, the amount of which would have collapsed our economy. Good Job Trump. Peace .
Why are they a regional threat? What are they treateni g? This is propaganda. Are the Saudis a regional treat? Are we?
"But a senior Trump administration official said there was concern inside the United States government about whether the drone, or another American surveillance aircraft, or even the P-8A manned aircraft flown by a military aircrew, actually did violate Iranian airspace at some point. The official said the doubt was one of the reasons Mr. Trump called off the strike."
Let's simplify. The US government was concerned that Iran was perhaps right after all, so it called off airstrikes likely leading to war.
Seriously?
Whoops?
One can only hope this fiasco--this Keystone Cops version of foreign policy--gets a serious study at the US War College.
What kind of hair-brained decision making apparatus is this? We mounted D-Day, and now one hand can't even FIND the other, let alone wash it.
Trumpism is clearly harming the good discipline of effective government, where it counts most: life or death.
14
We [the US] knows exactly where the other hand is.
1
Drones flying who knows where, The Commander in Chief "cocked and loaded" and nobody in charge. Keystone Cops with launch codes!
15
The United States is not in a shooting war with Iran today, but we’re now squarely within the nightmare territory of foreign policy.
Though ego, incompetence, and weakness, the president has stumbled his way into a position where the United States is simultaneously an unreliable diplomatic partner-a country that doesn’t honor its agreements- and an indecisive military power. What competent commander tweets his inner monologue in real time for the world to follow?
Iran, North Korea, Russia, Turkey, and China now have a functional blueprint of Trump’s motives and limits. Obama’s biggest policy mistake was drawing the Red Line in Syria; now we have a president who trumpets equivocation in the Situation Room.
If we don’t have strong treaties, and the conflict lines we won’t unilaterally cross are known, what tools does the United States have to protect our interests abroad? Tucker Carlson prevailing upon Trump’s desire for re-election? What happens when Tucker or Shawn say ‘Go’?
2
This retreat is not good. It will only encourage other rogue states to do what they want to do and defy the U.S. because they know bone spurs is a weak and indecisive figure. This will lead to major problems with China and Russia.
This entire situation should be a matter for the UN to decide upon. What right have the US to police Iran and the ME region? Is it their private backyard? Are they following orders from their local allies? I would not think so.
So in short the US is almost ready to start what woul be at the minimum a regional war, potentially leading to millions killed and/or displaced, based on the shooting by Iranians of a piece of hardware (no human casualty) that was likely on the wrong side of Iran's territorial border in the first place, without consulting with the UN security council. What sort of madness is this?
6
Count me curious why neither the US nor Iran had radar covering the fraught, fragile territory in question.
1
The Iranians don't want to reveal how good their system is, the Americans don't want to reveal they lied.
4
Remember when we were told the war in Iraq would be "quick and easy . . . $60-billion, tops"? Remember "Mission Accomplished"? Draft dodging Donald Trump -- Cadet Bone Spurs -- has no military training, expertise or sensibility to be the Commander-in-Chief. Wars are easy to start, but once upon the tiger's back, you don't always get to choose the time to dismount. Once the bombs fall, the bullets fly and the blood flows, these conflicts can get out of hand in a hurry. The only way to win a war with Iran would be for the United States to do to Iran what we did to Germany and Japan in WWII, and that is not politically, morally and/or ethically practical going into the third decade of the 21st century. I'm with Nancy Pelosi: There needs to be an intervention in the White House.
14
How ever you want to interrupted it, he is a threat to all of us. He's not to be trusted in anyway shape or form.
8
This all seems like clumsy myth-making. Bolton and Pompeo are Trump's foreign policy goon squad. And what in Trump's tenure has been 'proportionate?'
It's ironic, because one of the reasons Yemeni warriors went to fight for ISIS was because the drone strikes against them (under Obama) were not proportionate. The US did not understand their culture of revenge, but after the US-backed Saudi coalition ransacked their country, they saw US support as the main reason the fighting persisted (logic courtesy of writer/diplomat Akbar Ahmed).
And here we have Trump violating laws and defying Congress to sell billions in arms to the Saudis, who hacked Jamal Khashoggi to death for public dissent, apparently not disproportionate for the Trump White House, which never publicly castigated Mohammed bin Salman. And who use those arms to prosecute war against the Houthis in Yemen, to the point of humanitarian catastrophe. Which is likely to befell Iran as the halving of oil revenues wreaks havoc on its economy.
7
I suspect that few of the US's (former) allies will offer to back the country up in its latest trumped-up war.
3
I’m not the first person to suggest that Mr. Trump should have known and considered the details before he ordered a strike.
Let my voice join the others. He is a disaster. He should be removed from the Oval Office.
16
Another mockery act to start a war at the expense of the American people who have not being paying attention. It’s as if the republican administration is nothing but a war propaganda machine staying afloat by repeatedly following the same mantra successfully over decades.
4
Trump’s description of the event as it unfolded is right out of a badly written made for TV movie. Of course he made himself the hero of the show, complete with dialogue with his generals using the word “Sir” a number of times. His Kool aid drinking supporters aside, who believes his spin on this frightening event? Trump shut the strike down because someone convinced him it would hurt his re-election chances; it had nothing to do with the possibility of Iranian casualties.
Someone used the word “proportionate “ in front of him and he liked it so much he made it his new word of the day.
14
Stockholm syndrome, gaslighting and delusion.
No way this happened as Trump described to Chuck Todd, moments before it's too late to reverse the order.
"They came in…about a half an hour before and said, 'Sir, we're about ready to go…we'd like your decision.' I said, 'I wanna know something before you go: how many people will be killed'—in this case Iranians—I said, 'How many people are going to be killed?' Uh, 'Sir, I'd like to get back to you on that.' Great people, these generals—they came back, said, 'Sir, approximately 150.' And I thought about it for a second and I thought, you know what, they shot down an unmanned drone—plane, whatever you wanna call it—and here we are sitting with 150 dead people that would have taken place about a half an hour after I said 'Go ahead,' and I didn't like it, I didn't think it was proportionate.'"
No way any general or adviser who deserves the position would go this far without A.) already knowing and advising casualties will be 150 and B.) themselves noting the huge escalation is not a proportional response to a drone shootdown that killed nobody.
This is kabuki theater so Trump gets credit for being smarter than "his generals."
The same M.O. we've seen his whole presidency: talk big, deteriorate things, make everyone fear the worst, then yield. Classic gaslighting. Stockholm syndrome, people manipulated to feel love and appreciation for their tormentor, torturer, kidnapper, the person who's actually causing the distress and harm.
24
Pompeo, Bolton, Graham - the jingoistic equivalents of G.W. Bush’s Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft. For once I think Trump should follow his instincts and be wary of these warmongers.
5
“he liked the “command” of approving the strike, but also the decisiveness of calling it off.” Trump’s sandbox - it’s just a game! Where is the war room with thoughtful discussion of facts? Did Trump walk in at the last minute? Faith in these people? Never!
9
The fact that Trump has the power to order an air strike is beyond scary. I wouldn’t trust him with watering a plant.
24
Trump the marketing genius is always aware of his image and how to enhance it. Determined to be the smartest guy in the room knowing more than any expert in any field. Trump always works hard to create a flattering image of himself ,the richest ,the stable genius,the best sex partner ever and now a great humanist worried about collateral damage at the last minute. To the rescue create a crisis set the building on fire and rush to the fire to put it out but always call in the media with Look At Me headlines, rinse and repeat Trump's M.O,
6
Today was like a tour through Trump’s brain and he’s deteriorating rapidly.
Difficult to understand how anyone can still believe Trump is fit to serve as President.
17
Three hours ago, I read Time Magazine’s transcript of their interview with Trump earlier this week. I cannot sleep. The level of sheer dementia on display in his rambling, repetitive speech is staggering. We need to have excerpts on the front page of every newspaper, reported on every news program, and read into the Congressional Record. Then ask Speaker Pelosi, AGAIN!, why impeachment hearings are not already underway. The 25th Amendment needs to be invoked but even if many members of his cabinet were not “acting” Secretaries they would never step up.
9
Our bleakest concerns of what could happen with this man as president have become a reality.
8
What is “a person familiar with the presidents thinking” supposed to mean? Is that someone close to the president? What is the nature of their familiarity? Plausible, but geez.
4
The last paragraphs in this article say it all. We have one government, ours, that has a long history of lying, that shot down an Iranian passenger aircraft with 290 people onboard, many women and children, and lied about it for 8 years. And another government that, whether we like it or not, told us the truth then, and is most probably telling the truth now.
Back then, with the most advanced radar system of the day, the Aegis on the Vincennes, we said that we could not distinguish between a large Airbus and an F14. We also said that we could not see that it was ascending and not descending. We did not issue any warnings on the civilian frequency although our Aegis system was recording the transponder signal from the Airbus operating on civilian mode, and proceeded to shoot down the plane, claiming that we thought it was an F14 trying to attack us, knowing full well that Iranian F14s were only equipped with air to air missiles and could not, even if they wanted to, attack our ship.
To make matters worse, we awarded a medal to the incompetent captain in charge of our ship who regularly violated Iranian territorial waters to invoke a response from Iranian fast boats and was actually involved in similar actions during the incident. And when Iranians asked for a formal apology, our VP, Georg Bush I, in his infinite wisdom offered these words: "I will never apologize for the United States. I don't care what the facts are."
So the question is: who do you believe people?
7
A proportionate response would be to shoot down all the drones Iran has flying along our coastlines.
8
I just want to let whoever wrote and edited this, if there’s some small chance that they read this, that the unexpected reference to the Iran Air incident at the end was a touch of brilliance. This is why I read y’all. I know I’ll always get the most important facts, and when context or perspective are needed, I trust your judgment to give a considered and thoughtful approach to the task.
4
"Shifting Stories on Iran." Of course there are shifting stories. When the definitive history of this administration is written, there will be two pages of footnotes for every page, just to keep track of the alternative facts.
6
So the military was lying. The drone WAS in Iranian territory. What a mess.
9
trump is not believable. I do not buy his statement that he thought, at the last minute, of how many might die. I am sure the military advisors had included that in their original assessment. trump is doing all this as a re-election strategy. Shameful man.
9
never escalate a conflict that you can't win (Clausewitz). the Iranians are not stupid and must surely know that.
2
Vlad's calling the shots here.
7
Liz Cheney and company should stay quiet, architects of the disastrous Iraq War
8
I couldn’t get my NPR station today And hit “seek”
on the car radio. Limbaugh was in the air, followed by Hanity, then Levin. Once upon a time these were the voices of neo-com hawks. Today they praise Trump for keeping us out of these useless wars. I agree with the useless wars business. But these guys are nothing but a vast, alt-right propaganda machine. It’s was sickening. Mike Huckaby was on Hanity praising his martyred daughter Sara, as if she were a misunderstood font of wisdom in a parched desert of socialist media elites. Limbaugh spent an hour predicting how the Democratic Party elites are going to set Biden to the curb, and reminded the listeners of all of the trouble Biden’s son has had with addiction and being dismissed from the Naval Academy. These people stop at nothing. Blah, Blah, Blah, Yada, Yada, Yada.....
3
Based on what I see of Fox New at the gym you would think we’ve been at war with Iran for the last 3 months. That is, until today when the president showed “so much restraint” (eye roll).
4
Thank goodness we have Trump to save us from Trump.
12
He likes playing toy soldiers
4
Now that the President has been formally accused of rape, one wonders if he will reinstate the retaliatory strike to divert attention from a quite serious accusation.
6
If Trump’s lips are moving, that means he’s lying. Either he wasn’t paying attention during the briefing, or he’s lying about the last minute query. Do you mean to tell me there was no consideration for collateral damage in their plan, and it was only our dear leader who stopped to ask the question 10 minutes out? Yeah, right. Such a bogus lie, especially when he provides the added color of the “sir, yes sir” by his “generals”. Then the quick pivot to “We’re adding more sanctions” line which again is totally false, aka, another lie. He’s a moron at best and he thinks we’re all suckers like his base.
10
"Cocked." Yes, language that is so revelatory of this president's persona.
6
The US certainly is “cocked,” has been since 2016.
8
Again, the President of the United States shows his ignorance of the English language --- As any 10-year-old child knows, the proper idiom is "locked and loaded" --- So again, America is the laughing stock of the world. And this on top of the narcissist president's lies about "uncocking and unloading" due to the potential deaths of human beings - What, pray tell, was he thinking of in the first place when he order the "cocking and loading", death to machinery? And how clever that he framed it making himself appear to be the benevolent one (while he's been directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent families in Yemen with American military commanders - under his command to please the Saudi royal family -directing the Saudi bombing of Yemen) when the real reason is that the U.S. military was most likely invading Iranian territory. Hello, shades of Gary Power all over again. When will citizens see some sense sanity returned too the White House?
6
@Jeanette Colville
Shades of the "WMD" in Iraq. The U.N. Inspectors stated there were none; they were correct. "W" and Cheney threw them out and attacked a country having no part in 9/11; however Iraq did have oil fields. We killed an unknown number if Iraqis; we destroyed hospitals, schools, homes and infrastructure. We allowed the looting of a museum filled with ancient artifacts. Now U.N. Inspectors have stated Iran is NOT producing weapons grade plutonium, and is in compliance with the Agreement signed by the U.S., its allies and China. Again, there are oil resources in Iran. Odd that we are aligned with Saudis who murdered more than 2,000 Americans on 9/11. Not to mention that it was Eisenhower, the CIA, and BP Oil which unseated Iran's leader, Mossadegh, who was going to nationalize Iran's oil reserves. This will be a proxy war on behalf of Israel and Saudi Arabia who claim to be threatened by Iran. Israel has nukes; the Saudis want nukes; Iran does not have nukes and does not trust either of the above. Kushner is deep into Israel; Trump has business interests in SA; Bolton is nuts; Miller is an unqualified liar. Why not destroy another ME country? It worked so well the last time.
1
it's really interesting to watch Trump start lying about his own behavior...spinning it into a story that makes him feel good about how he (mis)handled this whole situation. You can literally sit and watch him change pertinent details and events right in front of your eyes... so that account of what he did is different when he finishes the story than it was when he started.
50
Not buying he stopped an attack 10 minutes before it was launched.
The number of potential casualties would in in planning briefings.
Well, that is unless he dozed off when that powerpoint slide was up.
It's hard for him to stay awake through all 5 slides.
18
I think the key question we should ask ourselves is how much pressure will Bolton and Pompeo place on Trump to retaliate militarily? We have not seen the last of the escalating saber rattling. Let’s pray all of this does not lead to a Mideast conflagration.
8
I am glad that the president changed his mind, but I cannot concur with the readers who praise him. Hawks such as Pompeo and Bolton hold their positions, because their appointments by the president.
179
@Bob Hillier
Earth to Bob: Pompeo and Bolton are both crazy, crazy Neocons.
16
@Susan Hatfield - Earth to Susan: that's what Bob was pointing out.
21
Welcome to the Truman show, folks. Look for another installment tomorrow.
9
The decision was made for political reasons: Trump's "base" doesn't want a war; they just want to look like they want a war.
239
@Charles Kaufmann:
Trump's base has no idea what it wants; they're not too bright, and are hateful. It/they are a part of a cult. If Trump starts a war, they would be happy to send their sons; some think he's some sort of "chosen one".
And Pompeo thinks we're in a religious war; he believes we're near the end of times.
Scary.
43
@Charles Kaufmann
Trump was a five time draft dodger. Most of his "base" are made of the same metal.
33
@Charles Kaufmann_Under any scenario would Iran attack these tankers? There's no plausible reason I can possibly think of. How can the Trump claim have any credibility?
2
Trump claims that he called off air strikes against Iran once he was informed that it would lead to about 150 civilian deaths. How come we never hear of similar concerns or empathy when thousands of Yemenis get killed by Saudi airstrikes? Where is this concern when it comes to the plight of migrants trying to reach our southern border? Did his concern disappear when his policies directly contributed to the separation of migrant children from their parents?
Trump's Iran policy has already led us into precarious uncertainty. Until and unless the madness of this administration is stopped, things are going to get worse, with serious implications for our relationship with our allies and adversaries alike.
21
Only Trump--ONLY Trump--could possibly think that it makes him look good (decisive) to make the decision to attempt, and then pull it off. More like he's addicted to chaos and drama.
361
@KB - In Trump's mind, it's all reality television. He thinks it makes him look good, and that's his only reason for doing anything. There is no strategy here.
28
Where are we as a nation when many of us are more apt to believe Iran than the shifting, duplicitous, double-dealing, backtracking explanations of our own president?
31
I watched him say how he asked how many people would be killed. He sounded like he was lying. I doubt he gave it a second thought.
More like the other people in the room were talking him down.
He likes to toot his own trumpet. He likes to come across like he’s some savior. As though he just saved 150 lives.
23
Not hard to imagine why Liz feels a stronger response is appropriate. Haliburton would definitely benefit from another prolonged misadventure in this part of the world...and by the way, I haven't read any hypothesizing about a possible Emirati / Saudi axis behind this? Maybe with the collusion (yeeeesssss, collusion) of Mossad? It would suit all three parties to have their war fought for them.
10
Trump likes stirring the pot and first creating chaos...then declaring victory by stepping it down a notch or two...So, first trying to bully Iran to a bargaining table with the hope of declaring victory regardless of outcome...Instead he got to say he almost started a major war and backed away when he realized there would be 150 dead Iranians...He doesn't seem to mind the separated toddlers who sleep on floors as a consequence of his immigration orders...Hard to believe anything he says.
13
Trump creates problems that he solves with make believe solutions that are only in his head, and then his staff and the rest of the Republicans party twist themselves into a pretzel justifying the unjustifiable.
I am truly concerned his base will following him over the cliff.
10
I am truly glad that Trump did not resort to violence - yet.
1
Maybe he meant "mocked and goaded"?
15
Isn’t someone tweeting about a military operation announcing it called treason?
Seems Like it.
2
This president is either a Liar, again, or we have the worst security, military force in history. Is he wanting us to believe that our security system costing billions did not check out the effects of possibly starting a nuclear war, and it was only because of his already self-attested to "genius" that he asked the question and the fools in the room said "Oh! good question, let us go check it out" C'mon, once again the man is staging his TV show now playing daily in the White House. When are the Republicans going to realize that they now look even more foolish and dangerous than he.
11
I think it is interesting that he used the language of his base, "cocked and loaded" (you mean, "locked" and loaded?) and then used the language of the US legal establishments and the UN, "proportionate retaliatory force" to explain to his base why he chose human life over the need to command and control, which is what his base would expect. I still wonder if there is a reality TV show producer somewhere making this Presidency into a great Shakespearean play for the 21st Century, and in real time showing the small minded that they too can choose to be great when the moment demands it.
5
I feel like Trump wasn't included in the plans until the last minute. That would explain the timing of everything. I wouldn't include him until the last minute possible either. This is just a feeling, not a fact.
3
Trump is pleased with himself because he got to play the decisive commander-in-chief making "tough" decisions with real bombers and missiles -- what an absurd farce! Republican cowardice, irresponsibility, and ignorance have brought this country to an all-time low -- and the full price has yet to be paid.
8
@RT
The next generation will pay the full price when the cost of the permanent tax gift to Trump's rich cohort reduces revenue by a trillion dollars. Infrastructure, now failing, will have to be repaired and maintained. The public school system will cost millions to update and upgrade. Premiums paid to the insurance industry will continue to rise as they need to have access to health care. Service jobs will continue to be low pay without benefits; factory jobs will still be in Mexico. Big Ag will still control farming. Industrial pollution will still impact air, water, and National Parks. Gerrymandering will keep a corrupt GOP in power. The Greatest Generation left me with a prosperous safe world. The current leadership will leave our children with an unsafe financially insecure world.
Does Trump actually expect us to believe that his military advisors failed to give him the details about potential loss of life when they first briefed him on the military options? He is such a bald-faced liar.
24
Ready, Fire, Aim!
The pit in my stomach from the day after the election has grown into a tree full of rotten peaches.
7
Pathetic coverage from the Times.
What are you saying?
What do YOU think happened?
Why are we so helpless all of a sudden?
Helpless to understand what is really going on.
Or is it just a game?
Wag the dog?
It is not funny.
3
Trump's real boss, Vladimir Putin, told him to back off if he wants Russian help in 2020.
4
Uh? Stupid question perhaps, but has anyone identified the national registry of the oil tankers that were attacked and precipitated all the chest pounding? Are they even our Tankers? What company? What registry or flag do the tankers display? Or is this entire episode an oil industry endeavor to bring us to war, as if it hasn't happened before?
2
In incidents like this, you NEVER get the truth
It took one hundred years to learn that the Lusitania was not an innocent passenger ship or that the Maine blew up due to a technical fault in Havanna
Or, to cite more recent incidents, the Israeli attack on the US intelligence ship on the USS liberty - 34 Americans killed according to the survivors intentional, but to both the US and Israel a "regrettable error"
2
Putin told Trump not pursue an Iran strike. Trump listened
1
I cannot believe that Trump would think for a minute that anyone would believe him about anything...especially Iran. He withdrew from the treaty with Iran and now wants them to follow the rules...the rules that he rejected. The hubris...this is real dictator territory. Please, VOTE!
12
It’s simple...he decided he’d look like a hero if he “saved” everything.
Classic and dangerous....learned from Kim is my guess.
4
This story is typical Trump deflection at its best. It shows the lack of experience and foresight and the continuing controversy and misinformation that comes out of his mouth like lava from a Volcano. If anyone thinks he cares about the Iranian Citizens who may have been hurt/killed just consider what is happening at the Mexican/US border with the South Americans who have tried to emigrate to the US. It is a catastrophe of epic proportions and Trump could care less about those people. So why should he care about 150 Iranians many of whom were probably military. What a disgusting episode in our History under this alledged Know It All who couldn't manage a Little League baseball game without making himself the center of attention. I don't buy he rationale that one drone does not equal 150 Iranians. It;s more like he was consoled to back off and not escalate matters. He is a liar and can not be trusted.
5
I don't know what to think since Trump is entirely untrustworthy and a liar to boot. I'm pleased he didn't bomb Iran but I'm not sure the reasons he offered are legitimate. This is the result of having a Liar in Chief who rarely tells the truth.
8
Shame Trump doesn’t understand the term is locked and loaded and unmanned drone.
His comment “Iran was lucky no one was inside the drone or there would be big problems”
Umm, Dear Leader it’s called unmanned ‘cause there’s no windows on drones.
3
@Boris Spending time and energy on educating the stable genius, the one who is
- smarter
- richer
- more forgiving
- less racist
- more knowledgeable
- more accomplished
- more handsome
- more mannered
- least misogynist
- more normal
- more intelligent
than anyone else, is futile. Everyone should know that by now.
So, was this Global Hawk one of the versions set to be mothballed in 2013?
Now they are saying that Tucker Carlson on FOX news is responsible for the Trump decision not to attack Iran. The only explanation is that Carlson is just as attached to Putin as Trump is. But smarter.
2
I hate Tucker Carlson worse than Trump. Maybe it will turn out they both are capable of doing the right thing on one occasion without an ulterior motive, but the odds of that seem similar to winning the lottery. So I have to wonder if Kremlin propaganda is having an undue influence on both parties.
2
why on earth would anyone believe the United States' account of the location of the drone when it was shot down? At this point one has to be massive sucker to believe anything the Americans say with regards to potential conflicts in the Middle East.
11
I can’t help but think that this whole Iranian adventure is another manufactured crisis, coming right as trump begins his re-election campaign. The whole line about being worried about civilian casualties is just another lie. He wasn’t worried at all about nuclear fallout after threatening to blast North Korea off the face of the earth. There was never going to be an attack; he is at core, a coward.
5
I’m baffled at all of the presumably well intentioned readers taking this stunt at face value.
This is political theater at its finest, and if NYT readers are praising this white supremacist for avoiding a crisis of his own making, then we really are doomed.
11
“locked and Loaded” is why we need a woman as President...and Vice-President.
9
In 1987, my husband, our three young children and I were living in Miami, FL. My husband was a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch. On a Friday in October of that year, the stock market fell more than 500 points. That was the most it had fallen in one day since the Great Depression. People lost fortunes. On Monday morning my husband went to work. A depressed customer entered the office building, murdered the manager, shot my husband, and then shot himself in his head. My husband was paralyzed, in a wheelchair, and in pain for the rest of his life. Our family was never whole again. That Trump used the term “cocked and loaded” to describe himself as he aborted his own order to start a war, is stunning. Every person who has been impacted by this country’s horrific gun violence, should be appalled by Trump’s own description of his mind on the verge of ordering the attack of a nation, and changing the order of the world. Instead of showing contrition for an his actions,
he is currently talking about what a considerate leader he is, because he realized at the last minute he was not producing a TV show, but commanding a real life conflict that would kill people. Trump should apologize for his disgusting self description, “cocked and loaded”. He should apologize to all victims of gun violence in the US, and the world. He should apologize to the world for his reckless, mindless behavior.
28
`Fox & Friends' isn't on again until Monday morning. That means the world has to spend the weekend wondering what Trump will do next.
11
"the president, for one, was pleased with Thursday night’s events because he liked the 'command' of approving the strike, but also the decisiveness of calling it off."
Authorize a strike that threatens 150 lives, call it off, and promptly anoint yourself their savior in a kind of moral wash sale... We've arrived in pure Joseph Heller territory here. Or that of the child who kills his parents and begs for mercy as an orphan.
11
What if Iran had backed out of the nuclear treaty and took measures to cripple our economy? Then, let's say, they began sending sophisticated weaponry to Cuba and Venezuela. Then they deployed warships to America's east coast and started sending a couple thousand troops to Nova Scotia and unmanned drones near or into our air space. And suppose they were committing human rights violations like separating the children of refugees from their parents who came seeking shelter and put them in concentration camps. I wonder if we'd consider these actions as unacceptable and consider counter measures. Do you think we might shoot down a drone?
Iran is a bad actor, no doubt, but sometimes it's helpful to put the shoe on the other foot before you make a decision about going to war.
There is no evidence to suggest Trump has the intelligence to make a decision. He blurts out, that's all. And only rarely does he blurt out anything true or intelligent. Very rarely.
Trump didn't start a war today. Way to go, Donny. Fantastic job.
12
Many of us know that our President doesn't like military aviators who get captured. I kind of hope our flight crews in the Gulf don't know that.
4
We keep forgetting what former mayor of NYC Ed Koch said about Donald Trump. "I would not believe a thing Donald Trump says even if his Tongue is notarized". I think Trump's response to the Drone shootdown is a big lie.and nonsense....that claiming he responded 10 minutes before an attack would make him seem more presidential to his base by preventing armed conflict. I have not seen anything he has done to make america great North Korea, Iran, most of our former allies, trade...nothing is settled all are a mess.
15
I wonder if this means John Bolton will be the next major departure from the Trump administration. He must be frustrated beyond belief.
Bolton finally had his war against a much weaker victim almost within his grasp, but his pusillanimous president snatched it away from him at the last moment and even took the victim's side!
He joined the administration to start a war -- even a small one. So what's the point of sticking around as National Security Adviser if you aren't allowed to at least fire some cruise missiles at such an obvious and willing mark as Iran?
Mike Pompeo is probably pretty miffed as well; his habitual waving of his big stick at foreign diplomats will now provoke suppressed smirks instead of trembling knees. All that power to intimidate, squandered by a feckless poseur!
6
We need to create a no confidence vote so we can vote out dangerous duds like this "president" under circumstances like this one. Either that or an ejector seat in his oval office desk chair. We can all cheer in unison, "You're fired!" as he flies through the air.
17
‘“I thought about it for a second and I said, ‘You know what? They shot down an unmanned drone, plane, whatever you want to call it,’” Mr. Trump told NBC’s Chuck Todd in an interview’....
Well, thank goodness that the president deigns to think, for a second, about whether to start a war.
Please. Make it stop.
14
why should we believe Trump's account of what has happened or not happened thus far in this drama? the man cannot be trusted and is a pathological liar. honestly, his story about an imminent attack by the U.S., narrowly averted by the wave of his hand, is likely a fiction, ginned up to give the impression that he is merciful and that the U.S. government does not want to go to war again.
12
@Father of One
Perhaps the Saudis and the Israelis realized that Iran was not the fractured tribal Iraq. Iran is unified in defense of its country; it does have a military and a lot of oil resources; it controls the important Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping lane. It also has a young well educated population, able to recognize propaganda and the value of the wider commercial world. Young Chinese have grown up learning about the Rape of Nanking. No doubt young young Iranians have grown up learning about Mossadegh, the puppet Shah, the part our CIA played with BP Oil , and the reason for their revolution.
With this mindless individual in the white house we are all in jeopardy. Trump has not displayed a single sign of intelligence, preparedness, strategic planning, judgement and human understanding. This man should be removed by art 25 before we all lose everything. Our nation itself is at stake.
14
Trump is lying (again).
Our so called "commander in chief" cannot command anything.
Someone else ordered this attack in Trump's name.
Someone else called off this attack in Trump's name.
Trump didn't know anything about this attack until after it was called off.
Quoting the story: "But two senior United States officials said again on Friday that the military had received the president’s go-ahead and that jets were headed toward targets in Iran when the mission was aborted."
The "president's go-ahead" wasn't really the president.
America is in REAL trouble.
9
"My Generals." "I decided [to order the bombing]." "I decided to stop [it]." Common refrains from a man so desperately needing validation; needing to feel important. Not once has any other President referred to military personnel in the possessive- that is, My People. Trump the warrior-then savior.
Hopefully, enough individuals- in 2020 will come to realize America does not need an alternative-reality Tee-Vee personality to run a complex nation in a complex world.
11
So embarrassing. Does anyone really believe that the military didn't provide casualty estimates before moving forward? Trump threw the Pentagon under the bus...
14
Considering Russia’s long association with Iran, it looks like Vladimir Putin gave Trump a call just in time. Hopefully, this is another obvious ploy to get his poll numbers up. But it could easily be the beginning of what may be a long hot summer across the globe if cooler heads don’t prevail.
Does anyone really believe that Trump cares about the deaths of 150 Iranians; or anybody in the Middle East besides the Saudi’s or the Israeli’s?
7
I agree with you. Yet, Mr. T will get enough votes to be the next US president.
Lucky for us, good cop Trump stopped bad cop Trump from getting us into yet another war. This heroic act comes shortly after good cop Trump prevented bad cop Trump from imposing tariffs on our Mexican imports. Plus, good cop Trump also saved us from having bad cop Trump shut down the gov't over border wall funding.
Anyone detect pattern here? Speak up in November 2020, if you're getting tired of this act.
18
This is what happens when you have a habitual liar in the Oval. When the American public cannot trust the decision making account of THE most critical and important decision he has to make, then it is time to gr rid of that individual.
When the explanation from a country such as Iran, are more believable than our own POTUS, then it is time to get rid of that individual.
This country is in a very unfortunate and insecure position. We are working in an area of trust and honesty when it comes to our military. Keeping Americans safe is the first and more important role of the POTUS.
How can we even begin to trust this man on matters of such importance, when his track record is so unreliable?
12
Understand please I am not a Trump supporter. Never have been, never will be. So far from....but seriously...will people please stop critisizing him as he struggles with this Iran crisis. Just let him work it out without a war. Back off. He needs support and to not be haunted by my fellow democrats. Tomorrow is another day but for now stop rocking his boat. Dont be a mean Trump supporter in reverse. Let the man concentrate. I'm voting Warren anyway...but I'd like to get there without a world war. And if you think any other way, you've stopped making sense.
2
If Donald Trump has a sincere moral aversion to bloodshed, then he should not just step back from pulling triggers. He should also step back from handing America's most advanced weapons over to the Saudis, because they are going to use those weapons to do far worse than the attack Trump called off.
11
"Mr. Trump...was pleased with Thursday night’s events because he liked the “command” of approving the strike, but also the decisiveness of calling it off."
In other words, he likes the power he has. Like a bully he can decide to beat up his victim, or not. WOW, that's power.
But isn't the issue: Is this the right thing to do?
9
Scary stuff. Where were his advisors? It's almost impossible to believe that his military advisors did not tell him that there would be casualties. So either Trump is lying or his advisors are incompetent. Either way we could be closer to an unintended war than anyone, including the President, is aware.
3
In 1988 the US shot down an Iranian Airbus A300. Loss of life 290 souls, 66 children. The US never apologized. The involvement of the US in Iranian affairs is about oil. Oil, Oil, more oil.
Putin called Donald and told him to stop trying to start a war. He obeyed. The Trump cult doesn’t understand that Donald was bought and paid for by Putin. Iran is Russia’s neighbor. Don can rattle his saber but Putin bought and paid for his American President and he is calling the shots.
The US is now a weird shadow country, filled with crazy bureaucrats who are allies of Ayn Rand and the Koch brothers.The next step in this bizarre psychodrama is for one of the actors to go off script and start shooting. Or the Greenland ice sheet melts and the northern half of the world is submerged. In the meantime humans want to whine about their national identity.
10
What would have happened if the general said 10, instead of 150?
9
Never had liked this President since he was elected. But I do support some of his policies, to different degrees. His calling off attack on Iran, no matter what the real motivation(s) might be, is one decision that I really support. US cannot have another war any more.
2
". . . a person familiar with Mr. Trump’s thinking said that the president, for one, was pleased with Thursday night’s events because he liked the “command” of approving the strike, but also the decisiveness of calling it off."
I would be nervous if this guy was a street cop, directing traffic during rush hour. The fact that he is the Commander in Chief who likes "commanding" something like an air strike and then likes "calling it off" does not inspire trust, strength, courage, confidence nor sound judgement. And yet many are praising this guy for stopping something he initially wanted to do - up to the final 10 minutes before aborting the mission. These are not the actions of a rationale or sound minded human being.
16
Trump did the right thing. He actually spoke the truth. He deserves credit for resisting the arm-chair warriors who have all too often directed US war policy. I am ashamed to say that the people who wanted to appear "tough on crime" have often been the people who want to draw lines in the sand and then acted out regardless of changing circumstances. The Clintons.
I do not support Trump or his cohort, but at least he does not have to use war to press a point.
3
He shredded the agreement = tinder. He imposed sanctions = wind.
He labeled their military terrorist = gasoline or jet fuel if you like.
The hawks:Trump, Pompeo, Connor, Lindsey threats and preening = fire.
How could things go so wrong?
3
G.W. knew that no sitting Pres was ever voted out of office during a war. That is why we went to war against Iraq; though his father had destroyed 90% of Iraq's military, with a coalition force.
Is trump thinking the same? Only he wants to go it alone?
2
Experience and common sense screams for me to say that Trump never does anything that isn't in what he perceives as his own self interest in the moment. If at this moment it has seemed to be the best decision I cannot help but say again and again BEWARE AND NEVER FORGET THE PERSON HE IS
6
This all becomes irrelevant if the world is able to shift away from fossil fuels and use renewables.
4
The presidents performance isn’t surprising and further proof of the collapsed mental state of a man that shouldn’t be making such decisions. It amazes that those in collaborative power do not mandate via subpoena a full mental and emotional valuation. Too much at stake
3
Why was it nobody, Congress or the media, asked why the military planned a retaliation of hitting 3 sites with potential lost of 150 Iranians? The fact that Pompeo and Bolton nevertheless wanted to go through with it and Trump didn't, for once, in that moment, Trump seemed to be the adult in the room.
Additionally, in what universe, the United States has the authority to, in essence, carry out capital punishment of potentially 150 non-Americans, without due process of jurisprudence, who are definitely innocent of any crime other than being Iranians?
3
Bravery means you made a choice when you were scared but you made the right choice.
I do not support this president in any way, but when was the last time an American leader called off a planned military attack because of lack of proportionality?
3
Apparentlythe presidency in this administration is like gaming. I feel pretty insecure with the current leadership's actions.
1
There is no coherent US policy regarding Iran. Except perhaps to provoke it to war or "regime change" – and unknown consequences.
We've already done the 'regime change' thing in Iran. In the 50's we helped to orchestrate a coup that removed their democratically elected ruler and installed the repressive Shah. Which led to the Iranian Revolution and the present status quo.
The opportunity to stumble as Trump and his bellicose advisers traverse this dark path is ever-present. The stakes and consequences of another haphazard military intervention in the Middle East tar baby are enormous and unpredictable.
Pray that the last guy to leave the room isn't John Bolton.
5
Donald Trump has only one "strategy" and it's called: We'll see what happens.
8
Isn’t it standard procedure to have done a risk assessment as a part of planning such an action? Don’t they routinely assess the risk of fatalities? The likelihood of success? Risk of damage to our planes and ships? And we are to believe that at that last minute, Trump asked, “How many people will die?” And “his generals” said, “We don’t know.” And then he called it off?
3
Off topic interlude to break up the insanity: I got to pet a ringtailed lemur today. It was completely unexpected. I went into a liquor store chain to get a six pack and it was sitting there on a woman's shoulder. It was a brand ambassador for a rum which used vanilla from Madagascar and whose profits went to a conservation charity in Madagascar. It was so soft and friendly. Everyone who came in the door had a drastic change to their expression once they saw it. "Friday, off work, need something to relax with." And there is an unexpected beautiful lemur. This is off-topic but it brightened up my day and I hope it does the same for you.
7
Consider that there is a time-tested, repeated pattern here. Trump creates crises which only he can solve, and thus becomes the hero of the day.
By publicly disagreeing with Bolton and Pompeo, Trump has shown the world that he is a independent leader [thinker?], who [apparently] prefers peace to war. Ditto with his decision to strike Iran, which he quickly rescinded.
This is orchestrated political theatre. He is currently playing good cop / bad cop, so when he finally decides to go in (and we will), he can take the Teflon™ position that he was against it all along, but had no choice in the end. He is the only one who is able to save the world, you see.
The die was cast quite awhile ago. Wait for the manifestation . . . it's coming.
8
Why wasn’t the predicted number of casualties disclosed when the attack was initially discussed?
4
The fact remains that Trump and his neocon wark hawks are the ones attempting to provoke a war.
The U.S. didn't "back out" of the international nuclear non-proliferation agreement that was agreed to by leading nations, long term allies and members of the Security Council. The U.S. violated the treaty in fact and in spirit and then proceeded to ratchet up an effort to provoke a military conflict by imposing crushing economic sanctions, which largely harm children and the poor and Iran.
The Iran mullahs are people with whom I have no common ground, and I wish they would let their nation govern without reference to religion. A government should never be defined by religion. That doesn't give this nation or me the right to attempt to wag the dog of war, manipulate and or fabricate or worse facilitate acts of agent provocateur to justify corrupt, self-serving motives of nations who have themselves participated in actions even more at odds with the principles upon which our country allegedly stands.
That Trump was within minutes of authorizing deadly force is utterly messed up. I am glad Trump didn't authorize the action but that he was prepared to launch, without pre-knowledge of the fact that hundreds of people, some more than likely civilians, indicates corruption and incompetence.
What is perhaps more bothersome is how utterly unconcerned the mainstream press is with presenting the truth rather than spin.
Real Journalism = unvarnished truth-telling.
4
President Trump won't win the Nobel Peace Prize for sure this year.
2
He made the right call, God love'im...
Mocked and goaded.
3
Congress and the media played by Trump again. Mosul and other cities were flattened by Trump's green light to the military and resulted in thousands of civilians killed along with ISIS fighters. He advocated ripping families apart at the border. He has stiffed small business owners and workers. He had unprotected sex with a porn star while his third wife was nursing a newborn. The man is amoral. Everything is for show. He wants us to believe that when he orders a future strike against his adversary that we all remember how concerned he was about human life. There will be pictures of our grieving man in the White House who had to reluctantly kill to protect us. Elect a conniving, hateful narcissist without a soul and expect a man of compassion? What a bunch of dupes.
5
Did Putin call him & tell him to call it off?
3
Crazy. Our country has gone insane under this man. Help!
6
Typical bully behavior.
4
This show needs to be canceled before people get hurt. Also Liz Cheney needs to stop calling for war and getting our soldiers killed for a stupid reason.
7
@Sue
Her father was behind the Iraq war; he had all their oil fields mapped out prior to our invasion. He saw nothing wrong in the lies about Iraq's part in 9/11. He saw nothing wrong with supporting the Saudis who bankrolled 9/11. He and Rumsfeld saw nothing wrong with allowing Iraq's museums to be looted, "stuff happens". He and "W" saw nothing wrong with destroying a modern country's infrastructure, its schools and hospitals, the destruction of its Baathist leadership and its intellectuals who fled. He saw nothing wrong with the destruction of Iraqi families and homes. Why is anyone listening to, and quoting his daughter?
If it happened at all...they were sending jets with pilots? Why not a cruise missile if this stupid aggression had to be made at all?
Attention Prospective Future Trump Biographers, we've got the perfect title for your book:
Cocked and Loaded
4
I would venture that Trump was "half-cocked and fully loaded", except that he is a teetotaler. Shame, it would have been a wonderful pun.
4
I am not a Trump fan, but I fully support his decision not to launch an attack on Iran. After all, he is responsible for starting the chain of events that has brought him and the country to this point. He unilaterally abandoned an agreement that the Obama Administration and our allies had signed with Iran and then imposed sanctions, again unilaterally, to squeeze and destabilize the economy of Iran. At least, his latest decision not to escalate a conflict he himself created is good for all sides.
1
Except that he DID decide to launch a mission—then for some reason called it off with minutes to spare.
3
Trump is perpetually, loudly half-cocked.
3
Trump might have been for a brief moment a prophet. In the first tweet substitute Trump for Obama and Syria for Iran.
In the second tweet, he's offering up the same reasoning he used for choking (Trump loves to accuse others of "choking") when it came to attacking Iran.
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
President Obama's weakness and indecision may have saved us from doing a horrible and very costly (in more ways than money) attack on Syria!
207
3:48 AM - Sep 1, 2013
Twitter Ads info and privacy
555 people are talking about this
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
If the U.S. attacks Syria and hits the wrong targets, killing civilians, there will be worldwide hell to pay. Stay away and fix broken U.S.
8,768
6:55 PM - Sep 2, 2013
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Trump made the right decision.
We don't need to be in another war. Iran is reacting to the sanctions.
2
Which one of his two decisions are you applauding?
3
does Twitter have a top secret clearance?
8
Cadet Bone-spurs believes in shouting loudly and carrying a small stick. Stormy Daniels did tell us about the small stick. It's obvious to any sane person that all the escalation in conditions with Iran are all Trumpy's doing.
21
Reality TV Show. We are going to war. A day later, and now I, Donald J Trump, I said to myself, I have decided for the greater good of Mankind to not waste any lives. Why will the Fake Press not congratulate me..........because you running a Banana Republic with The Top Banana in charge.
17
Let’s start a war over an unmanned drone! Seriously, does anyone have the integrity to stand up to these inept, corrupt, immoral fools! Congress take back you power to declare war and put presidential power back in check. Do your jobs!
28
The military hates being given ambiguous instructions by a draft-dodger. What a lousy excuse for a commander-in-chief! He can't even get control of himself, let alone the whole US military!
19
"cocked and loaded" - how absolutely disgusting that the "president" talks this way. Can he decide the fate of the world all by himself? Is this what it has come to now - we have the most foul of men representing us who cares about nothing and nobody except himself and he can declare war all on his own?
26
Translation: "some one told me I'd lose money by striking Iran"
I can't believe anything this mentally challenged Narcissist says, ever.
25
“Cocked and loaded” is exactly why we need a woman as President and Vice President.
33
Cocked and loaded. How little men do strut.
34
You got that right. Those of who served know the correct term is locked and loaded.
3
And, not least, was this not an Emmy worthy production? Choreographed, directed and starring the one and only ...…...….ad nauseum
17
If you believe a story from a person that lied 11,000 times since in office, you must have been hypothesized by Murdoch and minions!
17
Why does the media keep falling for these con jobs?
The whole thing was staged to try to scare Iran without actually doing anything.
13
Again, Trump destroys something that was working (the joint agreement), then "comes to the rescue" to look like the hero (supposedly calling off an immanent military strike that would have killed hundreds).
This is delusional behavior.
The world is not a TV show. When people die, they are forever gone, not just written off the script. The buildings in countries are not props that can rebuilt for next week's installment. Trump's first campaign started off riding down an escalator with paid actors cheering for him. It's gotten more preposterous, since.
The men and women in uniform are not extras from Central Casting. They are somebody's children, parents, friends and loved ones. Treat them with the respect they deserve. They are willing to die for us and for their Commander in Chief. At least make the reason mean something other than TV ratings and Twitter likes.
27
A moment of sanity. Don't knock it. HC would have had the heads mounted on her wall.
2
@Daphne
It's not sanity, it is theatre of the absurd or a kind of Munchausen Syndrome or histrionic personality disorder. He needs the attention and glory of being magnanimous or the rescuer.
I don't like HRC at all, but she wouldn't have put us in this position to begin with.
3
@historyRepeated
I do like the Clintons and the work of the Clinton Foundation. 26 years of right wing smears continue to drag Hillary Clinton into every GOP failure. She was a good First Lady who tried to help single mothers with dependent children. She was a good NY State Senator who fought for and got medical benefits for 9/11 First Responders. She was a good Secty. of State who tried to get funding for the protection of remote Consulates, after Kenya. She lost to a man, equally good, and much more charming. He has never trashed her. Why drag her into the sordid politics of Trump et al?
1
The article referred to Chuck Todd's "sit-down" with Trump. Is this the same Chuck Todd who Trump disparaged and demeaned with a series of juvenile Tweets earlier this year and last? I enjoy Todd's show and agree with most of his viewpoints, but why in the world would he allow himself to be part of Trump's recent attempts use the likes of ABC and now NBC to try and "humanize" himself? Doesn't Todd realize that as soon as the cameras are turned off, Trump will revert to his true narcissistic, bullying, and pathologically lying self? Is NBC once again so desperate for ratings? Of course, this is the same network that "famously" fired Trump four years ago then brought him back to host SNL when it was apparent that Trump's freak show routine brought great ratings. NBC shows itself to be hollowed out when it allows the person who calls it "The enemy of the people" to be interviewed in such a manner.
6
Amazing to me that the media, even liberal, takes trump at his word.
This narrative was given to him by staff. He's being more cautious with his eye on 2020. Trump is not one to care about people getting killed.
10
Does it really matter? At this point the results are what matters. If Trump doesn't kill people, good. Until he is out of office that is the best outcome we can reasonably expect expect.
2
Whoa. I kept staring at my post but it took me so long to realize what was wrong. A repetition of a word ( "expect") on different levels of a pyramid form. It reminds me of the optical illusion where the words "Paris in the the springtime" are arranged on different levels of a pyramid structure.
1
My computer or my brain keeps making strange mistakes. Repetition is the name of the game. I've been reading Oliver Sachs recentt!y so my instinct is to blame it on a brain glitch of unknown origin.
1
The word has four syllables.
I know I’m very late to this party, but DJT didn’t know what the word ‘proportionate’ actually meant until sometime last night.
He was fed a ‘reason’ for not conducting a strike against Iran which he never intended to carry out anyway.
But he does really love acting like a tough guy. It’s good for his base, and it’s good for his ego.
9
@celia, do you think Trump knows what “proportionate” means? If so, you’re more optimistic than I am.
2
He's thinking about proportionality AFTER he authorizes the strikes and planes are well underway? This is what happens when you don't read security briefings or listen to your advisors. You make insane snap decisions as if you're on The Apprentice... except you are dealing with real life and death consequences not to mention inciting a war with a very capable rival that will have drastic political and economic impacts. He cares more about how he looks than the impact of his decisions. To paraphrase Trump himself, "SAD!"
13
Someone needs to make it clear to the animal that we do not go to war because someone blows up an empty truck (or drone).
17
You, Donald J. Trump, have accomplished nothing other than a huge tax cut for upper income individuals and corporations.
Back to the Iran News:
The Tick Tock on Trump's story about his decision, starting from the print media reports last evening, never made sense.
And, more than 24 hours' later, after a series of early morning tweets and a Chuck Todd interview and other Trump or WH officials' statements (anonymous) to reporters, which keep coming.....I think the most recent is from The Daily Beast...the Tick Tock still makes no sense.
However, this time I am glad that Trump has no ability to keep his mouth shut.
Hour after hour he is providing more proof that he is unquestionably unfit to be Commander in Chief.
So, Trump....keep talking, and explaining, and changing your story depending on which advisers or friends tell you to say something different, and keep responding to any negative press.
Nobody believes that you were not briefed about a range of potential Iranian and even American casualties until 10 minutes before the "strikes" were scheduled. Few people believe that you ever gave an order to execute the strikes and then jumped in, as if it was a TV Show, like "24" or "Homeland" and said Stand Down, 10 minutes before the bombing was due to start.
And, stop blaming Barack Obama, or Hillary Clinton, or the negotiators of the Iran Deal that you bailed on even though you had no proof that Iran was not in compliance.
14
not generally a trump supporter, but credit where credit due.
he cared about (not)killing 150 Iranians and understood proportionality
He neither cared about or understood anything. All he cares about is him "winning" and will lie non-stop to avoid losing.
2
He cares not. Dont be fooled. Pathological liars don't speak truth. Their frankness only spills out. He cares for the "150?" What about the horror stories coming from these detention areas at Our borders: people packed in like sardines, sick, vomiting, ICE telling judges these poor people don't need fresh water, soap,(baths) tooth brushes, toilets.
1
Trump will run in 2020 as a more acceptable candidate than he was in 2016. He has proven effective and that he has a capacity for restraint. Either democrats feild a candidate with moderate economic leanings and respect for the constitution or President Trump will enjoy a second term.
2
Bravo Trump......I never voted for Trump. If the reports are to be believed; Trump backed off strikes even when his whole team of advisers supported strikes.
I like the idea of a President who has the conviction to reject even the unanimous opinion of his entire team (all mostly war hawks who never fought in any wars themselves)
I like even better the reasoning that caused him to back off; deciding that the potential estimated casualty count of 150 on the Iranian side is too disproportionate a response to the loss of one unmanned drone.
This is type of independent decision making that the American people expect from their President.
Imagine what the Iraqi landscape would look like now if Bush & his team had asked similar questions.
2
@Matt Phil.
He's playing you like a fiddle. Do you really believe he wasn't informed by his Admirals about the possible loss of lives until 10 minutes before the strike?
He wants everyone to believe he's Mighty Mouse and 'has come to save the day,'; the knight and shining armor riding in on his white horse to save the kingdom.
He's a reality TV huckster, nothing more.
5
Wars are good, and easy to win.
5
I believe the expression is "locked and loaded", is it not? Yet another thing Trump gets wrong about the military.
9
At age 65 I’ve come to the sad conclusion that men will never stop being violent because violence is a genetic, biological trait that is baked into who they are. Many men will temper their impulses but the pull to slip into violence is always there waiting for the seduction of dominance or misguided heroism. All this testosterone worked well as humanity fought wild beasts and built civilizations. Tragically, what once helped us survive is now what might destroy us and our planet. If there is a future, it must be female.
14
My take away is that once you are a proven serial liar like Trump even the truth is a lie. Sad.
19
Does Trump even know how to speak English? “Cocked and loaded “ instead of “locked and loaded”. “Sights” instead of “sites”. No wonder his administration hates public education. It makes them all look stupid.
39
George Carlin said it best: "cocked, locked, and ready to rock!" trump has not.
6
I remember the speech President George W Bush gave where he said that North Korea, Iran, and Iraq are the ‘axis of evil’.
The Bush administration tried to take care of Iraq.
President Obama and his Administration successfully and thoughtfully dealt with Iran. They used expert knowledge, thoughtful ideas, and diplomacy to forge change.
Along comes Trump who summarily tears up the Iran deal and it seems the only thing his administration wants is for Iran to go on their knees and beg for mercy.
Are the people who are cheering for the USA being ‘cocked and loaded’ and advocating bombing Iran still holding on to the resentment of the over-throw of the Shah of Iran? Do they just want to ‘make Iran great again’ – to go back to a time the western world had installed a puppet?
This week Trump has shown so much ignorance. To compete a military strike it takes a whole chain reaction. An order is given and on down the line it goes. Things can get started that can’t be stopped no matter how much you’ve changed your mind. This even goes down to the end person who pulls the trigger on the bomb – maybe their communications system will be jammed and they cannot get the word that the ‘commander in chief’ has said to halt.
Looks like the Iran situation is going to be more difficult than South Korea for Trump and his crowd. Maybe Trump can call his new bestie Kim Jong-un for advice.
313
@Yankeeatheart the issue isn't research and smart diplomacy-- it's our historical regional interests and alliances. We cannot tolerate an Iran that can do as it pleases because of the risk that would pose to the delicate balance called the Middle East. Obama had pretty thoughts and words but failed to appreciate that reality. Why he picked people like Rhoades to think for him I'll never understand.
1
@Yankeeatheart
"President Obama and his Administration successfully and thoughtfully dealt with Iran. They used expert knowledge, thoughtful ideas, and diplomacy to forge change."
You either forgot or you are too young to remember that the reason Obama and especially Hillary did not bomb Syria was because, and only because, Putin intervened. Hillary was furious, because it opened the road for war on Iran and Putin.
And to BP White below, we have no interests in the Middle East other than oil and Iraq's supply of drugs. It isn't necessary to go to war to continue obtaining them. It has all been a series od mistakes by our own forces of evil who have greatly profited at America's expense.
5
@Anonymot
Another reason America should have invested in alternative energy long ago- besides our now warmed, and warming, planet.
2
“Cocked and loaded.”
Is that you Senator Lindsey Graham?
15
or, maybe he is just a coward.
6
@sayknowmore
Of course we can't know but was it possible President Putin of the United States of America, was the one who made the executive decision to call off the strike? It would have given him a problem. Trump gives everybody a problem but at least he knows who his line manager is.
5
Reuter’s reported that Trump feels
the American public no longer believes him,
so Trump has agreed to get his tongue notarized
5
The immaturity and lack of facts involved with Trump decisions makes the entire world a much more dangerous place. Wake up.
14
War is inevitable because there’s no cure for hallucinations of weapons of mass destruction.
4
Since saving soap (and toothbrushes incidentally) is such a priority for the Trump Administration, would America agree that a healthy supply of soap should be supplied free to Donald to wash out his mendacious mouth? Just to assist any Trump lemmings reading this, mendacious means lying
15
An attack was never ordered to begin with.
Just another of Trump's lies.
12
Trump only attacks women and children and in particular those on the U.S.- Mexican border, they don't shoot back.
He knows Iran will shoot back and kill American soldiers. That does not fit his election schedule. Iran will shoot down another drone and very soon.
3
@BMEL47 "Wag the Dog" I think that was the title.
1
Trump desperately trying to make himself relevant, when he knows well that he himself is a coward , avoided going to war faking bone spurs so he does not have to serve.
He is huge in structure, loud in his voice trying his best to avoid his cowardice. As trump never fires anyone in face, sends his peons to get the job done or tweets instead.
6
He was never going to pull the trigger and now the whole world knows it.
6
I’m glad Trump pulled out, but I fear the seeds of war have been laid. Tomorrow? Next week? I have no idea, but the puns were intentional.
In the meantime, there’s been an enormous explosion at an oil refinery complex near Philadelphia. Maybe PA will now strongly back the Green New Deal. Anyway, this incident reminds me of a serious joke:
A: Did you hear about the huge air spill at the wind turbine?
B: No! What happened!?!
A: Lots of people got electricity.
4
@Donna Nieckula 150 people at risk of death reminds you of a wind turbine ?
@kenneth
The "incident" is in the paragraph about the refinery explosion... fossil fuels vs. green energy, i.e., oil refineries vs. wind turbines.
Go Green. No more spills. No more explosions. Fewer asthma and cancer cases. No more blood and treasure wasted on oil wars.
@Donna Nieckula Actually, I don't see any mention of wind turbines. But I'll certainly take your word for it.
19 Terrorists from Saudi Arabia conducted attacks in the Us on September 11, 2001... And the US is destroying or destroyed infrastructure and capacity in seven countries but not Saudi Arabia... This administration is working to provide them with a nuclear program... What in this context is not computing ? Why are we determined to prevent any middle Eastern or Arab country, except Saudi Arabia, from thriving and prospering... Who is funding the fundamentalist schools and clerics that are the breeding grounds for tomorrow's terrorists in Aghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere...
16
Seriously? He "created" this decision so he could tweet about himself. True mark of a narcissist. Unbelievable.
Time to drink.
16
@KP
I tried all day, finally had to have shot at 9 pm.
1
There is nothing that Trump or his administration can say that can be taken seriously or that can be considered believable. A clown and a chronic liar as commander in chief is scary!
Trump is setting the conditions that will bring a war.
The spy drone was flying around Iran provoking and threatening Iran and we should expect that such actions will trigger reactions and it did.
Let us all remember what war means: loss of life and economic misery to many, but it is also a catastrophic blow to the environment.
Write to congress and remind them that it is congress who decides.
10
Had Trump NOT created a crisis, by pulling out of the accords and imposing sanctions Iran did nothing to deserve, we would not be where we are now. Trump did the same with China and North Korea and Mexico: acting as a bully. So far, it only worked (apparently) with Mexico.
This president gets us close to war (nuclear in the case of N Korea), gets the world's attention from the crisis HE CREATED, then he comes to the rescue with a solution and hopes for applause. Alex Jones described this process when he critized Bush and Obama, nothing new but this time it's real and scarry.
5
Was the drone ever in Iran's airspace? Where was the drone when Iran launched their missile?
1
Many comments here about Trump doing the right thing. He authorized this strike, gave the word go - planes were headed to their targets ...then he changed his mind. How this decision making fiasco ended is a better outcome than what would have happened had the original order not been aborted. Trump isn't measured, patient, or smart enough to save himself from every stupid maneuver. This time we were lucky. We are playing Trump-roulette, its just a matter of time.
9
"...but that he called it off with 10 minutes to spare when a general told him that 150 people would probably die in the attack."
POTUS* worried about casualties? Like at our border? Yemen? Who believes this? He didn't think of possible casualties DURING the planning? How in-depth was that?
12
Well, even a stopped (analog) clock is right twice a day.
Also, I agree with others who have stated that Trump like to create problems, then take credit for 'solving' them.
9
Better safe than sorry so I'm glad the mission was aborted. However, if it actually was only 10 minutes before launch the military and its men had gone to a lot of trouble to prepare and be ready to launch. If Trump didn't have the right intel or courage he owed it to our men and women to treat them with respect and not have them staged and ready when he wasn't committed.
4
It strikes me that the Trump/Bolton maneuver may have been designed to provoke a preventive attack by the Iranians as presumably their intel and cyber capability enables them to recognize an impending attack. Such a move on their part would provide Trump/Bolton with justification for a a major attack.
2
Do drones really float when they explode?
How did Iran fish out all those pieces?
How can anyone claim they don't want a war but all they've done is rattle sabers with Bolton and Pompeo?
There's no credibility when the facts don't line up with the behaviour.
2
10 minutes to war....
It is so odd, the whole thing. But the oddest thing seems to me that Individual One is waiting for the public to Thank him for not escalating into to a full blown war.
Iran is not precisely an innocent victim but the US is not free of sin in all this either.
Somebody should tell this administration that their incoherent actions and policies (up to before the drone incident) have bordered on diplomatic malpractice. They broke the nuclear deal. And there has not been any discerning policy process on this administration at all. Personally, I do not think we are out of this yet.
So .... Trump Drama 723 Take 1 ..... To be continued ....
6
God bless trump for calling of the strike on Iran, we don’t need another war, let the sanctions work. The war hawks in the Republican and Democratic parties need to learn what is right.
1
JohnSmith,
This was a political stunt. He desperately needs better poll numbers.
3
Wait until Trump orders missile launches. He thinks he can recall those weapons of was as well.
4
I am glad Trump did not attack Iran. I wonder if Trump is concerned that there may be children suffering or dying because of US crippling sanctions put on Iran for no reason. Iran was a bidding by the Nuclear Agreement
4
Should be “locked and loaded” and “proportional,” but we appreciate the sentiment.
I wonder what his real reason was?
4
Trump has an Obama redline moment. Is this progress? Once you've told this many lies, where are the believers?
2
If we think of the world as your typical local neighborhood, whereby each country represents a household/neighbor family. What we have here is that the household with the biggest house in the neighborhood now has a new owner and is bullying rest of the neighborhood. There are of course neighbors we know are bad but reality is they are in our neighborhood so have to figure out a way to live with them. Do we feel like we want to burn their house down, sure.... but guess what, they will come over an burn your house down. Living in this world, which is getting smaller and smaller, is all about compromise. Iran [government ...not people] is bad...really evil. But fighting the Iranian with fire, only will burn down the entire neighborhood. The president didn't call off the strike because of 150 people. He doesn't care about 150 Iranian lives. He realized that he has painted himself in the corner because the Iranians didn't flinch.
3
It's stunning how Trump can easily manipulate War Hysteria, the Stock Market, The Federal Reserve, immigration crackdowns, and. ... fill in the blanks.....Actually it's admirable that he recognizes there is no pushback....and those who believe that he won't be reelected... my goodness, think again. Don't you see it ?
Power grab and zero resistance, all it takes.
6
Many of the commentators got played here. Trump did what he usually. He creates a problem and then takes credit for solving it. Would we be here if he didn't drop the agreement?
29
Mr. President made a wise and pragmatic decision. Military conflict with Iran shouldn't be option. Iranians who believe war is their best option can't be more wrong.
5
@Samir Dervisevic wise and pragmatic? then he would not have got himself into such a mess to begin with and made a 180 degree turn in last minutes.
@Samir Dervisevic
They don't, and they don't have nukes. The U.S. and Israelis have nukes, and the Saudis want them. Young Iranians are educated; they don't want war.
It wasn't Trump who make the right call, it was Putin.
He immediately contacted Trump and ordered him to cancel it.
25
I dislike like trump as much as anyone but how do do know this? You were in the line with Trump and Putin or is this speculative?
1
@Prudence Spencer
Pure speculation; I should have qualified it.
On the other hand, it was so out-of-character I couldn't think of another alternative.
2
@redick3 I understood what you meant exactly without any qualification. Clear keys see through who and what are behind trump's motives.
The Defense Department lied repeatedly about the shooting down of an Iranian passenger jet in 1988.
There is little reason to ever believe anything they say.
A situation in which a grown man with the emotional maturity of a ten-year-old had only ten minutes to back down from launching an act of war is unbelievably frightening.
This man must be deposed as soon as possible. Ignore Pelosi and Schumer, Democrats, and do what needs to be done. Impeach now.
13
@Jerry Engelbach: Deposition only happens if the Senate acts on impeachment by the House. The Senate under McConnell won't do that.
5
The correct term is “locked and loaded.” This is too scary to imagine, two hot heads playing chicken with the most horrific resources in the world. Please find some grownups and schedule time-outs for these beligerant so called world leaders and their advisors. Even Trump’s most ardent supporters probably are not willing to sacrifice their children and grandchildren in a war with Iran.
10
@Glenn Eisen
I agree with everything you said, except the last sentence. I think many Trump supporters are totally OK with their kids going to war.
4
@Glenn Eisen
You are correct Glenn, the correct term is “locked and loaded”.
Where I come from the terms “cocked” and “loaded” often connote DRUNKENNESS ...which may be an apt description of the way this whole frightening incident was handled!
6
@Matt
They don't have to worry. War is now fought with high tech weapons used by educated members of the current military. There are no more Pattons et al needed. We are not going to invade and occupy another country. Bolton and Pompeo are feeding Trump a lot of nonsense, hoping to grab another country's oil reserves, as we did in Iraq. Add to that Pompeo's weird belief in "end times" and the "Rapture". That might be why competent people, Generals Mattis and McMasters, left.
I don't think the strike was aborted because of potential casualties of 150. It doesn't make sense. There's something else going on here.
17
@MPoulsen Bully is coward in disguise. trump is all about bully and manipulation. When he found his trick did not work, he ran away.
1
I'm not sure what terrifies me more: That he green-lighted the attack in the first place, or that he flip-flopped an hour later. He has no clue about anything. Anything
21
I need a beat, "War, huh, ... good god
what is it good for?
Absolutely nothing, listen to me ... [1970 - Edwin Star, 1942-2003], ..."Oh, war, I despise
'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives
War means tears to thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go to fight and lose their lives ...'". I remember from long ago, that even the Russians love their children. Now, trump1, is now the 'Great Humanitarian'. But could it be that the US is a now a trailing military power that induce trump to abort the mission?
3
“Cocked and loaded?” Please tell me Trump is not conflating Stormy Daniels and Iran, sex and aggression.
11
Trump called off the strike at the last minute because he discovered that people might die?
Wouldn't this information be promptly addressed in the analysis that was prepared for him?
Difficulty finding time to read or more hyper stagecraft?
9
I am left unsatisfied that Donald Trump actually pull back from the brink of war. I believe that he never really intended to go ahead with this strike on Iran. We really need to understand how we got here, to begin with. Had Donald not try to undo what Obama did, we would not be here in this uncharted territory. This war may yet come soon.
320
@Paul A. Yes, the war will come when it is most politically advantageous to Trump and his enablers, in order to prolong his presidency.
48
@Paul A.
Wait for Trump to bomb many countries simultaneously on the morning of November 7, 2020.
18
Trump made the right call. Wish he would "fire" Bolton, who desperately wants regime change in Iran.
The Iranian people should have a right to determine their future.
Get rid of Bolton. He is giving Trump very unwise counsel...
We do not want another war there. We are not prepared for such a complex war. Please Mr. Trump--seek wise counsel.
7
Unstable decision making process and unstable ‘seemingly firm’ decision out of it.
Vagueness is very dangerous. But Mr. T, voters supporting him and Republicans are here to stay. Chinese Communists and Russians love it.
4
The President is concerned enough to ask "How many people will be killed, in this case Iranians?"
Does he ask the same question when it comes to sanctions?
How many Iranians have been killed as a result of Sanctions?
Also, does the United States have a right to tell another sovereign nation what weapons it and can not have? Seriously, are we permitted by international law to do that? Or are we allowed to do that because we have a bigger fist militarily (playground rules)?
6
Of course we don't want to take innocent lives, but a "proportionate" response should involve remorse from the Iranian government and military, removal of the "rogue" officer who made the decision to take down the drone AND they owe us a direct payment of $132 million, at the least.
1
@Cgsaddle
Iran doesn't owe us money, lol.
We also knew the risks when we flew our eyes in the sky over their airspace.
3
@Matt
And there was no “rogue officer” either; Iran claims their military made a conscious decision to NOT shoot down the piloted plane that was accompanying the drone. (The Trump cabal has not denied that this is a possibility.)
The whole world knows that this administration is capable of any level of irresponsibility. Sad but true.
3
I would like that policy, we can have wars as long as no one gets hurt. Kind of like We Bombed in New Haven a 1967 play by Joseph Heller
2
right, like anyone believes that?
This man is all about bluffing, and retreating.
In other words, the perfect example of a bully.
One who is so cowardly, when he gets called on a bluff ... he hides and blames others.
14
Why is Mr Trump deciding who can have nuclear capabilities and who not? If you are my friend (Israel) you can, if I don’t like you (Iran, and because Israel told me), you cannot?
5
So lemme see if I’ve got this straight—Donald Trump cancelled a agreement that was doing what it was meant to do, screamed incoherently at our allies, threated to dump NATO, slapped sanctions on Iran (but not on Russia!) that cheesed people off and helped our Iran’s hardliners, drew at least one Big Red Line that Iran promptly stepped over, bellowed at Iran for two years, developed no plans whatsoever to address any of this, waited until we lost a drone, either didn’t pay attention during his briefing or didn’t bother to ask the obvious question, “Hey, how many will this kill?”
Then nonchalantly called off the attack ten minutes before the first missiles hit, and blatted that we were “cocked and loaded,” in a way guaranteed to tell the bad guys that this loser isn’t gonna do squat.
And apparently, I am spozed to praise his “wisdom.” And “give credit where credit is due.”
Oh, there’s such a thing as Trump Derangement Syndrome, all right.
And Trump and Trumpists have got it, got it bad.
Good grief.
18
A Stopped clock is right twice a day. Nothing more or less need be said about this.
3
Occam's Razon: Assume that everyone quoted in the article, from Trump on down, is lying.
9
The so-called president "stopped strike on Iran because it was 'not proportionate.'"
Yeah--sure he did.
That headline would be more believable if Individual-1 knew what the word "proportionate" means.
15
Are there any adults at all in this Republican Administration? I’ve yet to see even one. This is the most dangerous and incompetent administration ever to occupy the White House.
13
A child president enabled by Rebub’s and his ridiculous base( meaning - these don’t have critical thinking abilities)..... is making life/death decisions?
How much worse can things become
10
Politico/military theatre with no script and a cast of fools...
5
Seen this play before. Trump creates a situation, brings it to the brink, then rides in on his white horse and saves the day. Fake scenario. You can fool some of the people...………..Full stop!
16
@NanaK
Hi-Yo, Silver! Away! Hmm, sounds like something Stormy Daniels would say. However, considering Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal then dumped sanctions on Iran, I’m thinking more along the lines of “Hey, Mom! I wet the bed and changed the sheets all by myself!”
5
As always President Trump, in a situation like this, is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.
In this case I think the decisions were the least worst of a whole bunch of decisions.
I doubt that the Pentagon would allow a $200+ million dollar asset to stray into territorial airspace like that. So I'd be pretty sure that the Iranians were being intentionally provocative, but not too much by shooting down the P3. They know that if the US, with no casualties on their side, retaliated and there were casualties in Iran it would play in Iran's favor.
2
Munchausen Syndrome "is a factitious disorder wherein those affected feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma to draw attention, sympathy, or reassurance to themselves." Read like anyone you have heard of, recently? And with 10 minutes to spare! Amazing performance, once again, Mr. President!
8
Unfortunately, I've long been of the belief that virtually nothing he says is true. On the surface, the restraint was presidential, and perhaps a way for both sides to save face, but scratch the surface and it seems simply a spin to stem the flow of voters to Joe Biden.
Call me cynical, but he does lie a lot (now approaching 11K misleading statements or outright lies since elected). CNN calculated that at twelve a day, "more often than most of us wash our hands".
7
Your map indicates that the "spat" is over about a 20 mile difference. On disputes like this wars are waged?
5
This whole thing is fake news. There was never an attack planned. Do people honestly believe that the military planned an attack and no one ever asked about potential casualties? And then 10 minutes before the attack someone informed Trump? And why would the military ever suggest a plan that would risk 150 lives over a drone?
8
Trump cancelled his premature command to strike Iran because of several factors, the two most important being the media response would have been enormous with unfavorable comments, not just our American media, but world wide would have laughed at him, and we all know the media is one thing he pays attention to. Secondly, our naval fleet serves its purpose cruizing around in the Persian Gulf showing off its arms, but please, be logical, our ships are so vulnerable it is pathetic. And if Iran wanted it could have embarrassed the American military. We are very lucky to pick up and get out of the region, a place we are heavily under strength and know little about how to protect ourselves. Just look at Iraq and Syria....does on really feel comfortable with our actions there?
Pitiful, but Trump doesn't understand, and so we are extended.
4
Trump doesn't know the meaning of "proportionate." His activities belie his knowledge and practice of "proportionate" justice. This man is willing to starve children at our Mexican border until the children need medical care. What's proportionate about that behavior? And how did he come to this decision only moments before the scheduled strike? My thought: Bolton or Pompeo or both talked him into the attack, he issued an order to the military, the military wondered why and called the president, at which time the president might have understood that he got bad advice from his White House advisors. The clown show continues, but now the stakes are much higher and having a man with little knowledge, judgment, or wisdom with his finger on the trigger is frightening. Can we afford four more years of this frightful and dangerous man at the helm of the most powerful military the world has ever known?
6
I have to wonder if DJT knows or cares that he is being playing like a cheap fiddle by Bolton et. al. Problem is, the man has the attentions span of a gnat.
3
The idea that all was prepared to move on sending out bombs BEFORE he had listened? Heard? Been told? what the causality estimates were and possible repercussions to weigh, —is the most gut churning thought. The world narrowly escaped the cost of his narcissism & ineptness this time... next time maybe not. The complicit GOP administration and senate should not be forgiven.
4
I trust Iran more than I trust the president of the United States. I never thought I could say such a thing until Trump.
8
We can't afford a war financially.
4
Were his predecessors of the same view, perhaps we would not still be engaged in Afghanistan or the Middle East, and American lives spared. Trump saw ISiS eliminated as a threat and the knew the cost in human lives.
His disdain to engage Iran is commendable.
1
I ask any economists out there to calculate the impact of Trump's chaotic decision making yesterday. Air travel is halted all over the globe and the global economy is on hold while we wait for the leader of the free world to calm down.
8
I’ve tried to give him the benefit of the doubt for 2.5 years but playing games when lives are on the line has removed all doubt for me. I want him out for all of our sakes.
8
Well we aren't talking about Mueller anymore, and we aren't talking about collusion or obstruction. Mission accomplished.
8
I did not vote for Trump; nor will I vote for him. However, he is consistent in his dislike for war. He didn't fight in Vietnam and he's not eager to send troops into other quagmires.
Iran, despite my feeling about Trump being an unfit leader, should be held to account, with sanctions, to prevent that country from having the resources to be able to fund proxy warriors across the world.
My biggest disagreement with Trump is in his love affair with all things Netanyahu. That may push us into another proxy war on Israel's behalf, spending U.S. lives and treasure, while Israel sits on the sidelines. It's far past time that Israel engages Iran, directly. Maybe that will force Israel to compromise its positions.
109
‘Scuse me, but he got on Howard Stern and blatted his support for the Iraq War. And he repeatedly gave speeches about how Obama needed to twke the gloves off, and HE’D bomb ‘em till the sand turned to glass. And he’s bragged over and over about beating up ISIL.
He’s NEVER opposed violence. Quite the contrary: death to the Central park kids, slam the crook’s head into the cruiser roof, torture and worse, we need to go after families, I’m telling the Army to shoot at refugees—-he’s for it.
I do not understand where people get this guff from.
102
@judgeroybean The only manifestations of his dislike for war are draft dodging and maligning John McCain for his capture in Viet Nam.
73
@judgeroybean I think you may conflating cowardice with dislike for war. Today's performance, was just that a performance. DJT's understanding of the role and responsibilities of the presidency is what he knows from TV and movies. You know -- the classic scene where the president always stops the attack at the last minute in order to avoid a war.
60
I think the Neo-Cons are pushing the envelope because they want a war with Iran - Bolton has wanted one for years. Given the fact this Administration has demonstrated they can't tell the truth even if it's staring everyone in the face, I remain skeptical about what has led up to this situation. It would take a lot more for me to support yet another Middle Eastern War. We had an agreement that we backed out on. Iran was abiding to it, even thought they really had not received any benefits. Personally I am sick and tired of us spending billions of dollars in the region, and sacrificing our young men and women for conflicts with no clear exit and no clearly delineated goals. Before any shooting starts, Congress must declare war - using the old 911 justification is not longer valid. I believe Pompeo and Bolton hoped that the drone would be shot down so they could justify military action. No THANKS. We have had enough.
6
It stretches all credibility that just TEN MINUTES before the strike was set to go he found out there would be 150 casualties. One assumes that human casualties are among the many things taken into account when an attack is being considered, and that the information is provided to the president up front. Well, provided he pays attention.
6
I am not impressed by what Trump claims reason for military strike - He crowds the most advanced military apparatus right in front of one of the most hostile radical governments on earth and claims he has right to attach the nation just because...
I am no fan of Iran, but this time Trump goes too far, way too far... Pray for U.S. soldiers who are now pawns of senseless and dangerous game played by this character and possibly Bolton. We will now face real likelihood of the terrible prospect and costs of war with one of the most radical nation on earth for what reason? Time to pray to whatever god you may believe in, and I also warned that there will come time when people will curse for casting their votes to Trump
I think I've said this maybe once in my life before today? Donald Trump made the right choice. It's funny in terms of some aspects of foreign policy he is so far from the Republican establishment, I mean could anyone imagine a Busch or a Clinton that would have passed up this chance for airstrikes? I certainly can't.
45
@Mike
Excuse me!
You're impressed with Trump "making the right choice?"
This is a man who just announced his intention of starting a war with Iran via twitter!
During which he actually used the terminology "cocked and loaded."
Obviously someone somewhere somehow stopped him, but here you are, along with a disturbingly high number of others, giving him full credit for having some kind of foreign policy acumen and/or common sense rationality.
It is obvious we are in deep trouble.
70
@Mike He made the right choice? That's like saying the guy who put out the fire in his house right after he torched it is a hero.
57
@Mike
Most Presidents, maybe ALL previous Presidents, Democrat and Republican, would consider EVERYTHING (including possible deaths) before sending in the planes.
38
Great work Mr. President! Now, please talk to Iran , tweek the deal that we had, and give a great victory to our country.
1
A review of the comments shows a surprising number who are willing to give Trump credit for restraint. Personally, I think retaliation should come economically, dwarfing the cost of the drone, but if it was a cruise missile against a military or economic target, I wouldn't fault him. Still, if they draw first blood, then proportionality should not be the goal, but so substantial that it makes them think ten times before they try again. But, the usual drone of never give Trump any credit goes on with many. As someone who has criticized Trump since his birther days, and did not vote for him, all I can say is, I think every week someone different tells me they don't want to vote for him next time, but feel the left is pushing them to it. I can't be the only one who hears that. I don't know if I can pull the lever for him, but I get it. All they do is make him look good in comparison.
27
Iran drew no blood on any drone or tanker. And of course you voted for Trump; the claim that you didn’t is what all Trumpists now claim, figuring it makes them more believable before they spout the party line.
33
@Robert What I often do say is that Trump's election resulted in more hysteria than I've ever seen before. It's not hard to prove that. All you have to do is say anything that is short of - Trump must be destroyed.
You believe as you like.
7
@DHEisenberg
Trump's approval rating is at record lows among those who didn't vote for him - yet over the last few months, I've read hundreds of comments like yours. "I didn't support Trump until the Left criticized Trump. Now I'll vote for him because Pelosi."
Not buying it.
26
The debris of the drone have been recovered by Iran. it is more likely that that drone was in the Iran's airspace.
3
Regardless of the motives and reasons, I thank God our president chose sanity before his 'planned' strike could take place. The logical next step , however, should be to fire that insane neocon, John Bolton.
On the same occasion, President Trump said that he will never allow Iran to have nuclear weapons. Well and good. I wish both the Republican and Democratic administrations had not looked the other way, to say the least, when Pakistan developed nuclear bombs.
1
He held the line against the Bolton/Cheney warhawks. Trump promised no more wars. Say what we will about him, he clearly hews to the messages he ran on.
Too bad he backed out of the treaty the Obama administration negotiated. He might not have been in this position had he accepted the treaty, pushed for extensions of that treaty and then turned his attention to negotiating a similar treaty with North Korea. He might have been hailed for making a long overdue peace. Instead he now finds himself trapped by his insane obsession to undo all the Obama did.
162
@historyprof
He launched the planes, then cancelled them like this was a war game. This is reckless and immature.
47
@historyprof: All we have is his word on all of this.
The word of a proven liar.
27
@historyprof you are assuming that even some of his tweets or statements are remotely true and that the military is woefully unprepared which most certainly is not the case.
9
Has it dawned on Don that donning military garb--with the camo, the helmet, the unearned (perhaps not even red) badges of courage, the ceremonial sword--actually requires conducting the Fortunes of War?
The apt line, of course, is "Cry Havoc! and let slip the Dogs of War!," but after unleashing the curs in his command, he has quickly reattached their walking harnesses and resumed his stroll along the Reflective Pool.
"Reflective?," did I say. It's really Reflecting, of course--and if, in reflecting on the consequences of hurled violence, Don has decided to think twice and act once, that's all for the better in our world of angst.
1
It is easy to start a fight and difficult to end one. This is not about strategic insight, it is about Trump's obsession with the Obama legacy at the risk of world peace. Iran will NOT renegotiate a done deal with a bully.
He made the right call for once. That is a major problem itself--lack of consistency based upon careful consideration of all diplomatic and when necessary military options. Trump's correct decisions are few and very far. In fact, it was a correction of an error of his own making; a 5 star strategic blunder near miss. The Iranians did not miss their target. Please someone inform this weak president how grossly unprepared he is to analyze facts.
Make sure you have a plan of action/strategy/diplomatic initiative/allied consensus/vision as to what you wish to have in place and most importantly have informal contacts via neutral parties that maintain lines of communication open that allow you to measure the your progress. Trump's style is too erratic and the result is zero.
118
@John
"Iran will NOT renegotiate a done deal with a bully."
I remember, when growing up as a small and fearful kid, dealing with a bully who constantly picked on me. I always had a sharp mouth back. He didn't like it. We had an uneasy truce that I would stop the replies if he stopped picking on me.
The bully decided he didn't like that agreement after a while and started up again. We ultimately got into a fight when the teacher left the room and I got sucker punched. My lip exploded, but the bully never forgot my unrelenting fighting back or his sprained hand that connected with mouth.
Trump's the insecure bully. Eventually, Iran will fight back HARD when it feels they are cornered or sucker punched. They won't win, but nobody will dare mess with them without thinking hard about it. And, we already squandered our global good will after 9/11 with an unnecessary war in Iraq.
I'm not excusing Iran's behavior funding terrorists and proxy militias. Just pointing out some human behavior.
11
@John
Perhaps I am wrong, but I greatly suspect that Trump is calling the shots his 'handler' allows him to call.
For the US to get involved in a war with Iran would be worst than any war this country got into with Iraq.
Iran has been preparing for this for a long time.
But I greatly suspect that Iran has a common friendship with Russia.
Just like those airstrikes in Syria by our country, it all amounted to, really, much ado about nothing.
We have to grasp who the invisible talking head is, an it ain't us.
2
Recreational war is America’s only growth industry, limited only by the supply of weaker countries unable to defend themselves.
3
I have a fantastic idea. Instead of spending billions of dollars on an anachronistic, barbaric wall, cut a canal from Dubai on the Persian Gulf right through the UAE into the gulf of Oman. Have the fantastically wealthy UAE support the project, charge extortion rates to through the canal and bingo. Problem solved. See, I could be president too.
1
@Armo
Maybe I shouldn't be president if I can't write a complete sentence.
1
@Armo: Not being able to write a complete sentence never stopped Trump.
2
One wonders how many soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are impacted by this guy's reality show histrionics. Trump has made it demeaning to be in the US military in the year 2019.
2
So what's the play here? An indefinite game of chicken with Iran until on of our boys is killed, so we can do something proportional?
We had a working agreement that we walked away from. We seem to want something from Iran but can't articulate it. Diplomatically we aren't offering anything and we have no end game. Yet, we seem quite willing to bite off more than we can chew.
It's only a matter of time before the law of unintended consequences takes us to the next chapter in this mixed thriller horror reality show fomented from Trump's narcissistic personality disorder. Can't wait to see the 4th of July Moon Over Parador Revue, where Trump will promise us this that and the other thing, declaring himself King.
187
@Robert Stacy With all due respect that would be “until one of our men AND women are killed”.
7
Concern for dead Iranians?
Really?
The only concern Trump has if he strikes Iran, Iran will strike back in a half dozen ways, and it will last for years, contrary to the Republican war hawks' and desktop "Generals'" phony claims, that it will last for a couple of weeks or months.
If Trump has this Iranian war continuing into 2020, he can kiss his Re-election, bye bye.
1
So, Trump saves us from a Trump decision. I don’t feel saved or better.
458
@Bascom Hill yes you do, every time he saves us from his decision we are graced with grace
5
@Artur This is Trumps performance, awkwardly
orchestrated to please his supporters. If he had not dropped us out of NATO or the Iran agreement we would not be in this particular mess with Iran. If he was concerned about lives he would do something different in Puerto Rico and at our Southern Border. His only concern is for himself.
31
@Bascom Hill
Did he? Who is to say the whole "cocked, loaded, and uncocking" was not the plan? Look tough, ACT tough, then spare those poor folks from the power at Trump's hands. Simultaneously, Mr Trump appeases the base and the Republican hawks, proves to the Iranians he means business, and costs no American lives and no political points.
I'd say it was an inspired plan.....no doubt concocted by someone other than Trump.
7
Since the US has famously and openly deployed thousands of Predator drones armed with Hellfire missiles throughout the Middle East, which have killed thousands of military and civilians, how is Iran supposed to know if a high-flying drone is armed or not? Since they have no way of knowing if a drone is armed or not, they would be fools to not shoot it down. Given the US history of armed drones, it is an act of war for the US to deploy any drone at any altitude.
137
@ciblu we don't know the drone was armed, it was naturally conducting a surveillance mission , it was shut down as an act of defiance
1
@Artur. How DARE the Iranians “defy” us?! Who do they think they are, a sovereign nation?
20
@Artur
That's the whole point. They didn't know if it was armed either. Should they have said, OK we'll wait and see if we're bombed? Then we'll know when we pick up the bloody corpses. The Strait of Hormuz is Iran's coastal waters. They have fishing boats, pleasure boats. They have a navy - all underneath the drone. Can you see a Hellfire missile tucked under a wing at 5,000+ feet? You must have pretty spectacular eyesight.
24
Liz Chaney needs to recuse herself from any discussion of military action or inaction in the Middle East. Her father’s role in untold misery and death there casts a toxic cloud over whatever she might be conjuring up.
5
It’s all show biz, the one thing Trump is good at.
3
no, he's not good at show biz. he's just good at hiring show biz talent to front for him.
Why are we dealing with this mess in the Strait of Hormuz? If UAE has got tons of money enough to build those huge manmade islands off of Dubai they can certainly afford to knock the tip of Kumzar off to widen the Strait so this doesn’t have to be such a problem. The US is like everyone’s patsy sometimes.
It appears to me, that Bolton, the National Security Adviser with the responsibility of bringing to the potus all the options, cooked the books, as he has a history of doing. I suspect that when and if the history of this sordid march to war that Bolton and his trusty comrade, papageno, are trying to orchestrate is finally known, it will be seen that that dual deliberately kept information about the casualties out of any of the options when they met Trump in the White House yesterday. It appears that the military is more "dovish" that the civilian hawks. After the meeting, with Trump alone, a general informed him about the casualties that the general saw in the earlier meeting had not been presented. This episode shows both a failure of Bolton to do a professional job in informing the potus, but also another example how he is pushing for war.
74
@Michael Several, the appointment of Bolton is a national travesty/tragedy, as are the appointments of so many others whose only "competence" is how extremely right wing they are.
4
Interesting that this supposed action on Trump's part comes directly after low-polls on his re-election. This nonsense was drummed up for potential supporters.
3
I’d love a bit of discussion about Iranian actions following the event. Two questions:
Iran officially released a hand-drawn map of the incident on Twitter. It looks ridiculous. Why would it do that?
It then claimed to have not shot down a US Navy P-8 Poseidon plane carrying 35 crew or passengers. A P-8 carries exactly 9 people including crew. Why would Iran claim this?
No one believes that the ultimate paper tiger ever intended to strike Iran. Another weak bully bluff. I am confident Trump does not know the meaning of proportionality.
2
@Scott
Donald is proportionally stupid.
Trump is equally ignorant on almost all subjects of substance.
2
Trump said he thought about it a second after "he asked" (or was told) that 150 people would die.
One...one thousand. Really? He thought a whole second?
2
I think and I dont know, but my guess is that he never intended to strike in the first place. He did everything he could to make everybody think he was going to strike to see if they would flinch. He already had his back door ready, the 150 Iranian bodies that would be collateral damage
Putin already told him to watch his step, so he didnt step over the line.
Its like "If you swing at me and you hit me, then I find out you cant fight, babe, you are in serious trouble.
2
Old joke: How do you know if he’s lying? His lips are moving.
In every moment, every utterance, every interpersonal exchange, the Trump brain needs to spin a tale of fabulousness. Even after the moment is passed, he circles back and fakes a new reality!
5
We are just days past a full moon, the friend of action. Do you all understand Trump is provoking war?
3
Is it too cynical to suggest Trump called off the strike because it's Friday and he realized a war would interfere with his golf game?
5
Now more dangerous than ever.
Quite a pack of lies from Trump today.
Tweets that 10 minutes before the strikes, strikes “cocked” and loaded, he pulled the plug. After somehow discovering there would be Iranian casualties.
Hours later Trump tells Chuck Todd that 30 minutes before the strike he claims he was briefed about casualties. No planes in the air yet.
The lies are becoming more and more dangerous every day.
5
Trump is lying. Before every military operation the administration’s military advisors provide an estimate of casualties. This ridiculous version of events requires us to believe our President made a military decision WITHOUT being briefed on this crucial piece of information then he singularly decided to ask this question as planes were 10 minutes away from their mission. Which version of a President does this guy want to be? The President who didn’t think to ask about possible death toll before issuing his order or a President whose advisers kept this from him until he asked? The reality is that he wimped out of killing 150 people... the first time his wimpyness has served the US and greater good in any positive manner.
3
"President Trump said that the U.S. military was “cocked and loaded”
Umm, I believe the words are "locked and loaded.
Not "cocked..."
Of course trump himself is only half cocked but not loaded---in the brain.
4
Can Bolton please be toast now?
1
...cocked and loaded, indeed. (God help us.)
3
@te; musket anyone?
Aha, the old trick again——
Light your house on fire and then heroically try to put it off.
6
Ten minutes... if he is going to spin yarns he should at least go with the tried and true “last second” plot device...
“4... 3... 2... 1... Self destruct protocol deactivated... all systems clear... have a good day...”
Kirk would always know how to milk that one...
then again he’s no Kirk...
How stupid is this guy? How ignorant is he?! Launched! Proportionality!? Against what!? People are actually there on the ground. Duh! This was all about jacking around our men and women in uniform so he could get some TV coverage. Tough guy? More like fool guy!
Any strike, except against an iceberg or a desert dune in the Empty Quarter, Gobi, Sahara, Namib or Kalahari should be expected to kill people. Vacuous in his knowledge and egged on by his hawks, he was close to killing Iranians over a tinker toy drone. High theater by an incompetent director.
The US has done next to nothing for decades, while Iran, either directly or though its proxies, has killed many hundreds of Americans. Why now? Over a drone?
Escort ships in the Gulf and Strait. Ban commercial air traffic in the region. Escort all our surface and air surveillance assets. If we must, strike Iran's proxies and advisers out-of-country. But if we start to inflict casualties on Iranian soil, we had better be prepared for a major conflagration that will take broad American support and far more than Team Trump.
1
If anyone for one second believe that Trump ordered and then rescinded a strike then I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.
The man is a serial liar and demonstrates this daily.
If he comes for supper, be sure to count the silverware afterwards.
6
I don’t believe it... this is a White House created headline... to try and make potus look good... which is impossible... also please consider the fact that the drone was in Iran’s airspace... we violated their airspace, committed an act of war already...
3
Just another act in the circus...
3
So the reason to go to war is a drone got shot down? Really?
Is there anyone who believes that DJT even knows the word "proportionate?"
4
Trump doesn't want to kill 150 people?!
This doesn't square with tented camps on the U.S.-Mexico border and multiple individuals dying while in U.S. custody.
3
Wow! Dis-pro-por-tion-nate ... that’s a FIVE SYLLABLE word. I wonder how long he practiced that. This circus is getting really old.
10
Trump has already punished Iran to the extreme with his sanctions and that was never necessary. He has been cruel beyond any necessity and Iranians are starving. Yet all he had to do was was stick to Obama’s original agreement. Why didn’t he?
I do not thank Trump for restraining to attack Iran. He had no right to attack them in the first place—-for an empty drone that probably was in Iranian waters. Trump is a liar.
325
@Grandma
I have known a fair number of Iranians in my lifetime. Beneath the headlines, there is a strong coterie of pro-Western, Western-educated Iranians who despise their regime. They actually call themselves "Persians" in defiance of the prevailing ideology. In fact, there is an entire section of Tehran devoted to this class, with nightclubs, bars, golf courses, etc. The point is that Iran is a divided, complicated culture. A smart US administration would use that to their advantage and renegotiate the nuclear treaty to eliminate the sunset clause. Case closed. Bucket two are the Republican Guard with their Mideast-disruption agenda. Drive a wedge between the Guard and the Iranian elite. That is a coherent strategy, but apparently beyond the intellectual grasp of creatures like Bolton and Pompeo. Instead of the best and the brightest surrounding the presidency, we have the imbecilic and psychologically compromised.
41
@Jack McKeown
Absolutely agree with your opinion and Grandma's. My father was an import broker who imported pistachios to the U.S from Iran before the revolution. The Iran you describe is one that I was introduced to as a teenager and 40 years later your description is accurate. There is no excuse to escalate aggression with Iran.
15
Just so you all know: nobody expected any NYT Liberal to find President Trump's decision......no matter what it was.... to be acceptable and right. He'll always be an ignorant buffoon to you all, no matter what the facts are (such as a howling economy and the lowest unemployment on record).
I'll just remind you that your precious Obama led us into more overseas military action than Trump...... it's not even close. But when Obama did it, you all decided that Obama was actually a poor victim who was forced into it. Then of course when he tried to act tough, there was his infamous Syrian red line about chemical weapons that he completely backed down from. Where was your sarcastic and rude remarks then?
Good going Mr. President. You've said over and over that you have no interest in foreign war entanglements, and like everything else, you've stayed true to your word. And I agree. Killing 150 or so Iraqis is not a proportional or moral response to their shooting down an unmanned drone. But anyone who thinks that another and less lethal response isn't coming isn't paying attention. And anyone that thinks that if Iran does do something over the top that costs us US military lives..... it'll be Katie bar the door. Proportional will be out the window.
1
@Rocky
Let me translate your trumpspeak into an intelligible message!:
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
5
So what would you call blowing up over 130 Iraqui civilians sheltering in a basement, because you eased up the rules of engagement and allowed a couple locals to use our air power to settle a couple religious scores?
What’s your name for handing the Saudis more weapons to drop on Yemen?
Passing out candy canes and cokes?
1
Well, peace reigns.
For now.
1
People here keep harping, "if Trump didn't pull out of the Iran deal, this wouldn't have happened."
Yeah right.
You know how that sounds?
Let's see if an analogy helps .. it's like, "keep paying a blackmailer, and he wouldn't keep blackmailing."
1
What exactly do you think that deals and treaties are? They’re consent to mutual appeasement.
It never ceases to amaze me that people think life is a zero-sum game. It isn’t. Wake up to reality, please.
3
@BrainThink
So .. as long as it appeased Obama.
No wonder he didn't get it confirmed through senate. That IS the reality, isn't it?
I'm baffled as to why the Times continues to headline Trump statements as fact, i.e., "Trump stopped strike because...," when the only source is Trump himself. (At the same time, the Washington Post is reporting that doubts are being cast on Trump's statement.) Why not be cautious and note "Trump says he stopped strike on Iran..."?
12
Time to call off his Presidency.
15
Trump calls for a strike. Then calls it off because perhaps 150 Iranis may be killed. My apologies, I didn't think you were capable of such compassion.
8
keep reading... not quite as dramatic and last minute as it sounds. Remember... this guy is a game show host on reality tv. Nothing has changed.
2
@gailweis Agreed. Trump is not capable of such compassion. 150 Iranis? How about thousands of Purto Ricans died from the lack of aids because they cannot vote, trump saw no values from them and refused disaster relief?!
trump, he not only has ZERO compassion, he is cruel.
2
Are we supposed to believe that it was only 10 minutes before "strike time" that the President and the Generals first talked about/thought about the impact of Iranian human casualties!!
What sort of strategic planning is that? Unbelievable!!
11
It would not surprise me at this point if the whole “called off the attack” story is just that—a story to cover for Trump’s original “big mistake” tweet followed by the excuse that some Iranian flunky launched the missile that brought down the drone. This whole Iran escapade smells worse than price-jacked crude oil.
8
Trump's attack would have killed the Russian tech's at the base, who's missile brought down the drone.
Putin would not have looked kindly on his puppet.
4
The Donald does not care about "proportionate", any more than he cares about "honest", "legal", or mysogynist ... Whoever's cooler head prevailed and made this decision, my bet is Donald's head did not. Stay tuned for more Loony Tunes'!
10
Online search shows more than a dozen major news outlets concluded Iran rescued 44 people from the compromised tankers.
4
Other than lives lost, what other crucial details did he forget when he made his initial decision to launch?
Details, shmetails. So comforting to know the commander-in-chief is so thorough.
5
However we got here, at least its not war.
1
If this does not deliver Donald J. Trump the biggest Peace Noble Price in the history of the world, I do not know what will...
3
I prefer presidents who consider the potential outcome before planning to attack another nation.
PS, to Donald Trump: the phrase is "locked and loaded", as your "Second Amendment people" might explain to you.
12
What a joke.
2
Shame on the Ny Times for rewarding W a gold flag when he foolishly thanked Trump for stopping an attack on Iran that should never have been considered in the first place.The strike was dropped all right but not out of the goodness of Trump’s black heart but out of his personal fear- fear of impeachment and of losing the 2020 election. The paper ought to have known better.
9
Embarrassed is how I feel. Deeply embarrassed to have this man as the POTUS!
13
How much worse do things have to get in order to start impeachment proceedings.
Do we have to wait for an accidental nuclear attack or a terrorist attack?
3
"Proportionate" is a big word for someone with a 4th grade vocabulary. As an English teacher, I can almost guarantee that someone else fed him that word...Sad.
15
If it was any other head of state, I'd say it's bizarre that they didn't bother to find out how many fatalities could be expected until the very last moments.
But it's Trump, so yeah ... I can pretty much see him getting off on it all and suddenly thinking - wait a minute ... I'm going to be blamed for killing people because we lost a drone ... but how many?
4
The saber-rattling of Saudi Arabia, Israel and this administration, with the most belligerent noise coming from John Bolton (a corrupt chicken hawk who's on the take from the exiled Iranian opposition group, the M.E.K.) so loudly echoes the run-ups to war in Vietnam and Iraq -- even to reenactments of the Gulf of Tonkin fraud and the specious claims of links between Osama and Saddam -- it's appalling that anyone can be found in Congress who isn't decrying this nonsense in the strongest terms.
My contempt for Donald Trump is such that I'm compelled to suspect the worst motives behind anything he does. But I'm not going to criticize the decision itself because it has his name on it. It was a good thing that Iran wasn't attacked on yet another pretext, the blood lust of stateside warriors like chicken hawk Dick Cheney's daughter notwithstanding.
2
Many believe that Trump made the right decision. He did on this occasion. Maybe the decision reveals something about him, a glimmer of decency? He was asked to give an order and told that 150 people would die. That is and should be a difficult decision. I know that I could not order it and live in peace with myself. There is, however, a fundamental problem. The GOP told him to get out of the Iran deal and he did. He didn't have to. The deal protected the US from another war in the Middle East.
This takes us to deeper problems. Trump is a despicable character and the GOP will not hesitate to pin all their problems on him when the time comes. Do not let them get away with that. Do not. Trump is just a puppet. He plays golf and does not read anything. All of his major initiatives and court nominees are straight from the GOP pipeline, with the exception of perhaps his horrible immigration policy. He signs the other stuff without looking and they laugh at him after. The GOP insiders have been itching to attack Iran for years on a holy crusade and they were incensed when Obama dared to try and rob them of this adventure.
4
Trump is far beyond his level of incompetency. He is not a thoughtful leader and diplomat. As a result, his decisions will continue to denigrate this country and threaten war throughout the world.
5
Donald: Time to attack.
General: Sir, that will mean killing people.
Donald: Really?
General: Yes sir. Really.
Donald: Oh. Well then maybe we shouldn't do it.
General: No sir. We probably shouldn't.
Donald: Then let's call it off.
General: Very good, sir. We've just done that, sir.
Donald: Decisions, decisions. This presidenting is not easy,
General: No sir.
3
Another crisis of his own making, "resolved" by him.
8
I can already hear him at his next rally. How he was so tough and yet swooped down and saved the day. If his family ever gets together he will be rattling on about this until he is consigned to a jail cell or a care home.
2
You're all living the day to day dramas portrayed sensationally in nationally televised tidbits and press conferences carefully manipulated by the government. Did you notice big announcements always come out on Fridays for the weekend news cycle? It is just as pertinent over the years as it is today with Trump's god like conduct. He is TV. He knows TV. He uses TV, and you all still don't get it.
Everyone has to view world events more honestly with a mind imagining what others think as demonstrated by their actions over the long term. Why is there many decades of violence in the Middle East? Not because the enemy of your favored side is so bad, but because both sides, Palestinians and Israelis won't make peace after being pandered to for all those decades. The lack of peace in that region has been a serious threat to peace beyond the region, to the entire world with weapons precariously built and maintained based on that continuing conflict and the risks it poses.
Do you want world peace, or at least something close to it? Force Israel and Palestinians to make peace. They are both a threat to our national security, an example of which was 9-11. You're all living reflexively, pumped up by manipulated and rewarded mass media. Take a long walk and think about it.
2
@SHAKINSPAR
You write the truth, but you forget, as well.
The western powers of post WWII caused this problem in much the same way Donald Trump and his acolytes are causing problems in Central and South America, today. In both cases, immigrants and oil were/are the issue.
It’s not just about finding accord between the countries of Israel and Palestine, it’s also about freeing everyone from the yoke of oil.
It’s easy to sit back and say Israel and Palestine need to resolve their differences. It’s almost as easy as stopping our dependence on oil.
1
Wag The Dog. Nothing to see here. Trump creates a crisis. Then solves it. Time for impeachment before it's too late.
5
There is no good reason Donald Trump should be in his job. None.
5
Everyone knows it would be open season on any Trump branded hotel etc around the world. Caution is reasoable, now move back and defuse this fake war with Iran.
Israel alone would be the beneficiary of a destruction of Iran. Check out USS Liberty and decide what the "apporpriate response" should have been.
2
Trump never makes a decision for the wellbeing of others so we have to believe he called off the
strike on Iran out of fear—for himself and his re-election. Not to mention how a war would interfere with his away golf trips paid for by we taxpayers. Why with a war he might have had to be a president!
2
It's horrifying to be reminded that this reality TV personality has the power to order air strikes on anyone. What about Congress and the balance of powers?
4
Trump pulled back on this one...a measured response. His next problem is what to do with the advice from hawks Pompeo and Bolton about Iran.
Again....measured restraint, please!
2
@brownpelican28
Don't forget that he started the whole problem without consulting allies who had a mutual interest in the Nuclear deal thereby endangering everyone . It is time to abandon nativity about this manincluding the complying Iranians and American personnel. It may not be accurate to depict him as the picture of restraint and calm.
I doubt if it was a "measured response" as you describe it. More likely it was afterthought based on his personal self-interest. It was an afterthought... more appropriate would be "more forethought please".
1
Watching the Netflix show about the CP5, "When They See Us", I sometimes had to stop and recalibrate.
It was painful to watch. It aptly portrayed two evil people, Matias Reyes, and Donald Trump, "You have people on both sides".
Donald Trump's warped need for enemies is an extreme mental health issue. I keep hoping the adults will come in and stop the madness. He doesn't even have a Secretary of Defense and he is spoiling for a major confrontation.
He is a mad man. No truth, facts, or honestly just "I have a feeling" accusations? He had a feeling that Obama was born in Kenya and his political rival Hillary Clinton needed to be locked up. Now Iran provoking...
"They made a very bad mistake...I have a feeling...I may be wrong and I may be right, but I am right a lot... it was someone who shouldn't have been doing what they did.", Trump words.
Someone who shouldn't have been.
2
More spin from the spinmeister-in-chief, giving the illusion that he cares if 150 people die.
This from the same guy who wants to decimate U.S. healthcare, pollute U.S. air and water in service to his fossil fuel buddies, and risk the lives of millions in the process.
His call was the right one, even if it was to make him look good. It begs the question, though, "Where's the Congressional vote okaying the attack?" Trump, again, is abusing his power.
Trump lies, first and foremost, and has never done anything positive in service to America. He, himself and him are his sole concern. Something to remember as his 2020 propaganda begins.
3
Is there any external corroboration of the facts? Am I the only one who thinks Trump might be exaggerating, bluffing, etc?
3
Splendid. The human factor kicked in 10 minutes before the war planes reached their targets. We are so fortunate that our Commander in chief did not have a change of heart only after the bombs were released.
1
The American people need a clear-headed, credible, calm leader and an organized administration in times of crisis, or to help us discern whether there even is, in fact, a real crisis. Instead, we can't know what to believe or how high the stakes really are. None of us deserve this kind of nerve-wracking episode.
5
Yet another sensational act by Trump and his government on a Friday to control the weekend news cycle of saturated Television coverage and the public conversation when everyone is home.
4
While the proposed retaliation for the drone destruction was indeed inappropriate realize that Trump could stage a surprise nuclear attack on Russia or anywhere else according to U.S. law. The current situation with regards to weaponry is insane and we are lucky to be alive instead of being killed by a direct nuclear or insane nuclear retaliation by an American or other leader.
1
I remember from the coverage of the last dumb war TV analysts’ excited squeals of amazed delight describing smart bombs going straight down power plant smokestacks and leveling the thing to the ground. I’m glad someone this time remembered that there were innocent people in those things.
6
Since spin is all this president is about, leaks seem to be the only reliable source of information. Keep them coming.
2
I wish the Times would state things Trump says as “Trump says” or “Trump asserts” rather than “Trump stopped ... because it was not proportional.”
All we have is Trump’s words. Not his actions or his intentions. And Trump’s words tend to be lies or aggrandizement of some sort.
The Press needs to learn to state things related to Trump in such a way that it’s clear that what’s being reported is “an assertion” not a fact.
This bothers me greatly, for all too often Trump cajoles the Press into reporting propaganda as if it were reporting facts. With Trump, words seem to have little meaning other than an attempt to manipulate. And the Press keeps falling into the same traps. Over and over.
Think about this, Times! Please.
6
Last minute decisions about war ought to be based on newly discovered info. Not based on immediately available and quickly discernible intel previously ignore. But, of course, none of Trump's narrative is true. Trump was not going to war except by accident. He was blustering for his base. He got caught up in his powér. Decided to spin by plan or knee jerk necessity to save face.
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I do not believe, for one nanosecond, that Trump called off the strike out of concern for civilian casualties. More likely, a call from Uncle Vlad - "Remember, my friend, what we each know about ..."
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He’s happy to seek the rescinding of the ACA which would easily kill more than 150 Americans.
Why not stop that too?
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Poor Trump. If he gets us into war, even for good reason, people will hate him for it. If he avoids war, people will still find some way to use it to insult him. Evil is that which can do no good, and this is what many atheists seem to ironically believe Trump is.
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You don’t have to be an atheist to know Trump is the worst excuse for a Christian that god ever created.
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@Max Green Just like I thought Obama was not a believer even though he said he was, I also doubt that Trump is a believer. I'm an atheist myself.
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Having a commander in chief that has serious issues with the truth is sooner or later a sure path to disaster. Because 90+% of everything he communicates are lies, distortions, provocations, mis-directions and/or exaggerations, how on Earth can anyone believe him...especially the other side in any conflict?
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Given our experience with this POTUS, it is reasonable to assume that the strike was not called off for the 'reasons' he cites.
More likely, the strike was called off for strategic reasons (we may never know) and Trump -- true to form -- seized the opportunity to preen and posture in the public eye.
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Whether or not it was the right call to make these types of decisions should not be for public consumption. Trump's team as a collective do not know what they are doing. Not a situation to be outting on a show.
When was the last US airstrike that only killed 150 people? I find the estimate hard to believe, although I accept that I am not aware of exactly where the strike was to be aimed. However in Iraq and other wars, initial strikes were often on capital cities. For those of us who know some Persians/Iranians , that is a lot of very very nice people.
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There have been years of indications of a possible military mission creep coup which their puppet Trump is acting in consideration of. It's the New World Order first spoken of by former C.I.A. Director George H.W. Bush along with Reagan and Gorbachevs alliance in the 1980's. His son enjoyed a secret pickup truck ride with Putin at his ranch during his Presidency, and now Trump has secret meetings with Putin.
It is apparent a peace pact between our nations may have been made and kept until recently. There are pros and cons, but the downside is that both nations have become military backed totalitarian nations, and we are suffering as we watch our freedom vanish with complicity by the cooperative bicameral alliance in the Congress that has been steadily arming and coordinating the nations police forces against us.
It's mission creep. It's a lead up to martial law under the cover of national security under war, one that has been extended now for 18 years with little political action shown to stop it. That is proof enough to me.
Indeed, the Republicans are the party of "Red" and the Democrats are now threatened by the traditionally militant Republican party as they seek to destroy our democracy even now as they feverishly pack the courts in anticipation of the suspension of civil government.
The planned military parade in Washington just five days after the election was indicative.
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Donald Trump saved 150 lives by calling off retaliatory raid against Iran.That's the latest episode in the Trump reality tv presidency.Fatuous is the word that most aptly describes this and most of Trump's interactions with the media.
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Strange that many commenters don't seem to understand what's happening, and keep asking what's the plan, what does Trump want from Iran, why order a strike and call it off.
First, Iran is mainly a concern for Israel and Saudi Arabia, not of the US. Whatever the US do regarding to Iran, they do on behalf of those two countries.
Second, the problem with Iran has never been about nuclear weapons. The problem is that it's a strong nation, organized, with resources and high education levels. And being strong is already a challenge- power is better when it's not shared.
So the end goal of Israel and Saudi Arabia is just to weaken Iran, by any means. War, civil war, chaos, crippling economic sanctions, all can do. If they resume uranium enrichment it's not a big issue, it's gonna take them a long time and can be dealt with later.
This is why Trump ditched the agreement with Iran. To choke it with sanctions. He didn't ask for a better deal: nobody wants it. Starving Iran, not preventing it from developing weapons, is the objective.
So Iran now is being choked, slowly and mostly silently. Europe was annoyed but in the end shrugged its shoulders and said "well, what can we do". Iran needs to provoke the world into some kind of response, in hope to cause enough worry to force EU, or China, into some economic or diplomatic action. And Trump doesn't want war, but has to show he's ready to start it, to try to scare Iran into accepting its fate quietly.
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What a coincidence: This whole drama played out the night of the first Democratic debates. Sure is some re-election strategy you got there, Mr. T. Your campaign people are the best money can buy, no doubt. Create a drama and then appear to resolve it. Oldest game in the book.
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Good call President Trump. A lost drone is not worth engaging in a conflict that will quickly escalate.
Now please revisit sanctions and the approach to negotiating with Iran. Make clear to the public why you think it was best to abandon the agreement in place when you became president. You need to convince the world you have a better plan / deal for the US and Iran and that war is avoided. War is not in the interest of the American or Iranian people.
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One of Trump's campaign promise was to end these wars. He's generally not lived up to his promises, but at least in this instance, he made a good decision.
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he only learned about the potential casualty number in the last ten minutes? Wouldn't that be part of the basic briefing for any military operation? Maybe it just didn't register earlier or he doesn't listen?
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His story is just not believable. Potential casualties would have been a fact known and considered early on in the decision making process. He’s told us lies more than 10,000 times since taking office. Why should we believe this after the fact, make himself the hero spin?
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You know, in a weird way, i sometimes get Trump. Not proportionate. Maybe like The Presidency to an apprentice host, real estate guy.
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I like this. It's the reason Trump was basically ok before he became president, other than that Birther and racist stuff.
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Actually my original post would have had a lot more weight had I had mentioned Trump's rampant misogyny which was overt throughout his life. The fact that I considered racism without immediately also considering sexism is a whole other issue which is probably pretty complex.
I don't believe he ever intended to order any sort of strike or offensive against Iran. Perhaps his public comments were used as leverage for private negotiations or discussions - possibly. My opinion is that his threat was hot air and bluster, which seems to be his default mode of operation.
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