We were not attacked. Investing in alternative energy is the best option. Defending oil companies profits who pay no federal taxes is corporate socialism at its worst. Trillion dollar wars are not the answer. Investing in clean energy is more cost effective and rational.
11
trump created this problem when, for no good reason except his own ignorance and Republican spite toward Obama, he pulled the U.S. out of the international nuclear agreement with Iran. now we are precariously close to a totally unnecessary war that will kill god knows how many people, accomplish nothing of value, run up our already bulging deficit and further diminish our global prestige and power. Is there anyone left in the Republican Party to stand up to this madness or are they as a group content to let trump pull all of us down to his pathetic level?
9
@reid But the US Military-Industrial Complex would take in $Billions.
3
I just want to know how you get that many people to show up in front of the White House wearing yellow hats and shirts and waving Iranian flags. G.B. Shaw would have called this a "put up job".
2
>>> "I just want to know how you get that many people to show up in front of the White House wearing yellow hats and shirts and waving Iranian flags."
By threatening to "obliterate" Iran, that's how.
And, FYI, Shaw was a committed socialist and would have seen organized action as exactly the right way for people to express themselves.
2
Eventually people are going to die just so that this buffoon of a president saves face to his cult members who believe false narratives pedaled by multimillionaire right wing media personalities.
5
I believe it's time to impose economic sanctions on Trump and his cabal of MAGAtts. I suggest using stink bombs in his hotels and condos, Round Up on the greens of his golf courses and more demonstrations at his rallies. Every Cabinet member should be shadowed and confronted whenever they appear in public. Betsy DeVos and Wilbur Ross are prime candidates for 'milkshake' showers. Ben Carson and the rest should be shouted down when they try to spread their lies. Trump needs to learn that his insults directed at Americans who oppose his agenda and rhetoric will have consequences to his bottom line. Any acts, short of violence, that disrupts his abuse of the Constitution or his agenda of personal greed is warranted.
2
Trump didn’t shoot down a drone. Trump hasn’t paid Hamas, Hezbollah, and other bad actors in the Middle East to foment trouble. So Trump didn’t create the problems with Iran. To think so is to be ignorant of recent history. And Iran is not Trump’s problem. It is America’s problem. It is the world’s problem. And there are no “good” solutions to the problem of Iran because leftists will complain if he attacks and they will complain if he does not attack and the NYT will carry water for whichever narrative the left chooses to use.
1
There was nothing "last minute" about the decision not to lay a bunch of bombs on Iran. Trump knew from the beginning he wasn't going to do it; he also knew from the beginning that everyone would go nuts when he threatened and that he could look like a good guy when he "stood down."
3
Theocracy by fanatics with views to eliminate Israel and be the dominate force in the region by terror or supporting other terror organizations. Now having a bomb would be a nice thing. Our Chamberlain like Allies will placate them until the Iranians get what they want. All allies of the US and the US should sanction these people into the ground. The Iranian people would thank us. A bunch of Iranian religious zealots do not speak for the people of Iran.
1
This article is dangerously misleading. Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program. Under the JPCOA, they are allowed to enrich uranium and store heavy water for peaceful purposes up to specified levels. When those levels have been reached, all excesses must be exported to third countries. Iran has been fully compliant with those rules and would continue to be, if the United States had not imposed restrictions upon the export of those substances. Hence, the accumulation of excess enriched uranium and heavy water are solely the result of U.S. actions and are not a sign of Iran’s intent to build nuclear weapons. Yet an Iranian nuclear weapons program is clearly implied in the headline of this article, and I have little doubt that it was a deliberate choice of wording by the author and/or the NYT editors. Sad.
1
Republicans are upset about Obama's legacy.
Affordable Care Act and Iran's nuclear deal were two great achievements of Obama.
On the other hand, those who have their allegiance to Israel push for war.
4
February 2017: “Nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated.”
June 2019: “Nobody knew that foreign policy could be so complicated.”
Just maybe when DR says, “Nobody” he means “Donald Trump.”
5
They ripped the TPP, the Paris Climate Accord, the Iran deal. They seek to destroy Obamacare, they are wrecking the immigration situation and only dream of building a wall. And they are totally unable to generate any sensible policies to fix the problems they have intensified and created. This no longer can be called incompetence. It can only be called stupidity. Dear American citizens, Please vote these clowns out of office next year! We need Regime Change! Godspeed.
8
This is all totally insane.
Our last administration, which was qualified and competent, worked with the support our allies to negotiate a deal with Iran that halted its nuclear weapons program and began to reintegrate it into the world economy.
These two neocon maniacs and a completely incompetent President are going to do better? Is it our goal to create a second North Korea?
Welcome to the most powerful country in human history led by a bunch of absolute nitwits. It is frightening, disturbing and any other word you can think of.
9
Trump proclaims "Let's make Iran great again"! So MAGA has morphed into KAG and MIGA. When he turns his attention to Europe will we see MEGA? What a pathetic excuse for a president this man is.
3
Mr. Trump and his bozos have brought every bit of this upon themselves. Iran was safely dealt with under Obama. Trump couldn't stand the fact that Obama actually accompllished something worthwhile, so he destroyed it.
The onus is on him.
6
This is so silly and embarrassing as an American.
America the most powerful country the world has ever seen, Iran , regional power at best.
I compare the USA against Iran
Is Like comparing Israeli against Hamas come on.
It’s same propaganda nonsense.
1
This is all because of Mr. Trump's vanity move in taking the US out of the nuclear deal. If any one thing epitomizes the incompetence of him and his administration, that is it. The deal was the result of long, hard work by a lot of people. It only took one fool to undo it.
3
We Do Not Want A War with Iran.
3
Trump sits in front of the telly, on "executive time", watching Fox News, to determine what they will tell him his next American crisis should be. He will then sort out who to blame, why they are at fault, what they need to do to get back in his graces, and what will make the international news shudder tomorrow.
The next morning its always Trump's new groundhog day.
He wakes up and repeats the watch telly / blame / fault /grace process, but with a new Hannity or Carlson or Pirro "crisis", to feed his adoring MAGA carnival fans.
4
The mullahs are playing him like an angler plays a trout.
If he doesn't want to kill any Iranians, forgetting that Iranian proxies killed 241 U. S. Marines in Beirut, and many more U. S. military with IEDs in Iraq, mine Iran's harbors. Shut down their oil exports and refined product imports; their economy will shut down and no one will be killed.
1
His best option?
Resign and let people who know what rhey’re doing take over and do the hard job of governing
Perpetual running fir office is not governing
4
President Trump should ttreaten to send in Hen Team 13 aka Sean Hannity, John Bolton, Laura Ingraham. Tucker Carlson, Dick Cheney, Rush Limbaugh.Glen Beck, Mike Pence, Don,Jr. Ivanka, Eric, Tiffany and Lara Trump along with Jared Kushner and Steven Mnuchin and Stephen Miller.
Iran will rush to unconstitutionally surrender followed by al Qaeda, ISIS and the Taliban. Right?
The notion that years of losing wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria has engendered fear and respect in those nation states where America seeks to improse it' s hegemonic socioeconomic political imperial will is delusional.
So is the evil inhumane immoral malign idea that a nation state and a people will sell their divine natural equal certain unalienable rights of life, liberty and their pursuit of happiness for money.
The people who inherited a nation born in violent rebellion against the world superpower followed their American Revolution Declaration of Independence with a Civil War that killed more Americans than all of America's other wars combined.
Lincoln's 1st and 2nd Inaugural address plus his Gettysburg Address and Dr Kings ' dream' speech renewed and restated the American creed.
The white European American Judeo-Christian supremacist idea aka populism aka nationalism are merely euphemistic ugly facets of totalitarian right-wing fascism and left-wing communism.
4
So, will the dog finally catch the car?
Let's see...Iran: has been through revolution and major war, has been crushed by sanctions, made deal which the Trumpet broke, so obviously does not trust US and sense need for nuclear weapon for leverage, leaders who might have been unpopular get backing of public due to need for survival vs. US: in 2 on-going, never-ending, very expensive wars which have limited pubic support, no desire to have 3rd war, no sense of imminent threat from country half-way around the world from which we buy no oil anyway, leader requires some public backing...what kind of strategy is this?
1
The only solution is regime change - here in the good ole USA. Elect a blowhard mega maniac who guts the State Department, unilaterally shreds multinational agreements, let’s all our allies know how useless he thinks they are, and appoints certified nut-jobs to power, this is what you get. Continuous unpredictability is not a foreign policy.
3
What is it that Trump wants from the Iranians? To be better actors in the middle east? What are they supposed to do, give up all their weapons while the countries around them bristle with weapons, give up their nuclear program again, stop supporting proxy wars and terrorism with rivals who are fighting proxy wars and promoting terrorism, bring democracy to Iran in a region that does not have democracies?
Trump calls Iran bad without any context except nostalgia for a bygone era. Iran's enemies are trying to use the US to fight a proxy war for them against Iran. The President is a fool, a mad King George, unqualified for office but installed there under law, ruling until his term is finished.
War is the real deal but Trump only knows how to palm the cards. Expect the idiocy to escalate as the country drowns in an ocean of rhetoric and smoothly delivered excuses as Trump continues the make America great again swindle.
1
I wish NYT would have made it quite clear that the photo in this article shows a rally organized by the Mojahedin-e Khalq, a sellout group financed by very dubious sources, represented by likes of John Bolton and Rudy Giuliani, and hated almost unanimously by Iranians from all walks of life. They are responsible for terrorist attacks, which included assassination of US military. They were once on the payroll of Saddam Hossein, and are devoid of any legitimacy. Their rally in front of the White House is no doubt part of the Trump administration’s laughable, and very cynical, effort to pretend that its highly dangerous and totally unjustified warmongering against Iran has a popular Iranian support. Nothing is farther from the truth.
Babrak Shah
8
Trump boxed himself into a corner when he tore up the nuclear deal with Iran and insulted our European allies in NATO.
He's between a rock and a hard place with mediocre staffers like Bolton.
Everything he's done has played fully to the benefit of Putin.
2
Once again, as in the lead up to the Iraq war, the credulous narrative continues: you frame the 'situation' as a question of how Trump may best handle a supposed challenge. You blatantly neglect to point out the obvious key precipitating factor: There was a deal working, and Trump broke it.
2
@Gabriel,
Enemy combatants, come on Iran is not our enemy.
1
On good information from Mad Magazine of all places (or it could have been something called the Inquirer or maybe Fox News), Putin called and told Trump that an attack on Iran meant war with Russia and possibly China and North Korea. This top secret communication should be front page news soon unless Putin can get Trump to beg a little more like a dog.
Trump's return call after calling the whole thing off was a new request to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, China and maybe N. Korea!
Any one who can swallow the Trump line that he was concerned about a possible 150 Iranian citizens getting killed have to add a little more sugar to their coffee. Trump was, is and will continue to be out of his league with the big boys in Russia, China and N. Korea.
There is another possible reason for this behavior: He did all this posturing to win a Noble Prize.
I wonder what 'Wonder Woman' Queen Lizzy is thinking these days after King Trump's visit? And wondering must be a full time job for our allies in Europe and elsewhere.
And now back to the news......
1. George H. W. Bush uses April Glaspie to green-light Saddam Hussain's invasion of Kuwait, knowing (as a former CIA chief would), that telling a megalomaniac you don't care ("Arab to Arab problem") would give him his reelection war, which failed to overcome his own incompetence.
2. George W. Bush cooks up the phony, non-existent "weapons of mass destruction" plot in order to go to war, just like Daddy did, in order to win reelection. It works, thanks to baby brother Jeb using Katherine Harris to rig the Florida vote count by caging thousands of minority voters.
3. Trump is trying the same insane trick, substituting Iran for Iraq, because he can, because we are letting him, because murdering American soldiers and Arab nationals in order to try and get reelected is a long-standing Republican tradition.
4
Usually in time of war the opposition party rallies behind the president. I guess those times are gone. This will come round to hurt you all.
Here is a very appealing option for Trump.
Admit he is in over his head and resign.
2
God I hope we don't get into a war with Iran. We've just now got past generals telling us about the war in "EYE-raq". Spare us from illiterate generals (and the likes of John Bolton) who would lead us into a war with "EYE-ran".
2
Trump is desperate for war to help his miserable presidency but
he doesn’t want to be the one that starts it so he wouldn’t be blamed for it.
He warned us he doesn’t want a war but like everything he says, far from the truth. He will continue provoking the Iranians and now adds additional sanctions to asphyxiate the Iranians further and force them to retaliate and blame them for starting war. He realizes the EU allies and most Americans are starting to question his motives and he is afraid of being blamed.
Cowardly, he is forcing the Iranians to retaliate.
1
Leave Iran alone. Solve our own issues please. This is getting old (and expensive...in many ways).
2
Isn't your choice of top photo for this article giving MEK John's friends too much credit?! They once worked as Saddam's mercenaries and now they're hoping that Bolton and Pompeo put them on the throne.
Obama was a wise man.
To eat an elephant, go piece by piece. Start with the part that is the source of 80% of the problem.
Here we see the current approach as the eye being bigger then the stomach.
Worse, the eye failed to see the elephant.
1
Trump, born large of wealth and small of mind and who will die rich and stupid, is pitted against his brilliant secretaries ripping with credentials and now squabbling over Iran policy and the wisdom of war. It reminds me of other wars and Ogden Nash’s poem:
When geniuses all in every nation
Hasten us towards obliteration,
Perhaps it will take the dolts and geese
To drag us backward into peace.
2
No one knows what is the truth coming from Trump. It seems he lies about everything and it is getting worse as his poll numbers are in the toliet. Scary!
2
Unfortunately for the world, this, together with the subsequent turn-around on deportation, has nothing to do with anything beside Trump's obsessions, his sick ego, and his perverse need to be at the center of things, no matter what the consequences.
1
I don't know why we're pretending that there is going to be any other options besides an escalation in hostilities, possibly leading to war, when this administration has deliberately taken every step to ensure that outcome.
Pulling out of the peace deal so that they can bargain for a better one - flies in the face of reason. They did it so they can maneuver without being restrained by any treaty.
The conditions and dynamics tied to their diplomatic offers ensures that there will not be any diplomacy or bargaining - just demands that the Iranians will predictably refuse.
The Iranians are now faced with the US and Israel under Trump & Netenyahu, and the simultaneous arming of the Saudi's, - after their nuclear weapons program was neutralized by the Obama plan.
The Iranians cannot prevail in a conventional conflict, nor do they want to be attacked, but will predictably respond to hostilities. Trump is stating that Iran will not have nuclear weapons, but the Iranians will obviously feel that their only chance of protecting itself and maintaining its' regime is with a nuclear deterrent . (If the Russians do not deploy )
The only option the Iranians will see is accelerating that weapons program - handing the Trump administration and its' allies in the region, the justification they crudely and forcefully maneuvered the Iranians into providing.
And they are not going to allow a nuclear standoff to occur, closing this window of opportunity of regime change forever.
3
Why is the US constantly meddling in the affairs of other countries? It rarely does any good for anyone.
The reason often cited is 'defense of American interests' but American interests have not been served by involvement in any of the major wars that the country has engaged in during the past 50 years.
Why is the Trump administration so determined to pick a fight with Iran? The reason often given is that Iran is a sponsor of international terrorism.
But surely Saudi Arabia is, in its constant promotion of the ultra conservative Wahhabi sect of Islam and its funding of Sunni armed militia in the Middle East, also an important sponsor of terrorist activity and yet it is a close ally.
3
>>> "Why is the US constantly meddling in the affairs of other countries? It rarely does any good for anyone."
It does quite a lot of good for the owners (and, to a lesser degree, the workers and associated communities) of the enormous American war industry -- Eisenhower's famous "military-industrial complex."
American dominance has been very profitable for our banks and financial institutions, which have been able, since WWII, to control much of the economy in national around the world and to dictate their monetary and economic policies for the benefit of our industrialists.
And so on. See Naomi Kelin's "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism" and General Smedley Butler's 1935 classic, "War is a Racket."
4
Trump “has few appealing options” except...
-Honoring mulilateral treaties such as the JCPOA
-Presenting conclusive proof to the U.N. that Iran is even guilty of attacking the oil tankers and unmanned drone, let alone whether they violated international law by doing so
-Easing the draconian economic sanctions that are crippling Iran’s economy
-Rescinding military and economic aid from such terrorist actors as Saudi Arabia, aid which is furnished in spite a bipartisan congressional condemnation
-Drawing down troops from our interminable military engagements in the region
-Owning up to the fact that we overthrew Iran’s democratically-elected government in 1953, and assuring the international community that we will not meddle in future elections
-Owning up to the fact that we murdered 290 civilians by shooting down Iran Air Flight 655 in 1988
Why don’t we consider and implement these “options,” instead of allowing lunatics like John Bolton and Mike Pompeo to dupe us into bombing and/or invading Iran at an incalculable human cost?
4
Here the next step of the Trumpian diplomacy.
President Trump will send a DVD in which he will describe all the beautiful things that will happen in Iran in they decided to do the bidding of the US Government. The Benefits will be:
1)Hotels Trump will be build in Teheran and all the others big cities;
2)Trump Universities will be build and the Iranians will have the chance to learn all the secrets of the greatest businessman that the world has never seen;
3)golf courses will be built everywhere;
4)beauty pageants will be organized in Teheran;
5)a free copy of the most popular book after the Koran and the Bible will be give to every Iranian;
6)real estate developments will be build all over the country;
7)great jobs will be provide to all Iranians wanting to work for the Trump organization;
8)the United States Football League will be reborn under the name of Iranian Football League and the New Jersey Generals, the team of Donald Trump will be reborn in Teheran under the name The Ayatollahs; and finally
9)a wall with the name Trump in gold letters on it will be build, the Iranians will choose where they want it.
@Wilbray Thiffault: I just realized that I forgot to put the title of the book I was talking at point 5. But of course everybody knows that it was The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump.
This is not so apoplectic. Providing security in international waters through the Straights of Hormuz is not initiating war with anyone. It's ensuring safe passage for vessels flagged worldwide. Importantly, we depend little on this bottleneck flash-point any more, but many friends do. This is near-term tactics. Longer term strategy in containing Iran's nuclear ambitions is more complex. Israel has long been keen on taking out Iran's nuclear development facilities. Let them loose and protect their back.
One huge fact the posters here have overlooked, no doubt cast aside, Congress never approved of the agreement with Iran. Obama and his lackey John Kerry decided to try and slip this agreement by the American people hoping they wouldn't notice. It is interesting to note that the democrats in congress had no interest in bring the agreement to the floor for a vote.
I am very concerned that we are provoking a split in Iran’s leadership where the more extreme wing of the Revolutionary Guard will start acting without any central authorization and in countries not yet involved. Then all bets are off.
We can see what is happening in Yemen; a no win tribal war that has caused the death and starvation of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children. This is madness.
And what if the Trump-Kushner MBZ-MBS motives are purely “transactional, a way to enrich themselves through the misuse of our blood and treasure; our young men and women in uniform? Are we really going to support this evil?
Pelosi has already named the Devil. Now she needs to impeach him. If not, she has lost a large part of the Democratic base. This is no tome to put politics above morality.
2
Trump was very good at dismantling the progress made during the past administration, but hasn't a clue about how to improve it or put it back together again. He is good at getting people riled up and angry at what he doesn't like, but offers no solutions.
1
Semantic surrealism continues.
Issues, dynamic, complex and multidimensional, are interchanged;mixed up with problems.As if they are interchangeable.Consider: Something is a “problem” if it is resolvable.At some point. At some level. If not, it remains as an issue.For some one; individual or a system.
As the bi-directional “blame-game” continues, none of the “actors” are taking responsibility for anything! Amidst the semantic accusations. Threats. The virtual actions which may transmute into...Personal accountability continues to be foreign. To both US and Iranian policymakers. And their advisors. At all levels.
Answers, garbed in certitude, are given. Ranging in relevance to...Necessary, relevant, questions are not asked. All of the “actors” behave as if they actually...KNOW. Generalizable evidence about their types, levels and qualities of necessary UNDERSTANDING have yet to be adequately demonstrated.
Reality, however delineated, and its interacting dimensions of uncertainties, unpredictabilities, randomness and lack of total controls, whatever one’s efforts, within which many-most-some policymakers live and operate, does not appear to BE considered re the current “scenario’s” potential/ actual implications and outcomes.
And as this latest violating scenario IS front-staged,globally,the following are sidelined: starving to death in Yemen. Human rights, goulashed in Hungary.Dismembering in Saudia. ”Kidnapped”-kids in the US.Human-Violations in Venezuela.
Just words?
The most horrifying scenario is that, just like North Korea and “The Border” he forced a conflict through inflammatory rhetoric, made it worse, brought us to the brink of war and then let Rupert Murdoch and his sons run our country. Fortunately, Murdoch et al stopped the bombs.
Our allies must be horrified as well. This man is like the child in a Twilight Zone Episode playing with his doll house, only the dolls are real human beings. Congress has to start impeachment proceedings or they are neglecting their constitutional duty.
2
It’s pathetic that Trump and his hawks haven’t learned from Cuba and North Korea. All these years of sanctions, Iran has learned to be defiant, with its key nuclear activities being conducted underground, making it difficult for any airstrikes from above.
Although militarily, the US-Iran conflict looks like a David and Goliath contest, yet the Vietnam War should serve as a lesson.
Iran’s military hardware is hopelessly obsolete, but its armed forces are nimble and highly skilled at conducting an asymmetric warfare. A war benefits absolutely no-one – neither the US, nor Iran, Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Only diplomacy could help ease tensions and ultimately lead to an agreement. But the Trump administration doesn’t have the seasoned and respectable diplomats to take on the task.
Apart from a cyber corps, that had inflicted damage on some sectors of US infrastructure in the past, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxy forces do pose a huge threat to US officials. The US has attributed numerous attacks to them globally over the past 20 years, and the Pentagon said that it believed Iranian proxy forces were responsible for the deaths of many US troops in Iraq.
2
Unfortunately, it has become all too obvious to our Allies and our adversaries that Trump and his administration have no plans on how deal with the issues our Nation faces. Their only plan is to tear down any and all of the plans and acheivements of our previous adminstrations. Trump's former Sr. Advisor, Steve Bannon runs all over Europe promoting White Nationalism ideology. Perter Navoro, Trump's Economic Advisor, promotes Economic Isolation with his Trade Wars. Mike Pompeo, and Rex Tillerson, shredded our State Department, and have offered no real foriegn policy directives and alternatives, for the situations in Iran, Venezula, Cuba, North Korea, Central America other than threats of military action. The Trump EPA, has no policy to address Climate Change other than, let's make the problem worse. Ultimately, the Buck stops with Trump. He never offered any policy positions when he ran for President other than: 1) Build a Wall, became put children in concentration camps 2) NAFTA has to go, 3) China, is ripping us off, 4) Tax Breaks for the Middle Class, became Welfare for the Rich and largest Corporations in the World 5) Repeal and Replace Obama Care, became repeal and DON'T replace Obama Care, 6) Foriegn policy became "We don't need no Foriegn Policy." 7) The Lock Her Policy. 8) The "Drain the Swamp" and replace it with a more corrupt Beuracracy, policy. 9) "Support White Nationalism" policy. 10) Last but not least "Attack the Free Press" policy.
1
Please stop referring to Trump's decision to "pull out" of the JCPOA (or to "withdraw from") the JCPOA. Trump's decision was to "violate" the JCPOA, since Iran was complying and the U.S. re-imposed sanctions in violation of the agreement. There is no point in negotiating with someone (or a country) whose word means nothing. Unless Trump is willing to pay damages and promise to re-enter and not violate the JCPOA again (or if Europe convinces its own companies to ignore U.S. sanctions and do business with Iran), then it seems unlikely that there will be any solution while Trump remains President of the U.S.
1
Iran has concluded that war is preferable to a decade of economic sanctions. It will continue to engage in low-level provocations -- attacking shipping, shooting down drones, and whatever else it can do that hurts the West without killing US soldiers. And it will continue to enrich uranium.
Iran has effectively boxed the United States in. We have two options: (1) war or (2) loosening the sanctions. If we leave Iran's nuclear facilities alone, they will eventually get the bomb. Hitting Iran's nuclear facilities from the air, however, will almost certainly lead to a shut-down of the Strait of Hormuz, with devastating consequences to the world economy, just before the US elections. To make the Strait safe for tanker traffic, we will need to invade Hormozgan Province on the ground.
A ground war with Iran will require on the order of 500,000 US soldiers, imposition of a draft, and a shift to a wartime economy. We should expect an extended conflict with significant US casualties -- more like Korea than like Iraq. Mr. Trump, of course, was elected on a platform that included getting out of Middle Eastern wars.
If they get the bomb, everything changes. Yes, Israel will face a different world. But so will we. It's relative simple to put a nuclear weapon inside a shipping container and send it an American port. Sure, we can bomb them back to the Stone Age. But not without a cost.
2
This is not like JFK the Cuban missle crises or the Cold War. The former USSR and the USA though very different politically both valued survival and at their core were desperate to avoid mutual distruction. I don't think the same value system can be assumed with the Ayatollah and the Islamic republic of Iran and thus trouble my indeed start.
1
@DJ
I don't think the "value system" of Iran is the issue. If president trump had not been so blinded by his hatred of President Obama when he withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Agreement we would not be having this conversation.
This crisis is directly related to trump's inexperience coupled with bolton, and pompeo's public war mongering positions.
1
What is Trump’s value system?
1
Iran poses a threat to Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and their support of terrorism in the region prevents all from living in peace. But Iran is not a country that can be defeated in war by all of these adversaries. But the U.S. could reduce Iran to a preindustrial nation with all of it’s weaponry. That would not rid the country of the current regime without occupation.
It seems possible that Trump began to see where his escalation, militarily, was headed, and that without the support of enough Americans, he could not get away with it, so decided that he must stand down.
Pompeo and Bolton did not do their jobs, instead serving their own animosities towards Iran. Whether Trump understands how Israel et al were letting him slip into war or not remains an unknown. Probably, not.
The nuclear deal was temporary and imperfect but it was better than this situation.
1
Keeping everybody off balance, including his own advisors - that's Trump's M.O. He did it with banks he got loans from, with workers he didn't pay, with women he had no intention of marrying. He substitutes tactics for policies, every time. You might guess it started with him as a kid trying to deal with parents he was afraid of. His big dream seems to be a world of Trump golf courses everywhere, on the coasts of North Korea, China, Straits of Hormuz - utter fantasy, and not a policy.
2
It's completely clear to the entire world what is going here. The Trump administration is escalating tensions with Iran for what it perceives as political gain. This is both destructive and dangerous. We do not need anymore ill-conceived wars.
5
I can understand negative and in some cases, insulting comments about our POTUS - but the fact remains that he inherited a problem that has been in the making for since Carter.
When Iranians over ran our embassy and seized our personnel - our Congress has been on the record - repeatedly - that a regime change in Iran is our objective.
Along came Obama who thought by giving in to Iran demands that it be recognized as a regional power - he gave away our biggest weapon - oil sanctions and its forced isolation.
Iran showed true colors by continuing to threaten our regional allies and harm them. And launch terrorist attacks in Europe, no less.
Comes along our current POTUS - and he has brought Iran back to square one - a position that Congress has mandated.
So, indeed there are few options and sooner or later - a military option will be required just as in case of Iraq.
And folks should remember that whatever pain and losses we went thru in Iraq in ousting Saddam - no one can deny Iraq is better off without him and for that matter, the Middle East in general.
Wars have consequences - and all we can hope is for a better outcome because our intentions are not to occupy or own Iran.
@Neil
Iran is a regional power, and will always be, because of its strategic position and its size.
Saudi Arabia is also a regional power and there in lies the problem, further compounded by religious differences.
Anything that Iran has done or is doing is mirrored by what Saudi Arabia has and is doing.
I have you asked the Iraqi people if their better off, the Lebanese?, the Syrians. Their homes and countries are destroyed with no positive outlook for generations. Regime change in Iraq spawned isis that we must now confront. The invasion of Iraq was a political and humanitarian disaster.
2
"Would Hilary have said something like that?"
Nope. If Hillary Clinton had won, we'd be at war with Iran right now. Maybe we will be with Trump, but there's no question in my mind that HRC would have ordered an attack -- just as she voted to support Bush in his attack on Iraq. No reason to think she'd change.
The headlines speak of a 'retaliatory strike' by the US that was called of. There would have been nothing retaliatory about this. Everything indicates that the drone was in Iranian airspace. The country is being strangled economically, the US supports MEK a terrorist organization that has killed many in Iran, and now there are cyberattacks on top of it all, and not for the first time. All this against a country that submits to the most intensive nuclear monitoring. And who is egging the US on? A country that routinely breaks international law, that refuses to sign the nuclear proliferation treaty, that does not allow any nuclear monitoring, and has as many as 200 illegal nuclear bombs.
3
Trump has also rolled his entire middle East strategy into one, simple goal - to stop Iran getting nuclear weapons.
Even if he manages this - sanctions won't do the trick - he ignores terrorism, human rights abuses, opening up the Iranian economy to US companies, oil production, Israel, Syria, etc, etc.
He is just setting himself up for failure.
Not only is this kind of US brinkmanship making a future nuclear agreement with Iran extremely unlikely, the worst of all is that it shows Iran's National Guard, the most extremist part of the Iranian theocracy, that a "moderate" approach and even giving up nuclear weapons altogether, as Roubani has done, doesn't work and puts the entire country at risk of being bombed.
There's nothing that the US could do better, if it wanted to embolden the worst Iranian fundamentalists, than what it is doing under Trump, who has shown the world that IF you have nuclear weapons already, as is the case with North Korea, then all you have to do to be left alone is to agree to some photo-ops with the president, whereas IF you give up building nuclear weapons for 15 years, as Iran had just done, all that it takes to be bombed is for the GOP to take over the White House again.
The current US incompetence will certainly have a ripple effect throughout the region.
Maybe this is making "America great" in the eyes of some, but it certainly makes the entire world a much more dangerous place - including for Americans.
5
The whole Iran situation is a mess and will not be solved quickly or easliy - at worst it will lead to conflict and goodness knows how that might end.
My previous comment is worth repeating: let's move away from the military confrontational situation and focus on driving a bigger wedge between the Revolutionary Guard and the politicians in Terran - their serious mutual dislike of each other is well known and Tehran now has all but admitted that a "rogue" element of the Guard shot down the drone. The US action can be both overt and covert - as an example of the former is for the US at the Security Council to name openly accuse the Guards being responsible for tanker bombings and drone shoot down and thus totally out of control by Tehran.....you will get the idea of how it can be done. No weapons, no conflict and minimal cost. The lack of control by Tehran over the Guards will be publicly exposed, and at the very least it will be a very annoying distraction for the Iran government.
@Charles H.
It is doubtful that the RG are really 'out of control'. What is more likely is that just as there are competing factions in the White House, there are also the same more aggressive and more moderate voices competing for the ascendancy in Tehran. Trying to side line the RG would equate with trying to sideline Pompeo and Bolton which, come to think of it, would probably be a good idea!
War is seldom the answer to anything other than when it is to end a war that is threatening our greatest allies or our very freedom. Even under the most appropriate scenarios war kills civilians, kills children involves man slaughter and reflects the human species continuing barbaric, destructive, murderous nature.
One option is to re-engage the treaties, offer greater cooperation, cut some deals, etc.
Bolton and Pompeo are living under intense illusions if they believe that either sanctions or military action will cause "regime change." We are supposed to be getting out of the regime change business and helping people here at home. We don't need any more Republican initially, falsely premised, illegal wars.
I am glad no one died and for that I can say sincerly: "Thank God"
1
Shortly after the inauguration of Barack Obama, Mitch McConnell famously said it was the mission of the Republican Party to make sure Barack Obama was a one term President. Why aren't Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats making it their mission to ensure Trump is a "less than one term" President? Trump undoing foreign policy, environmental policy, health care policy and immigration policy of President Obama, is not policy or strategy; it's pettiness, laziness and vindictiveness of an incurious and clueless narcissist who conflates the surgical precision of world diplomacy with artless and sketchy real estate dealings.
4
@Jeff
"Trump undoing foreign policy, environmental policy, health care policy and immigration policy of President Obama, is not policy or strategy; it's pettiness, laziness and vindictiveness..."
This is the racism driving the current administration and the GOP controlled Senate. It is always easier to thoughtlessly destroy things you don't like.
It is MUCH harder to find agreeable solutions that ensure peace. prosperity, and equality.
1
Trump's problem is classic and simple. Most Presidents are somewhat prepared to be President; they then appoint competent experts in various fields and listen to those who make the most sense.
Trump is unfortunate, both in his ignorance beyond dealing real estate (and even?) and in the choice he made of advisors. It's the State Dept.and CIA that normally provide counsel on foreign affairs with a little help from the economic staff.
Bush Sr., ex- Director of the CIA, a group incompetent since their inception, brought them directly into the White House and their mindset of regime changing permeated everything. But there was still State. Then Hillary Hawk devastated their value.
Nationally, we're boxed in by people who believe they are invincible supermen, Deutschland style. Trump, whose only goal is his installation as dictator in a land that will rule the world has become just the figurehead of those who counsel him. They almost make Clapper and Brennan look like humans.
So we need a change.The other drama is that the Democrats pool of people clamoring to replace the installed incompetents are equally incompetent. No one who could be a national leader would think for a minute of putting their life under the existing microscope of the media. Tulsi, perhaps, but she's too reasonable.
The US has been complicit in murdering innocent civilians for over a decade. Obama’s drone warfare killed hundreds of innocent men, women and children. Allied Forces in Yemen have killed thousands of innocent men, women and children. We don’t need any more military conflict. Financial warfare will cripple Iran’s economy and force the government to capitulate. We close them off to the financial markets. Iran is a country which routinely exports terror - supporting Hezbollah and other extremely violent groups focused on annihilating Israel. Regardless of the shenanigans in the White House with our fearless leader, we didn’t attack and won’t attack. For all his incredibly outlandish comments, Trump is slowly losing some of his support. However, the previous Administration’s hawkish position- the escalating of the Afghan war and the destruction of Yemen were nothing less than cold blooded murder costing our Country trillions of dollars. Obama and Secretary Clinton were the perpetrators of that violent period during the last decade.
1
Now trump agrees with the US Intelligence community?
We don’t need to go to war with Iran. They are not our enemy.
The person in the White House is our enemy.
He has lied over 10,000 times since taking office. Why should we believe him now regarding Iran.
6
Beyond all else, the ineptness of this administration in matters foreign and domestic is stunning. It’s as if it has nominated itself to preside over serial failures, any one of which involve wading into a mess of avoidable disaster.
3
Too many big players have been contemplating a war with Iran for years and they now have the perfect guy to help them achieve that.
It is foolish to think there is a way out. Trump will continue to provoke Iran and will pressure them enough to force them to react.
Governments like people can only take so much and the slightest reaction or mistake could be used by the US to justify retaliation. The lives of 80 Iranian million people at stake and Trump pretends he cared for 150 of them.
2
if Trump want to put us in another multi trillion dollar war in the middle east he will have a massive outbreak of civil unrest to deal with here at home. It is hard to lie us into war this time.
2
Hmm...could it be that Trump is having his own "red line" moment where he doubts the benefits of actually enforcing his own ultimatums? It seems that the devil is in the details, Donald, and things are not as easy as they seem.
1
Trump does have options. The best two are:
1 Get rid of warmongering Bolton and Pompeo
2 Cancel the sanctions on Iran. They wont work, will engender more anger and are already hurting mothers and children. You don’t make friends with enemies by using unnecessary cruelty.
5
I'm astounded at the confusing set of recent events that make the U.S. look like fools, but this whole thing with Iran goes beyond Trump. We've had war-mongers who've mired us in the middle-east quagmire for decades now and some of the biggest culprits have been democrats like Hilary Clinton and Madeline Albright.
It says something about our system that the one issue that both sides are able to agree on and work together is war. We should be extricating ourselves from the region instead of piling on. Absolutely nothing good has come from our enormous sacrifice of young lives and treasure.
1
There is an obvious solution for Trump: negotiate a new treaty with the Iranians (actually, the old treaty with a new name), declare victory, and call off the sanctions.
3
Come on, let's be honest.. Trump is clearly the perpetrator here. He initiated this mess, and then he tries( and some might say he succeeds??) in making himself look like a hero at the end of it. Even writers in this paper are falling for it, and giving him credit for calling off an attack and "saving" 150 lives. This airstrike was never going to happen, even I, of mediocre intelligence, understands this.
5
Trump apartments have long been considered poorly built. His other products are tawdry, cheap. His entire brand is weak. His presidency reflects all this and now he’s in a big mess of his own making.
Tear up the TPP, NAFTA, Paris Agreement, Iran Deal. And replace them with what? More poorly made Trump products?
4
What “terrorism” is Iran accused of supporting?
This accusation keeps coming up to justify Iran’s punishment under crippling sanctions. There is one other country that has faced down the deadly wrath of the United States government without capitulating: Cuba.
Apparently anyone who doesn’t submit to the will of America is a “terrorist.”
The mortal sin of Iran, like Cuba, was to thwart CIA efforts to impose the American-backed dictatorships of Bautista and the Shah.
America’s credibility and credit in both these regions is less than zero, initially because of these interventions but mostly because of doubling down on supporting coercion and repression over the last half of a century.
Some freedom, some democracy.
2
Responsibility for any conflict that results between the US and Iran in the coming days and months rests largely in the laps of Trump and his band of hawkish Saudi-apologists who are ideologically bent on ‘eliminating’ the Iran ‘threat’.
1
Trump is in pickle. He thought that he could force other nations to reimpose sanctions to force Iran to renegotiate a treaty in place of the one agreed under Obama. Now he can either give up and rejoin the agreement or proceed into an escalating conflict. Given how Iran treated Carter, they may decide to humiliate Trump before resuming negotiations. In any case, if Trump did not want war, he took the wrong way to get a better deal. Nations do not work like businesses.
If another country that the US considered hostile flew a drone up the East Coast, how would the US respond? Obviously the US would shoot it down. There wouldn’t be much objection on that point.
But if we extend this roll-reversal thought experiment, that hostile nation would now be openly discussing a retaliatory strike against the US, perhaps taking Joint Base Andrews, with the US just expected to take it.
The US foreign policy establishment has been the aggressor here, withe Mike Pompeo and John Bolton as the centers of gravity. Traditional US allies don’t believe anything we’re trying to feed them. Iran’s the one that has been behaving in a mature manner while Pompeo and Bolton keep putting US military assets as close as possible in the hope that the friction will eventually combust.
They need to fall back and stop trying to start a war. Such a war would not be justified on any grounds. Furthermore the American people are not interested in yet another regime change followed by nation building forever war.
2
Our President, the greatest deal maker ever, left TPP, the Paris Accord, the Iran deal and SMART. He sabotaged NAFTA, trade with China, rattled NATO and disabled Obamacare. Contending loudly that all were the "worst deal ever". He has moved our Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, gave himself a huge tax break and made an, as yet, invisible deal with North Korea.
What Trump doesn't seem to grasp in regard to Iran is that the leadership in Tehran believes they have their God on their side and what Trump has is Bannon, Pompeo and Franklin Graham.
2
It's funny to see the Americans trying to avoid Iran from getting Nukes and at the same time they want to sell nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia, why on earth does the Saudi's need nuclear technology.
2
As each day passes trump becomes ever more obsessed with his own grand self. It was not enough to have military members saluting him when the held his limo door. He couldn't get his military parade so he settled for a July 4th that is all about him. And yet, he is still not satisfied. He's really to much of a coward to actually start a real war but it works for him to appear to have done so but allowed his benevolent self to have the last word. What is stunning is that trump does not understand that the whole world is looking at him and seeing the buffoon he really is.
1
Two thoughts: 1) According to the UN's IAEA, the Iranians violated heavy water stockpile limits twice under Obama's "peace in our time treaty", so threatening to violate those limits now isn't a new threat 2) Trump's job with Iran was made more difficult by previous administrations failure to act appropriately.
And these are the people that lead our country. It is a nightmare that we have yet to awake from.
Amateur hour - on the world stage. We are watching a bewildered old man impulsively react to a world conflict in the same way that he tweets. Insane. I am really, really scared. I implore everyone to contact their legislators, especially republican ones, to do whatever they can to reign Mr. Trump in - it's not much, I know, but what other voice do we have? We have three branches of government for a reason - for checks and balances. We need to put that ideal to the test. Otherwise, we could be talking about WW3...
1
The unprovoked confrontational course Trump has chosen against Iran has left Trump a laughing stock in the eyes of global diplomatic and strategic community circles. Nothing else illustrates Trump's inadequacy and incompetence in matters of diplomacy and foreign policy than his policy Dille a on Iran.
1
Wouldn't it be more productive if you decided on a strategy first, and then began using the leverage you had to enact that strategy? I mean, you cancel a nuclear treaty because you think you're such a better deal maker. Then you threaten them with air strikes, because they shot down an unmanned drone that your generals put up there. Then you decide you need a strategy. What's wrong with this picture?
I'm astounded at the confusing set of recent events that make the U.S. look like fools, but this whole thing with Iran goes beyond Trump. We've had war-mongers who've mired us in the middle-east quagmire for decades now and some of the biggest culprits have been democrats like Hilary Clinton and Madeline Albright.
It says something about our system that the one issue that both sides are able to agree on and work together is war. We should be extricating ourselves from the region instead of piling on. Absolutely nothing good has come from our enormous sacrifice of young lives and treasure.
One of these hawks has to go. Will it be Pompeo or
Bolton? Their machinations have brought us to the brink of war.
They both have strong backers such a the Koch Bros. et al and Israel. But they have lost the approval of the American people. Trump himself is on a slippery slope with calls for impeachment getting louder all the time.
We must reinstate the anti-nuclear deal immediately. And end this deadly game of chicken.
3
What happens when you back a tiger into a corner ? By imposing sanctions on Iran, the US has done just that.
It is completely obvious to anyone ,
( east, west, north or south ) that Trump, Bolton and Pompeo have now made the world much less safe.
No statements supporting US warmongering have been released by any traditional ally.
Stop the sanctions .
1
Another article mentioned that Iran was conducting “shadow tactics” ? Doesn’t the United States of America conducting these type of operations as a routine? to disrupt other countries stability? Why is perceived Iran’s “illegal activities”? As shadowy? And the USA’s as legal?
Trump opened a Pandora's box then act like he did not know negative consequences would follow. It's silly to abandon a treaty then apply severe sanctions then expect the Iranians to follow the same treaty while imposing more and more sanctions. The Iranians can only hope that the American people have the common sense not to reelect someone devoid of logic and common sense.
2
Yes, limited options is the key...If you know this you do not drive your enemy into a corner, the enemy you worked out an agreement with which was being abided by! Yes, limited options and a smoking gun created by your own foreign policy failures and eagerness to paint the person an agreement had been worked out with, as the enemy. I think it is clear who is to blame (except for the escalated and pumped up macho reaction from the Revolutionary Guard, but what else do they do but bully and threaten and in the end when they have been emboldened by your very real failures (I mean Trump's Choice of Leadership & their failures) hey strike -- with landmines or missiles aimed at vessels which are totally innocent.
There a lot of references to "support" by our European allies. I presume by support, they mean analogize to fans at a sporting event, as Europe has basically zero functional military beyond the limited resources in their home countries. Good teams win both at home and away. Cheering fans are nice, but clearly not essential to success. Tiny Israel can project more military power than all of the EU combined.
The shooting of the high flying, sophisticated unmanned drone with a manned escort by the Islamic Republic of Iran was a definite slap on America’s face.
It also shows that the US military is inept to confront enemy combatants in the field and that the Islamic Republic is far more formidable than originally thought. Why do we spend money on $600 toilet seats (to be adjusted for inflation) and prop up a useless, rusty, clumsy military machine that cannot do its job when needed?
The mute diffident reaction from the Trump administration is the characteristic incompetence for which US is known for decades. In this regard, Trump behaved just like Carter- lack of courage, lack of clarity of purpose and inability to carry out a task to the end.
This is not the first time Iran has humiliated the US. Fifty-two hostages were taken and held captives for 444 days by the same dastardly Islamic thugs of Tehran. Carter vacillated and did nothing more than showing his famous teeth. The fear of Jesus came to the Ayatholah and his brigade when Ronald Reagan was elected President. On the very day of his inauguration, the thugs caved in and released all hostages.
By emulating Carter and compromising on national honor, Trump is not only guaranteeing a one-term presidency but paving the road for a more decisive leader to emerge in 2020. Thank you, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Why does it appear that liberals want war and conservatives don't?
Generalization, to be sure, but let's remember that it was Trump who declined to attack Iran. Ever since then, he's been attacked, goaded and vilified -- mostly by critics who seem to be faulting him for not sending in the bombers.
The irony is that he could have more options had he not cut America from her allies and foes alike.
Case in point, remember Stuxnet? Iran could not develop its own technologies in a vacuum, and keeping it close is a better way to keep tab on it.
There is a time honored political saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Trump? His calculus? Family profit, secure his base and appoint political lackeys willing to brown nose him. The rest is clueless
1
What the Times fails to mention is the Iranians can impede or block Persian Gulf oil through the Straight of Hormuz using asymmetric warfare. Unless Trump gives the Iranians an escape hatch toward negotiating, we are the ones boxed in.
Hyper-critical Romney turned into another bootlicking-Republican Senator like Lindsey Graham. They know well Trump is not smart when it comes to foreign policy.
MITT ROMNEY: “I am afraid that when it comes to foreign policy
He [Trump] is very, very, not smart.”
Mar 3, 2016: Romney’s speech at Hinckley Institute.
1
Pretty incredible that the US is worried about Iran having a nuclear weapon when the President (an irrational, immoral man-child) has the power to shoot off nuclear weapons with a punch of a button. Our concerns are misplaced.
1
There is one party at fault here and that is the US.They left the deal that the EU and Russia had negotiated with IRAN, they imposed sanctions to cripple Iran's economy.
They flew a drone and a plane over Iranian air space.
I am amazed that you, an experienced reporter wrote this column which assumes the the Trump administration is telling the truth. You know that the truth is something Trump and the warmongers Bolton and Pompeo are incapable of delivering. Iran are not the good guys but they are saints compared to the US.Remember Vietnam?
1
Hey Trump/ I got an idea for resolving this problem. How about lifting some of the sanctions in exchange for Iran limiting the amount of enrichment on their uranium to less than what it what takes to make weapons. Then they can ship the excess to a neutral country. Oh I know it sounds like that other guys policy but maybe you can get Iran to extend the time span from ten years to ten years and one month and then claim how your superior negotiating skills improved on what that other guy did. What do you say big guy.
What is a difference between a MAJOR sanction that kills people and a military attack that kills people? Both criminal and shameful.
1
A nuclear program is an enormously expensive thing to keep going. Between the sanctions, and the actual cost of their nuclear program, Iran will eventually be ruined.
We pretty much ruined our own country with the costs of our defense efforts - it's only fair that the Iranians be given a chance to ruin their country in the same way.
Take a look at what Switzerland has done - instead of messing with other peoples countries, they built a highly successful watch industry. Our dependence on exporting the products of our military goods industry to help pay for it, has become a problem - just as Dwight D. Eisenhower said it would be, when he left office in 1961.
It is important to understand, that without being able to focus their constituents anger on the United States, the lunatics who run Iran, would have had seen their pathetic version of a government collapse years ago. Acquiring consumer goods is a lot more fun than whacking yourself in the head with a stick, while marching in a parade.
Note: If anyone is offended by this comment, the United States Constitution guarantees both "Freedom of religion" and "Freedom from Religion".
Trump has a strategy? News to me. He wings it every time and his supporters hope for the best. One day he will mistake his red M&M for his nuclear button and start a war by mistake. Of course his supporters will defend him and blame his favorite trio: DOC Democrats, Obama and Clinton. What kind of America are we living in?
1
So Iran may or may not have more enriched Uranium than stipulated in the Iran nuclear agreement. Since the US has unilaterally pulled out of this agreement I can’t see how the US can hold Iran responsible for conditions in an agreement that the US no longer is part of?
It is pretty clear that Trump looks for a fight - a fight he can’t possibly win.
5
An obvious option and best solution: Trump apologizes for reneging on the existing agreement in the first place. Fires Bolton, restrains Pompeo, and agrees to rejoin the old agreement and then takes rapid steps to do so - while asking the EU, Russia etc to work on an agreement with Iran to get them back into compliance.
Simple as that. Trump has created problem after problem after problem all over the world, thinking that he can just dictate what other countries will do and guess what - they then don't.
Time he admits his mistake and return to global sanity.
Rob Wheeler
14
one foolish adventure like this could be a mistake or miscalculation. but President Trump , in many areas, continues to make this same error of judgment over and over: he simply believes, against all facts or evidence, that he can bully, hoodwink, or just order adversaries - even other countries, - to bend to his personal will. perhaps it is just a longtime habit forged during his years in business during which he was the absolute boss, answering to nobody, giving all the orders. but in goverment this approach doesn't work, has never worked, is never going to work... and he does not seem to be able to understand that. this is such as serious mental deficiency on his part that he is unable as well as unwilling to uphold his oath of office (as Speaker Pelosi has said). therefore, he should immediately be removed from office under Article 25. we have enoigh problems, we don't need a mad king, too.
To "counter Iran's nuclear program" why not try returning to the treaty that they and the other four country's making up the parties to the agreement signed?
The treaty was working. Iran did not have a weapons program and the negotiations proved that diplomacy was the best option.
But let's be honest. Trump, in an effort to please Bibi Netanyahu and undo an Obama policy unilaterally scuttled the treaty and immediately applied sanctions on Iran.
Iran's initial response was to continue honoring the treaty. Then there were military threats and more sanctions, including a promise to cut of all oil sales by Iran destroying their economy.
If this is what a country gets for agreeing to abide by a treaty with the US, why should anyone trust Trump and his administration?
38
@Drspock
Why not?
Because Trump betrayed his own voters on each and every issue.
He was the only GOP primary candidate to dare to say the truth about the Iraq war and the GOP establishment's disastrous decision to let people like Bolton determine matters of war and peace.
So what does he do when he gets into the White House? He hires Bolton, and the entire horrible scenario starts all over again.
THAT is why the GOP didn't want Iran to peacefully give up their nuclear weapons strategy, as they have done for years now.
The GOP never wanted peace in the first place.
They want war. Permanent war.
2
by this point, Trump has already poisoned that well. I just hope America can recover from his disasterous presidency and we can get rid of him before it is too late.
As I watch this unfold, I can’t help but think that the credentials of the person making all of these incredibly monumental decisions is marginally successful real estate developer and reality tv star. So many peoples futures (and possibly lives) are in his hands.
Ugh.
66
Or it could be a cynical politician whose stock in trade is the lives, flesh and blood of young people.
2
As a Trump voter this is the first time I have ever considered staying home in 2020. The fact Trump did not strike Iran makes me question if he can keep the country safe. It is shocking that he cares about 150 enemy combatants.
Trump is weak and his now his redlines have turned into pink lines just Like Obama and Syria, The only thing that would put faith back into him would be to send 120,000 troops to the Middle East, it wouldn't be a strike, but if the US choose to strike it would be ready to respond to the Iranian retaliation with extreme force.
3
>>> "The fact Trump did not strike Iran makes me question if he can keep the country safe."
Umm . . . because you think striking Iran would make our country safer?
Maybe it's true that citizens in a democracy get the government they deserve. Sad.
79
@Gabriel
As you are a self-confessed Trump supporter last time round I am not surprised that you don't know the consequences of putting mines in the Strait of Hormuz which Iran would have done had there been an attack. It would have been an economic catastrophe for the world and Trumps sugar high overstimulated supposedly "good" economy would have deflated like a punctured baby blimp.
Are you willing to sign up for service on your pro war conviction? Or is that for others to do?
70
@Gabriel
Trump doesn't care about the 150 people. If he really cared about people, he wouldn't be locking kids in cages at the southern border. He cares only about himself.
Definitely looks weak, but this is just one example of his weakness.
47
Maybe Putin, an Iranian ally, can help strike a peace deal between Trump and Iran. It sounds crazy but someone, anyone, needs to start a dialogue between these two before Bolton finds a way of starting this war.
15
I can't figure out why Putin would want to help the US out - maybe you can explain?
We wouldn't be having this problem if Trump had not reneged on the treaty. He alone bears the responsibility. History will judge.
69
@Nick Wheeler If the Iran deal were still in place , by the end of the next presidential term, Iran would be two years away from a contractual world-wide release of ALL funds and restrictions on its nuclear development. To think that the Obama deal did anything other than give them 10 years to stockpile cash, weapons, and fund world wide belligerent proxies is fantasy land.
So American leadership on this issue is now confined to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain.
The coalition of the Authoritarian?
20
@herne: Don't overlook Benjamin Netanyahu.
Why fix when it ain't broken?
I will take Salar Abdoh at his word when he writes in his NYT article, "The devastating impact of American sanctions has left many Iranians feeling they are already at war."
Trump's economic squeeze works. Their drone strike is a sign of desperation. Trump doesn't have to look for options.
On the other hand, Iran has limited options. In fact, only one left .. to get to the negotiation table and say, "Salaam Alaykum, Mr. Trump. Let's make a deal."
4
If the Iranians ramping up their nuclear program in response counts as “working,” then yes, Trump’s sanctions have worked brilliantly.
Just continue the sanctions. Nothing else. They are working. Iran is lashing out because it has no option except to make it seem as if it is in control.
9
@Arnishel: Trying to drive a county's economy into the ground is an act of war.
I think it is hilarious that most of the people commenting are the same people who tried to con the rest of us into believing we should not vote for Trump because he would have the keys to launch nuclear weapons. Now these very same people are finding ways to criticize him for not attacking Iran. The 2020 presidential election cannot come soon enough.
4
@Scott K
Straw man argument. "The same people" as you put it in presenting your straw man - are attacking him for
a) Being clueless about the historical and geographical context
b) Dismantling the Iran deal that had it under reasonable control
c) Disregarding US allies and acting recklessly and as usual uni-laterally and without consulting Congress
d)Not knowing or pretending not to know the
You say "collateral damage figure of 150 people before authorising the strike
e) Putting America in a weakened decision by flip flopping thus weakening American negotiation power in future decisions
f) Acting impulsively and cluelessly throughout
You say "Now these very same people are finding ways to criticize him for not attacking Iran." They are mostly relieved he didn't do it. Your straw man is a classic rightist strategy. Present people's positions for them and then make a specious argument of flagrant sophistry to counter a position they never had. BTW there is no "hilarious" component in making war.
3
It sure can’t
Calling his actions that of a leader is an insult to mankind
The most distressing part of this whole mess is that the only solution that Trump would agree to is one which he came up with. As he knows nothing about International politics or diplomacy generally and Iranian politics or diplomacy particularly, how can a viable outcome be had?
Remember, Trump supporters, he is the one who claimed he doesn't need to read or understand about these complex things. He has an infallible gut and that solves all problems.
17
There is always the option of resigning.
22
What a pity it is that self-aggrandizing stream of consciousness blathering isn't the same thing as diplomacy. Trump would be another Talleyrand if it were.
7
Good thing we don't need any allies to work with us to fix it.
11
In an interview, Trump said something like: "They (Iranians) shot down an unmanned drone and we respond by killing 150 people. That just doesn't seem right" Does that not blow your minds, NYTimes readers? Would Hilary have said something like that? Does that sound like Trump the "war monger"? John Bolton (who has bipartisan support ) must be just so frustrated!
5
None of the democrats support Bolton. Democrats are concerned with Trump’s erratic decision making process not that he called off the strike.
@Martini
You are correct. Bolton does not have bipartisan support. Bolton's sole agenda , Israel and protecting Israel through regime change in Iran, has bipartisan support.
@Martini
You are correct. Bolton does not have bipartisan support. Bolton's sole agenda , Israel and protecting Israel through regime change in Iran, has bipartisan support.
Forgive me, but Trump’s attack “humanitarian stand-down” has Celebrity Apprentice scripting written all over it.
16
The Trump administration needs to negotiate with the Iranians. I refuse to believe that the American people want another war in the Middle East. Just exactly what would that accomplish? Is the end result to be regime change in Iran, to perhaps create what the Republicans envision to be a “democracy?”
It is foolish to think that we will be welcomed with “flowers” like certain people said of our attempt to change Iraq. This pathetic desire to impose our will on the rest of the world is surely the sign of a dying empire.
It’s time to stop and think.
18
US sanctions is essentially a blockade against Iran. It's an act of war and Iran has a motivate to retaliate. If you punch someone be prepared to be punched back-- hard. Don't whine and complain about it.
20
Trump is not only incompetent he is dangerous to world stability and our national security.
He and his abominable administration needs to be voted out of office and some semblance of intelligence and reality needs to be restored.
We will be in a self induced crisis until that is accomplished!
14
My worst fear since hearing his running for president was his starting another war
18
For all those outside the White House in a demonstration arranged for by Bolton and Pampeo want a war with Iran that will go on forever join up. I have been fed up with the warmongers who love to send other people to do the dying while they sit on their you know what. By regime change they mean so they can make money and power sort of like Jared famous $50 billion peace plan. Think back to the group that was behind the invasion illegal I might add of Iraq and how did that work out. Send the Trump boys dress them up and they can lead the first charge in. Notice how it is all about making money there is no money in there like to create clean water or housing it is socalled investment money so guess what that means. There is no peace plan and the media loved to on and on about when it was coming. Written like the Laffler Trickle down economics on a napkin.James Laffler and his fake economic theory that the Republicans push to make themselves rich get his Medal of Freedom last week. Trying to figure out and what did Tiger Woods get his for shilling for Trumps golf couirses. Impeachment no in other year it won't matter there will be no Constitution to talk about, then the media for months can discuss how did this happen. Jim Trautman
18
Watch Trump's poll numbers. Only 37% of the American people feel he deserves to be reelected. After this trip to the brink or god forbid over the brink, most Americans will probably be saying, "never again." Meanwhile, this coming week 20 or so Democratic candidates will be telling the American people the same thing.
4
America, how incompetent are you.
Just gulfoftonkin it straight away.
11
So Obama fixed it, Trump broke it and now is complaining that it's broken so we have to get sucked into another endless war.
22
This crisis is the fault and responsibility of our President, who withdrew from the treaty that restrained Iran because it wasn’t his. We all need to be sure,that blame falls where it should.
27
There will be no negotiations with Iran, a vital player in the tinderbox of the Middle East—
As long as Donald Trump remains in office. He has no credibility.
There will be no negotiations with Russia—
As long as Donald Trump remains in office. The public has no trust regarding anything he says or has to do with Russia and Vladimir Putin.
There will be no bipartisan addressing of immigration and southern border—
As long as Donald Trump remains in office. He has not just low, but no credibility or trust.
When these items are added to the long list, headed by multiple impeachable offenses, it's overwhelmingly clear that Trump must be removed from office. Now. Time is of the essence.
38
It was either a stroke of genius or just luck on the side of Iranians that they took out one very expensive asset without taking an American life. It created such a conundrum for the President that even he could see the box he was put in. It made the choice and manner of a response very difficult indeed. It is of course not just the president but the whole US strategy of Iran that has been walled off on many sides.
7
Scenarios such as this one have been war gamed endlessly by the Pentagon, long before Trump took office. Iran can respond in ways that make a single airstrike very unpalatable, and it can escalate quickly. In addition, as Saddam did in 1991, Iran can prosecute military action on several fronts, and attack Saudi Arabia and it's Gulf allies directly or Israel by proxy with missiles, via Hezbollah in Lebanon.
There are no good options here.
6
Very unlikely. Iran will not strike first. They play smarter than that. Iranian armies have not crossed their own borders in centuries. On the other hand once fireworks start, they will be defending homeland. I suspect they will not play nice then.
8
I don't mean to suggest Iran will attack first. They have shown to be masters at brinkmanship the past 40 years. My comments are centered on a very unpredictable Iranian response to a measured, proportionate military response by the U.S.
Both sides need to back away and offer compromises, in secret through a third party to begin negotiations. Trump’s economic embargo is undermining the Iranian economy and Pompeo’s 12 demands are equivalent to an Iranian surrender. The Iranian regime feels not only its survival, but the nation’s economy, depends on it striking back, as with the drone shooting, to strengthen its bargaining position. In waging war or negotiating peace, it’s essential to understand your opponent’s motives, objectives, and strategy. The Trump regime shows total ignorance and disinterest in what the Iranian regime thinks. Mainstream media is knee-jerk patriotic and ignorant of Iran. We’re in a situation where the main check on Trump waging war is Tucker Carlson—not good.
11
@Bruce Shigeura IMHO Pompeo and Bolton should be fired to help Trump in an eventual discussion with Iran.The best people to act as a mediator maybe someone from the EU, but the 2 clowns, with their list of wishes will not do any good for an eventual talk with Iran.
11
So it seems we succeeded in recent cyber attacks. Kudos to those involved. This is actually a very good response to Iran's action against the tankers and the drone. An asset for an asset. It takes guts to do that. I congratulate the 'hackers' that took on this mission. My previous response was a bit too flippant. Sorry.
I don't care why Trump called off the strikes that would have killed Iranians, I'm just very grateful that he did so. He did the right thing, and the NYT was big enough to give credit where credit was due.
My main point is that I believe we as a nation need to ponder why we do the things we do.
I'd like to ask Jimmy Carter a question on relations with Saudi Arabia, and perhaps give him a chance to rebuke his previous ideas about cozying up to this oppressive regime.
Why did you congratulate Trump on making cozy relations with the Saudis? Do you believe this relationship is important in defending Israel, or do you think perhaps you are scarred by the energy crisis you faced in office, or do you think this just create a balance of power in the Middle East?
Everything I've seen from this country in my adult life has been horrible. I think the US looks like a fool in our behavior towards this country.
6
The problem with a thoughtless “maximum pressure” campaign is that additional sanctions no longer have any bite.
With the lack of nuance in thought and speech, this can only end in Iran’s capitulation or military confrontation. And we know how well the latter is working.
2
His best option is to resign, and lobby to give President Obama a third term.
He had better get cracking. The Iranians won't wait around forever.
12
Why does this NY Times article seem to say that Trump is trying to decide how to respond to Iran’s recent actions as if the U.S. was simply an innocent bystander? Seriously?
16
Further financial strikes against Iran will only aggravate a tenuous truce; how about showing strength in admitting that he (Trump) was wrong, apologize for his bullying, and call for bilateral diplomatic rapproachment? I know, naive of me, given that Trump, however stupid and damaging his words and actions, he has never apologized in the past, why would he now?
6
@manfred marcus No need for apology if Pompeo and Bolton are fired!
1
Donald Trump ran for president as a marketing stunt for his real estate business. And his administration operated for the first two years like a reality TV show. Now, suddenly, he is faced with making real decision that have serious implications in perhaps the most dangerous region in the world—and he blinked (he is a coward and a bully, not a humanitarian). This is no longer a stunt or entertainment, this is real potential violence that, once unleashed, cannot be reliably controlled. Our adversaries (whatever that means in this era), having now seen definitively that Trump is not up to his side of the process, will press him even harder. The world has suddenly become a whole lot scarier.
20
Trump created this chaos by arbitrarily terminating a working nuclear pact with Iran. All of this problem with Iran was created by an incompetent Presidency. Now we are reaping the problems resulting from his and the GOP’s reckless administration.
28
Iran can attack our digital infrastructure also. Thanks Bibi, maybe you can address our senate for a briefing.
10
President Donald J. Trump is mentally ill: this should be
obvious to everyone: Amendment 25: Section 4 can dismiss
him from office.
Those that are not using Amendment 25: Section 4 to
dismiss Trump from office should know that they hold the
lives of thousands of innocent people in their hands.
Please David Sanger; write about this....The Fourth Estate
does have a responsibility to advocate for the dismissal of
a deranged US President....so journalists are just as culpable
as those who are refusing to act.
10
This is an intensifying crisis that will be difficult to resolve without force. Yes, the US to some degree created it by withdrawing from the nuclear accord. But what most observers miss is that the accord was terribly flawed, the equivalent of just kicking the can down the road. Even if fully implemented, virtually all of the agreement's provisions would have expired within 10 years, and at that point Iran would have been free to do whatever it wanted. This was the fatal flaw in the agreement, and the one which Trump determined fundamentally undermined it. But now we are in uncharted waters. I suspect that the meetings in Israel right now are discussions on possible military strikes, which Israel would take the lead on.
1
How flawed could the agreement be if it kept Iran from building a bomb and more fuel for it? What sovereign nation would ever accept the kinds of dictates Trump and his War Lords dream of? Look what happened to all their neighbors. Now the people of Iran are forced to support their leadership regardless of how they feel about them in the face of such strong foreign interference and bullying.
13
@An Kicking the can down the road for ten years might have set up a stage where the two antagonists could build up a level of trust that would allow them to negotiate other contentious concerns such as Irans nefarious middle east activities areas with reassurances that we are not seeking regime change. Obama said it best when he stated that sometimes you hit singles and doubles.
1
Good grief. The treaty was working and prevented the accumulation of material sufficient to produce a nuke for 15 years. That's not a "fatal flaw". That was an accomplishment achieved by sophisticated diplomacy in a difficult situation that gave breathing room.
1
Five Steps to Creating Great Reality TV
Step One: Create problem
Step Two: Make problem worse
Step Three: Bring problem to crisis point
Step Four: Back down just at peak crisis
Step Five: Claim to have solved the problem
398
@Barbara T
trump to a T.
12
@Barbara T Let’s just pray Trump can make it to Step 4 this time.
10
@Barbara T...No Trump's not getting out of this one...he broke it, now he owns it.
5
I don't believe Trump's explanation of why, at the last minute, he called off the military strike against Iran that he had authorized a few hours earlier.
As a former Foreign Service Officer who had dealt with communications intelligence in the Middle East, I suggest the following scenario.
1) At a moment's notice, Bolton, Pompeo, and a few others met to discuss response to Iran's shooting down an unarmed American drone. Though several military officers objected, Trump decided to launch an attack.
2) Then Trump heard from Tucker Carlsen (and perhaps others) that such an attack, killing over 100 Iranians, would cost him re-election.
3) Desperate to provide a 'plausible' explanation for why he had reversed himself within hours of authorizing this attack, Trump claimed that he had heard, at the last minute, that 150 Iranians might be killed. (Such empathy that a person who cared not a whit about 1000s of children cruelly separated from parents at the border).
4) Several retired four star generals have said that, in such an attack scenario, the possibility of casualties is always mentioned. Several administration officials acknowledged that this indeed was the case.
5) When the real facts ultimately emerge, I am convinced that an impulsive Trump agreed to a 'Bolton' solution and then, when learning of the possible impact on his re-election chances, created a false explanation for his sudden change.
6) Trump has a well documented penchant for lying. This is another lie.
592
@Keith Wheelock You are overlooking an importatn fact in your analysis, Keith. All sources agree that Trump changed his mind a mere 10 MINUTES or so before it actually impacted. Some sources say that our planes were in the air.
In this situation, there woas not enough TIME for al the complex considerations you espouse, and we are talking about Trump here after all.
Most likely is that he merely lost his nerve.
14
@Keith Wheelock: Maybe out Military leaders let Trump know that Iran has the best equipped and most professional army and Airforce in the the Middle East other than Israel. It is much more lethal that Saddam's military was. Only 2 countries in the world would support Trump's attack on Iran, Saudi Arabia and Israel, and Israel is iffy.
24
@manuscriptman except other sources say he changed his mind a full two hours not ten minutes before the strike.
8
President Trump is old enough to remember what happened to Jimmy Carter...having hostages taken by the Iranians before the election is a sure loser.
3
Gee whiz, gosh, I have an idea. Maybe negotiate a nuclear arms treaty. How's that for a plan?
11
@MG It is smart and, BTW, there is one already in place to do the job...lift the sanctions and problem created by Trump is the solved by Trump, as usual!
3
Hmmm... if only we had a treaty... oh, wait...
Ya know, this is ALL on Obama. He shoulda called up "trump" and said, "look, dude, you can take 100% credit and you can put your name on it. I won't say a word, I'll even praise you on Fox News, deal?".
9
Larry, Mo and Cruly with weapons of mass destruction. I suggest they call Obama for advice.
8
an energy policy that allows us to be independent can be effective tool in changing the course in the middle east. investing in renewable energy, raising the minimum mpg for combustible based engine cars, tax credits to increase the number of electric cars & hybrid cars- lets change the demand side of the equation. this will only drive the oil prices down, a commodity which will only have funded notorious activities and dragged us into conflicts. let's be smart
Does anyone really think Trump has *any* thought about this beyond theater? The thinkers, misguided though they may be, are guys like Bolton. You’ll recall that these are the same types who convinced the last Republican president with limited intellect to enter a misbegotten war.
7
"Mr. Trump’s hawkish national security adviser, John R. Bolton, arrived in Israel on Saturday for a previously scheduled meeting with his Israeli and Russian counterparts to discuss what the White House calls 'regional security.'”
Will minutes or translators' notes available?
Or is that where Bolton coordinates with Netanyahu and Putin, to formulate policy for Trump?
11
I mean, you understand Trump plays the Iran card the same way all TV novellas or reality TV is played right ?
And even the major news paper feel obliged to still treat this as if it's a serious subject when the narrative is a construct based on the worst of our societies.
2
“I shall constantly bear in mind that as the sword was the last resort for the preservation of our liberties, so it ought to be the first thing laid aside when those liberties are firmly established…” General George Washington. President Donald Trump is obviously in the company of our greatest Presidents...
It is foolish to think that Iran will buckle under economic pressures. Trump pulled out of the nuclear agreement out of ego to show that he can do better than Obama. The cyber attacks on Iran will not stop or even slowdown the march towards developing a nuclear bomb. Nuclear bombs were developed and used long before internet born. Instead of using the time bought under the agreement to develop Iran’s economy and establish strong economic relations with Iran, which would have further discouraged Iran to move forward with nuclear enrichment. The Trump administration do not have any advisor who has any understanding of people of Iran or their culture. He just has couple warmongers. Trump claims he is neither a warmonger nor a dove. I agree with him. Then, he claims he is a man with common sense. I disagree with that. He is a man with no sense.
4
The world’s insane. How about an unprecedented reach for diplomacy bringing the US to the table with our key allies. Iran helped create the North Korean nuclear and middle program along with Russia. They support terrorism. Yes they back terrorism against Israel. Iran’s nuclear program is untenable. In fact it must never happen. The Iranian people don’t support the government. Still many hate us all
The article speaks of "huge risks." Can the Times please explain what our annual $600 billion defense budget is for if we cower in fear over a third world country run by a "religious" cleric?
So once they have the bomb isn't kind of possible that they can do a total blockage of Hormuz and sit back and giggle that we were too dumb to take out their capacity when we had the chance?
1
So why ARE we afraid of Iran? Why are we obsessed with them? What have they done to us lately? Why do you insist we need to attack them? Did they send terrorists to the US to fly planes into our buildings? No. Did they brutally murder a man inside an embassy? No. Are they regularly threatening the West coast with nuclear destruction? No. Are they interfering in our elections and hacking our voting machines? No. Are they trying to turn our country into a theocracy? No, the Republican Party is doing a fine job of that on its own. I truly do not understand why so Iran scares us like a child afraid of the monster under the bed.
Apparently even the President has flashes of insight and restraint.
1
Not only has the Republican Party leadership humiliated this nation by allowing a know-nothing egomaniac, Donald Trump, to occupy the White House. Now he poses a danger to world peace since Trump thinks he has the power to launch military attacks even if they cost thousands of innocent Iranian and American lives. The Republicans are too cowardly to reign in Trump because they need the voting support of Trump's uninformed but enthusiastic base that believes that Trump can do no wrong. Trump is who he is, but the Republican Party will go down in history for destroying US credibility in the world. Shame on them all.
8
Iran isn't our problem. Just another Neocon war. The Neocons should be driven into the sea.
14
Trump's isolation and lack of options can be traced back to the early days of his Administration when Rex Tillerson began cleaning out the State Departments. Generations of knowledge simply disappeared. It is not enough to simply have a military option; soldiers are trained to fight, Scholars with knowledge of the adversary can lead the way in negotiations and prepare an outline of how best to proceed. This was Trump's decision and the results have been apparent in some of his worst foreign policy errors. Around the world people can see a paper tiger who with much bluster over promises and under performs.
5
Already Trump has been poised to open hostilities without Congressional approval. When this happens, as it will, the Dems will have no choice but to impeach Trump.
4
The Dems will do nothing but wring their hands.
5
The tragic reality, is that the Iranian threat has been growing systematically for about 40 years. With a few pauses, the Iranians have been progressing to their dream of hegemony.
That Trump was right to walk away from a feckless deal with Teheran, does not mean there are good options being implemented to end the Persian threat. I am not sure there are good options.
Our leaders have, understandably, avoided a full blown military strike by us and chafed at any plans by the Israelis to do the same. All along, we hoped the Iranians would solve the problem for us by changing course.
It would appear our gamble has been unsuccessful.
It’s time to take a serious look at options to force an end to this menace, hopefully with the full military/financial/political support of our allies.
SG; you have me confused. You say Trump was right to walk away from the 'feckless' deal with Iran that Obama made. I presume that you have a profound insight into this situation than the many experienced diplomats of Europe and the U.S. Then you assert that there might not be a good deal to be had/available. In other words, the deal Obama made was bad and, although there are probably no good deals to be had, Obama shouldn't have made the deal that he did. Hmmm. Trumpean logic to moi;
8
What did Iran do to us exactly? Or others for that matter. Iranian armies have not crossed their own borders in centuries.
6
This is in fact a war. It isn't called one, but it is. It isn't a direct military conflict but give it time. The situation is intractable. What Trump is looking at in the Persian Gulf is a 21st century Middle Eastern version of the "Big Muddy" Pete Seeger's lyrical allegory for the Vietnam War in the 1960s.
Trump's uber hawk advisors are recommending serious retaliation against Iran. The problem is that Iran doesn't see Donald Trump as the savior of humankind. They see him as a demonic figure they must fight with every part of themselves. They won't bend, they won't surrender. What they will do is to continue to taunt Trump and his advisors, challenging them to a fight that may destroy them. But destroying them won't be a victory for the United States or for the Trump administration. It will instead involve the deepening of U.S. involvement in the Gulf that will be a very damaged place. So, the whole region, inflamed by this, from Afghanistan to Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and perhaps everywhere, will be enveloped in a rolling brutal war with the United States as the principal villain. It will be Vietnam in the larger Middle East and it will be an unmitigated disaster. It will be Trump's exit ticket.
6
One important footnote that is missing from this article is that the recent protests in front of the White House, from which the photo included in this article was taken, were largely comprised of members of the MEK--a highly organized, global militant group that advocates replacing the current Iranian regime with yet another Islamist-populist regime inspired by Ayatollah Khomeini. This group is bad news. Until very recently, it was deemed a terrorist organization by the US government as well as the UK, EU, and others. Curiously and perhaps strategically, the Trump Admin and many of its officials have established friendly relations with this group, with Rudy Giuliani and John Bolton, among others, accepting high-paying speaking gigs at their events. The point here is that the US should be careful to stir up further trouble with Iran, because believe it or not, a regime just as nefarious, if not worse, can possibly come along to fill its place.
5
Thank you for this insight. Now I am even more concerned Trump is leading us into a war to ensure his re-election.
Maybe the White House should have considered its limited options *before* unilaterally pulling out of the international agreement with Iran that was, like, *actually working*.
13
You nailed it!
4
@RGT The European parties to this agreement warned Trump a lot oftime to keep the agreemeent in place...Pompeo and Bolton did their stupid counselling and here we are!
4
So I guess now we wait until the cyber attacks take out as much infrastructure as possible including missile defenses.
Meanwhile Donnie 'looks' like a good man. In other words another "my way or the highway" negotiation.
Either that or his Treasury Secretary and Chief of Staff said they didn't have the money.
In many ways, Trump’s empty saber-rattling tactics are far more dangerous than if he had actually conducted a strategic military strike. Iran has called his bluff and will feel newly emboldened. I am no Iranian apologist nor am I a member of the of mad bomber society. I just want a policy that provides stability and security for us and our allies. Enough Pre-K tactics.
2
President Trump was so anxious to undo all that President Obama had done, he withdrew from a fair deal into a crisis.
7
Trump has no idea what’s going on. He doesn’t participate in daily briefings. He doesn’t do the job he was elected to do. He is running a Tv show and we are his captive audience.
Focus on the destruction of our agencies, the loss of institutional knowledge through attrition, the mean spirited policies that don’t do anything to fix the problem. Trump pillaged our treasury. We will never recover from this criminal regime.
10
And when do we start filling the streets of our cities protesting against the immoral wars of the owners of the empire? Remember, the wars of the oligarchy are not the wars of the people. Stop being manipulated into the belief that wars are inevitable for the safety or glory of our country. They are not!
3
I'm amazed at all the brave folks in front of the White House who have joined the US military and volunteered to storm the Iranian beaches.
Wait? What? They're not in the our military? Oh, they're cowards who want someone else to do their work for them.
Say like the USS Vincennes? Brave work that.
6
All trump has done since tacking office is put America in jeopardy. He has not done one thing to help our cause. He himself is our worst enemy. He even screwed up the tax cuts with tariffs, not only against our enemies but also our friends and allies. When is enough going to be enough with the trumplicans. I mean really republicans stand up for America for once!! Do your JOB!!
8
I would propose the following: In a first step clear your mind of all you think to know about Iran. Now imagine in what situation you would feel safe from Iran. Some might like to nuke Iran into submission, but I think there is a better way. A country with a stable economy and good trade relations would not have any incentive to act hostile. Iran is not inherently evil, quit the opposite. For any country, it is only reasonable to react to the sanctions imposed by the USA and its allies. Iran has basically been cut of the from the world. This boosts the position the extremists that would like to fight to the death. But, if we would honor the nuclear deal and help Iran to prosper, the extremists would lose the support and the whole situation would stabilize. Personally, I think even a possible (if very unlikely) nuclear bomb from Iran would not affect the situation that much. At best they would get a few bombs (like many other countries already possess), and Iran knows, if they would even think about using them they would be vaporised. Therefore, the best option is to reintegrate Iran into the World. There is nothing to gain from a war with Iran. But, this would mean the USA must respect a country that is not subordinary...I can just hope the world has learned from the past.
7
What bothers me is the fact that the USA was manipulated by the enemies of Iran up to the point the attack was called off. On a micro level, I commend President Trump, on a macro level, it is very challenging to trust him, his intellect, his deeds, etc. US’s interest in the region is clearly shifting. The Russians are a major player in the region again. I see no reasons to be involved militarily in the region. Let the Russians bleed and drain their treasury. We still have the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to conclude.
I believe that 45 is not capable, in a lot of ways, to sail this ship to shore.
November 2020 can’t come soon enough.
4
It’s time for Trump to negotiate a secret agreement with Iran. It will be a beautiful agreement, much better than the worst agreement ever, President Obama’s. It will be the same agreement as Obama’s but renamed and for it Lindsey Graham will nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
6
Trump hasn't got a clue, or a foreign policy. Where are the other signers to the Iran Agreement? Are they so afraid of Trump that they have given up all their backbone? France, Britain and Germany should use all their military to enforce the agreement and break any blockade Trump may throw up.
4
There should have been a strategy in place before Trump reneged on the Iran nuclear deal, instead of hunting for one an year after he pulled out of it.
4
I keep reading about this, article after article, and simply fail to understand the president's thinking.
How on earth can you withdraw from a nuclear deal, and put the squeeze on Iran with onerous sanctions, and assume those two acts will bring the Iranians back to the table to do a tighter deal, so you can brag to your base that you were "tougher" on Iran than President Obama?
Now you have a whole bunch of people hopping mad: our allies; Russia; China; Iran of course; and the majority of US citizens!
This makes so little sense I want to bang my head against a brick wall, until it stops hurting, which makes about as much as sense as Donald Trump's "strategy" on Iran.
12
Why would any Middle East country trust a word from Donald Trump?
Thanks to espionage and covert help from France and the US, Israel is a nuclear power as well as a nuclear weapons outlier, refusing to permit international inspections and taking no part in restraining treaties such as the one Iran already agreed to - which Trump walked away from. Why would any Middle East country forgo nuclear weapons development when Israel is allowed to carry on brazenly?
7
Trump showed admirable restraint in pulling back from an attack on Iran. It is interesting to see his detractors in this comments section approve of the restraint but still find in it reasons to object to him - “he’s wish washy” etc. I’m not a fan of Trump but I’m willing to give him credit where it’s due.
No one except a few die-hard neocons wants war with Iran. It will be a complete disaster,
Iran should actually be our ally. They are a republic, they are far more liberalized than Saudi Arabia, which is only friend to the US for our oil market. The Saudis have seized the the advantages that come with support for Israel, under the enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend precept, and has realistically understood that the Jewish State has won the battle, and is not going away. Iran, idiotically, continues to chant death to Israel, and as we see, this will only bring death to Iran.
I think is reasonable to hope that this all dies down. The attack on the ship looks like a false flag operation, like Gulf of Tonkin; I don’t know about the drone. War with Iran is the worst idea for the world; and that country’s ex-pat enemies should remember Iraq before calling for their former country’s overthrow.
3
Man, if only we had had a comprehensive agreement in place negotiated by the Obama administration.
8
Here's a clue ... "strategy" was supposed to happen BEFORE he reneged on the agreement that was already in place. Reacting to a failure in planning ahead is called "scrambling" ... and given the direction it's currently headed, we'll soon be calling it "disaster".
12
Well, it might have been better to have developed a strategy before hand.
One of the things I learned as a young manager was to keep what works and only change what needs improving. Apparently all that Trump has learned is to keep the con going as long as possible. It's a skill not very useful in affairs of state.
14
This drone business has really turned into a nightmare - mainly for Mr Trump's coterie of extreme hawks. Is that why the focus has swung to more general discussions of Iran's nuclear potential?
Firstly, it's a drone. An inanimate object, albeit a very, very costly one. Washington's moral high ground would need to be extremely high to justify taking human lives, even enemy human lives, in retribution for damage to a machine. What's more, could any military action be precise enough to avoid civilian collateral damage (or claims of such)? The Iranian people according to Mr Trump 'are not our enemy'.
Secondly, Tehran's RGs have demonstrated hostile technology advanced beyond that previously perceived, possibly beyond proper intelligence assessments. That raises the stakes.
Finally - and this is only my gut reading of Trump's responses - it's not known for sure whether the drone was actually IN Iranian airspace. Uncertainty is possible. International borders in the Gulf are not drawn with precision, some of those demarcations haven't even ever been formally agreed by the countries concerned. America's arguments about acts of war are probably weak and may be factually incorrect. Washington can't afford to be wrong here.
I do sense a conciliatory tone to the President's utterings over the last 24hrs. This might be the time to save face on both sides and try to re-activate some parts of the 2015 deal. At least to start.
4
Well the drone had shut down its transponder to hopefully hide itself from Iran ATC — and likely was running its ECM to confuse military radars, but that didn't work. Some tracking suite programmer (Iranian, Russian, Chinese...?) just won a medal. The other side of the problem is that once you send in a strike, any of your assets in range become legitimate military targets for missiles that have demonstrated heretofore unknown capabilities. The Iranians will be well advised to keep their missile assets in constant motion - every time a US satellite moves overhead, it's time to depart the latest target coordinates.
1
“Who knows? We’ll see. I don’t know. You tell me.”
Trump’s kind of governance can be summed up in these verbal clutches.
NoKor, Russia, and China have all figured out that Trump can easily be manipulated: state visits that legitimizes a dictatorship, closed door meetings without CIA oversight and American press coverage, tariffs that American taxpayers are paying for.
And now Iran is joining party with the knowledge that Trump cannot decide for himself unless Fox News tells him so.
Keep ‘Merica Great.
12
Just saying... it’s normal to go through options before you do really stupid things, like pull out of that nuclear deal with Iran.
But the solution is clear.
Draw up a new agreement, which will basically be the old agreement, plus some concession the US will have to make for being so foolish, and claim victory with a “brand new” deal. The best deal in history.
Trump’s base will love it, the press will buy it, all will be well.
13
Putin: "Great move on delay. I always knew he was very smart!"
2
I suspect that, knowingly or not, in Trump's sick mind he is holding off war with Iran until closer to the election so he declare a national emergency and suspend the elections. He certainly does not care about 150 Iranians' lives. Sick in the mind but cunning as a fox.
9
Obama and Kerry, with the main world powers on board (i.e., JPCOA,) struck a brilliant diplomatic deal with Iran.
A totally inept American president has broken the deal, while cheered on by bad actors such as Netanyahu's Israel and MBS's Saudi Arabia. There are heavy prices for such foolish behavior: further isolation of the US from the rest of the civilized world and a strengthening of the radicals in Teheran.
One more reason to strongly push for legal regime change in the US on November 3rd, 2020.
20
Few Appealing Options ???? How about dealing with them from a position of mutual respect .. or just leaving them alone
17
"Iran is going to pay a heavy price for my mistakes", Donald Trump
11
Maybe our Dear Leader should have thought about this before he pulled out of the"worst deal." Just sayin'...
16
Dear President, You want a good option, shut up and be quite for a change. Sir you are constantly spewing chaos. Either verbally or with your thumbs. Come on Trump grow up and learn what you are playing with. That is your good option. Thank you. Daniel Potter
7
A Trump Hole -in-One!!!!
Brilliant!!!
He distracts us by postponing the Fake "Deportation of Millions" plan......(really only 2000)....
By distracting us with the Fake Iran Strike ( will it be 150 dead? 1500 dead? 15 dead? Quick! call Tucker!...which one is it?!?!?)
Which distracts us from the Mueller Report!!! ( Witch Hunt!!)
Stable Genius!!!!!!!
10
.
@Ignatz,
.
DT's instability is glaring and quite dangerous.
The GOP must use amendment 25 to remove him from office
.
1
Reference : February 13, 2017 Letter to The Editors of the NYT
from Harvard Professor of Psychiatry Lance M. Dodes M.D.
(I put the incorrect year in my recent comment it is 2017 not
2013)…
But look up this letter and this will explain why Trump is so
erratic and deranged....Dr. Dodes warned the NYT Editors of
the very dangerous probability that Trump due to his irreversible sociopathic narcissism could be a danger to the
USA and our world....
Read this Letter...and then you decide what needs to be
published and explained about this mentally ill President.
14
At this point, Trump is just covering his butt for the bad mistake of renouncing the Iran agreement. This is all about his ego and improving his chances in 2020. If he is willing to ignore Saudi aggression against its neighbor and the grotesque murder of the journalist, he should consider deescalating our bullying of Iran. It started in the Eisenhower administration, even longer than our ineffective strategy against Cuba.
3
Who made Israel and Saudi Arabia in charge of United States foreign policy?
The useful ignorant idiots in 1600
23
The irresponsibility ….of Trump....is really the irresponsibility of
the News media not calling for Amendment 25: Section 4...
since Trump is completely deranged due to his sociopathic
narcissism.
Reference Please David Sanger: Letter to the NYT Editors
dated February 13, 2013 from Harvard Professor of Psychiatry
Lance M. Dodes M.D. and signed by 33 of his colleagues who
are also members of The American Psychiatric Association.
Professor Dodes...WARNS that Trump due to his irreversible
psychiatric disorder of extreme narcissim will cause a grave
danger not only to the USA...but the entire world.
Please David Sanger; do your homework and re print Dodes
Letter...and then make the case for Amendment 25: Section 4...….Please !!!!!
6
One option that doesn't seem to be on the table is that of listening. We ought to listen to adversaries, learn from them and then strive to work together.
What does Iran want? Let's work to keep them happy. The good we can achieve today is a needed investment in our future and that of the Middle East.
5
@wihiker they want regional dominance under shiite theocracy.
And the Republicans want world domination under a Christian theocracy.
The best option is the nuclear deal already signed. The second best option would be Trump’s resignation or impeachment. All the other options are bad.
23
Our leaders inexperience and lack of qualifications are showing through. Unfortunately, his followers do not seem to understand or care.
We are easy pickings when the president is openly tweeting his foreign decisions in real time.
11
.
@UScentral,
.
Fortunately the US has the highly experienced John Bolton on board;
.
He started w/ the Reagan Admin
.
Actually the best option is the status quo, one which has been sensibly (or by accident or luck or chance or fortuitous instinct, whatever one wishes. so long as Trump gets no credit for doing the right thing) preserved by not striking back at Iran. Let them continue to flail around. Continued provocation by Iran will not make their case, rather the opposite, while our attacking them, yes, disproportionately, will make their case for them.
2
>>> "Continued provocation by Iran . . ."
Evidence of provocation by Iran? We have mountains of evidence for provocation by the US.
4
.
@Frunobulax,
.
Attacking Iran w/ airstrikes would cripple their ability to build nuclear weapons
.
It's hard to imagine any genuine logic in which it alright right for we Amreicans to break a world-class treaty agreement with Iran, apply sanctions on Iran, crowd devastating military power all around Iran -- and then blame Iran for trying to defend itself.
How many gunboats and bombers does Iran have off American shores? How many sanctions does Iran have on the US? How many nuclear weapons does the US have? What right does the US have to threaten life & limb on Iran? How many countries has Iran invaded in the last 1000 years?
13
@Feldman it was not a treaty I was called an executive agreement between Obama, Iran and the others who agree to the "deal". This agreement was never ratified by Congress thus allowing Trump to pull out of it. Even Chuck Schumer didn't want to get into this deal.
1
@Gabriel
It's not a question of 'allowed', it's a question of 'reasonable'?
What would have been the American reaction if Mr Putin had decided to behave in this manner? Or the European Union?
This was an INTERNATIONAL agreement not "Obama's deal".
Frankly, this non-American is interested in world peace, not the small print of American constitutional law.
7
@Gabriel. But the deal was working with the confirmation of inspectors. What else do you want? Regime change is messy. Remember Iraq?
6
trump has at least one option that he would find appealing as his outlet to U.S.-Iran confrontation:
He could, not unlike his proposal to 're-invent' NAFTA by little else than a change-of-name to USMTA, just offer to 're-sign' a JCPOA re-named as "JCPOA II, a Deal Imposed by the power of DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America" -- on condition of Iran's agreement to add a comma somewhere in the original and of trump's choosing (regardless of any grammatical necessity) … then declare that a terrible treaty has been made perfect by the best, the most wonderful and the most beloved president the U.S. and the world has ever known.
7
Wait ... so now Trump claims that if Iran does not develop nuclear weapons, the US will be their best friend.
If only there was some sort of international agreement under which the Iranians could develop their economy and infrastructure in return for a halt to nuclear testing ...
5
@David Castle,
.
the terms of that would-be agreement are common sense and are being imposed by the Trump admin now
.
@Ken Lewis, actually, the terms of that agreement were in place, understood and working well until the Trump administration backed out in an attempt to goad Iran into aggression.
1
The only paragraph to read is the next to the last one in this article. Let’s see, whose not on board with the Trump/Bolton/Pompeo approach, only the Europeans, the Chinese and the Russians, saying that the three aforementioned brainiacs brought this crises on themselves. Bingo! The bully boy trio is already at war with Iran, an economic war to destroy them. Who In their right mind would want to negotiate with Trump and Co or trust them? How these hawks aligned with Israel and the Saudis think another war in the region is just the ticket is beyond me. It’s a looming disaster for all involved.
9
I am sure Trump will watch Hannity, Coulter and Carlson to get an air tight analysis on the middle east and make all the right decisions. The endgame will be clear as a lead pipe soon…trust in Trump.
5
trump is clearly well on the way to being the worst U.S. president in history, no question.
In contrast, Obama is emerging as one of the best.
11
In this lead up to war with Iran I’ve been reading a lot about how Iran likes to fight its various theologically induced sectarian battles around the Middle East using proxies. It’s obvious that Democrats make the perfect proxy in their war against America in America and Trump as well, judging from all the comments I’m reading fervently avowing “Death To Trump”. A mesmerizing mullah can cast quite a spell with the right cadence and rhythm as any competent suicide bomber can attest with their actions.
2
The operative word is privation. Trump is facing two foes, the mullahs of Iran and Xi Jinping of China, that through their life experience have overcome obstacles that Trump can not even imagine. They have a better reading of the politics in the US than Trump has in their countries as did the leaders of Vietnam--virtually all spent years in French prisons and almost all lost family members in that war.
A real war with Iran, anything more than a skirmish, will finish Trump politically and the Iranians know this and I suspect even Trump has come to this realization ( so sad that Tucker Carlson is the political savant of the Trump administration).
If the strategy is regime change that some are wont to advocate ( Bolton and Tom Cotton) then they better queue an invasion force of 300 thousand or so and march to Tehran, or maybe it would take 500 thousand to stay a decade which means regime change is unattainable. The Iranians know this well, just like General Giap knew an invasion of North Vietnam by Nixon in 69-70-71 was not politically feasible.
What can Trump do? Give Iran a deal--a better deal than the Obama accord.....for Iran and declare a "win". Wait, you say Trump supporters would be outraged. Sadly, no, for the historical record suggests if Trump says it is a win his supporters agree.
8
"Mr. Trump has long asserted that the [Obama] deal would eventually let Iran restart its nuclear program and did too little to curb its support for terrorism."
There are sunset dates reaching out as far as 2040. The US and its allies could inspect and validate that Iran was keeping its end of the bargain, during which time Iran could have built its economy to stem the tide of refugees fleeing the region.
During the milestone years, trump could continued to to negotiate different terms, all the while, keeping peace in the region. But trump didn't want peace: Why?
trump wanted to cripple Iran first and then bully Iran into his way of deal making by publicly demeaning Iran's leadership, shaming them into a new agreement.
Now, the stable genius has has backed himself (& the U.S.) into a corner. trump is too proud to back down and Iran is off limits according to Putin.
8
The US is worried? The only apparent reason the agreement was torn up by trump was personal retribution that Obama signed it
9
@Adam Stoler
and how much the Saudi's paid trump.
3
Maybe an option would be to reinstate an agreement that was working...
9
just as a bit of clarification for next time Sean and Rush and their likes spout
much to the negative response from democrats and the MSM, the cash on the pallet was a settlement for a legal case that the world court was about to find us guilty of.
the 140 billion was from funds that all of us had held in punishment ... their money
And I watched and listened to a lot off the hearings of the details for the nuclear side ... two knowledgeable experts who were at MIT about the same time, although they really didn't know each other.
someone want to convert that to 9 or 10 tweets so Trump can read it?
4
Trump's way of handling this will only 1) strengthen the current Iranian regime and 2) intensify their desire to build a nuclear arsenal.
Trump seriously needs to bring on some intelligent, experienced and non ideological advisers asap.
1
Another failed Trump foreign policy debacle. Of course, for the sake of all humanity, far better that he stepped away from attacking Iran. Because Trump's presidential behavior is so illogical and bizarre, I believe the daily sword-flailing with Iran is meant to be a distraction to divert attention from the Congressional investigations springing from the Mueller report and the human rights violations and outrageous conditions at the southern border. Those issues will remain alive - the focus on Iran will slowly dissolve into nothing.
2
Here's Trump's general template for all occasions: 1)Threaten something terrible and unthinkable. 2)Wait a little and do nothing. 3) Withdraw threat and claim he's saved us from disaster. Repeat as required.
8
Everything Trump touches (to say it politely) goes south. Why anyone would even attempt to deal with him is beyond me. All relationships and negotions are transactional and must include a bullying segment that highlights his "stable genius" and superb negotiaing skills. He can play peacemaker but it's all an act. He wouldn't keep Bolton and Pompeo around if war wasn't part of the plan. I hope world leaders realize one day that even staying at a Trump property isn't worth the price and leave him alone. He really is lost if someone isnt fawming over him. Journalists should choose one reporter to chase down Trump each day. No more crowds of journalists with many questions. Its all lies anyway and he has no plan or goal other than his self-aggrandizement. Other than a racy novel or two, nothing good will come out of this presidency.
7
As an American living abroad all of my adult life, I never understood why the USA thought they had the right to interfere with other countries struggles. US involvement in Iran is about one thing OIL $$$ - nuclear weapons an excuse.
I work with Persians, who tell me in their country, there's the religious militants that control the oil & the average every day people like us. I hope Iran can work out their own internal balance.
3
Retaliatory strike? Wouldn’t this be better described as an attack, or more specifically, an illegal attack launched by an improperly-elected president operating outside the bounds of U.S. law?
At this stage, no assertion made by Trump and his supporters can possibly be taken at face value.
If the U.S. drone had entered Iranian airspace, or was on a course that would have made it do so, the Iranian air defense acted correctly in shooting it down. It would have been irresponsible to let its flight continue, given that it could have been armed in any number of possible ways, and that recent U.S. conduct has been erratic to say the least.
6
I think Bolton wanted to sneak this war up on us before the American people even get a chance to speak up and oppose it. Why aren’t they asking the people? Why aren’t there protests? Why aren’t the Congress people screaming “no”? This would be the most disastrous thing since the Iraq war!
1
Maybe Mr Trump should not have withdrawn from the JCPOA deal. It was working. We violated it. Iran did not.
6
why should we care if Iran has nuclear bombs? they are a sovereign nation just like we are. isn't it the height of hypocrisy to say that we, as a sovereign nation, can have nuclear bombs, but another sovereign nation cannot have nuclear bombs? this is not a peaceful world, and never has been, and this is why countries have both defensive and offensive weapons.
3
I'm just relieved Trump took a breath and a step back this week. It's doubtful anyone has a solution for dealing with Iran.
One of the hostages in the 70s was from a small town next to my small town. I remember the helplessness of his family. Carter's failed attempt at rescue and ultimately the failure of his presidency.
If Trump, or should I say Bolton, continues toying with Iran, it alone will be the beginning of end of a second term. "Dove", "common sense", c'mon. Rape in a dressing room is more believable.
3
These articles are a bit problematic in that they assume Iranian guilt in the tanker attacks (yet to be proven) and pursuit of a nuclear weapon ( a claim that still has no proof and contrary to what the religious council of Iran says).
if we remove the framing that assumes Iran as a nefarious actor, America's aggression in this situation is downright frightening and immoral.
1
Would everyone please notice that in the article photograph all the flags are not Iranian flags but rather the flags from the dictatorial shah regime. Therefore it is a demonstration by royalist former Iranians now residing in the US who fled Iran 40 years ago and have a rather misguided idea that the shah may return. Not even the most ardent critics of the present regime in Iran actually living there want a return to that dictatorial time.
3
@Tim Newlin. But the Shah was our dictator, just like al-sisi is our dictator, and MBS is our kind of dictator, as is Assad. After all the later gave us spots for rendering terroristsfrom Afghanistan. We like many dictators
With "the absence of appealing options available to him" the Times shows it has learned nothing from the past two (and more) decades of U.S. government lying and aggression that destroyed Iraq and much else. Trump has a clear option that is appealing to many people, if not himself: rejoin the Iran nuclear agreement now, foreclose Iran's option of violating it before they do so. They will be happy to go along. This entire so-called confrontation is nothing but U.S. aggression, initiated with our illegal embargo trying to destroy iran without shooting--which was doomed to fail, as no government anywhere would give in without resistance.
This war Trump is heading for is on the heads of the GOP and all Republican voters.
2
We HAD a deal to ease tensions with Iran - the nuclear treaty that was agreed to with Iran.
It’s the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It was signed between Iran and China, Russia, the UK, the US, France, Germany, and the EU. It was a masterpiece of successful international diplomacy! And it worked.
It worked until the US (Trump and his minions) falsely claimed that Iran was breaking the deal - and then imposed new sanctions.
It’s Trump, not Iran, that has falsely, illegally, and immorally created this crisis!
Trump should be brought up on war crimes! This is more than gross unfitness. He’s an immediate threat to international peace and the world order. He keeps cluelessly meddling in world affairs - breaking things his predecessor’s did (mostly Obama), then “fixing” them, and claiming a great victory.
This child-fool should have been left in a sandbox, rather than being allowed to blow up the world. Republicans in their negligence have empowered this monster to run amok. It’s a war crime on their shoulders too.
1
I suspect that Iran has developed a nuke or two. Trump would be very embarrassed if he lost the current carrier fleet to them.
AN IMPORTANT POINT that may be missed in the frightening dysfunction of Donald Trump:
He even lied about who told him that 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.
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.]
5
“Missing from any coalition, at least for now, are the Europeans, the Chinese and the Russians”
Europeans for sure, but what do you need Chinese and Russians for?
Russians are not needed because Trump is doing Putin’s job already: sanctioning Iran drives the sagging oil prices up which puts money to Putin & his oligarchs' pockets. (See “Russia Is Insanely Dependent on Oil and Gas Money”, https://newrepublic.com/article/118827/russias-natural-gas-and-oil-exports-are-68-percent-total-exports).
The China’s communist government is a huge human rights violator and including China in the conversation is like an attempt to provide credibility to killers.
Regarding the Trump’s suspicious motivation coming from goodness of his heart and calling off a strike against Iran to save 150 lives – I don’t buy any of this!
Instead I’ll take a risk and state the most likely scenario:
Trump (near-mindlessly, of course) expressed his desire to retaliate HARD against Iran. Perhaps he even accepted a particular Iranian target to strike. However, someone in the line of command refused to execute the Trumps order on humanitarian grounds (150 dead!?) and/or the grounds that it would be rather stupid to start a destructive war with Iran in retaliation for their shooting an unmanned drone.
2
The US does not need to launch a full-scale war with Iran in order to establish Kantian stasis. I declare we repeat Operation Praying Mantis in which half of Iran's operational fleet was dismantled, and no Americans were killed by the enemy.
@Xyce
Not only is the Iranian Navy about ten times bigger now but they probably learned a bit after Praying Mantis.
Donald Trump has not made a single decision so far that hasn't benefited Russia and Vladimir Putin. He alienated and insulted every one of our allies. Heaped praise on ruthless dictators. Started a trade war. Denounced every international military coalition we have. Sided with Putin over our own intelligence agencies. Torn up a working nuclear containment agreement with Iran. And has now brought us to the brink of yet another war in the Middle East. One that could prove far more fatal then our last disastrous foray over there.
He was elected because of Russian interference in the process. And he has held hours long meetings with Putin, with no transcripts, and no indication or discussion of what transpired.
Everything he's done has cost us, while benefiting Russia. Starting a war in Iran would simply be the icing on Putin's cake.
And, like everything else the GOP does, it stands for something, until it doesn't anymore - for political expediency.
If Obama had done any one of the things Trump has done to this country so far, steam would have been shooting out of the ears of every Republican in Washington. But, since it's Donald Trump committing the treason, they all bend over to backwards to kiss the ground he walks on.
.
@Chicago Guy,
.
Keep in mind the Trump Admin has no war planned but rather air attacks to cripple Iran's nuclear weapons production
.
Devise a ‘bad/good cop’ strategy with EU allies that resonates with progressive forces in Iran. Discussion via proxies, complimented by reciprocal actions, hopefully, leading to substantive negotiations is the path forward.
1
Mr. Trump finally came to the realization that he needs more than a Tweet to solve international issues? A strategy? Does he know what that entails? He might have to develop a plan and follow through on it. I really don't think he is up to that much detail. Lawyers have always handle the detail stuff in Mr. Trump's world.
1
Imagine for a minute, that China, Japan, the EU, Russia, Iraq, etc. decide to put economic sanctions on the United States for military belligerency. Imagine if this were the entire point of Russia putting trump in power.
The endgame: economically weaken the U.S. so it is the U.S. that in the position of Iran, instead of Iran, Mexico, China, Canada, and so on.
All this chaos is methodically purposeful. Read about Turkey beginning since Erdogan (about 20 years ago) and you will see the future U.S. roadmap if the U.S. doesn't have a 'regime' change in 2020.
Be not so naïve as to believe that "it can't happen, here."
15
@LivingWithInterest
Pay attention to me... As we speak.. the the dollars is being unseated as the hard currency for economic commerce. When this happens.. it will be economic earthquake.. Americans take this hidden gift for granted.. but for the dollar being the hard currency.. that gave the US so many advantages over the rest of the world..few of them: having high debt to GDP ration.. low inflation.. stable currency.. etc.
Just google PetroYuan (vs. PetroDollar) and see how oils started to be traded with Yuan but backed with gold
3
@LivingWithInterest You know your idea makes sense, when I think of all the awful and internationally unlawful things we have done to so many other countries, can't you see them just itching for us to have to suffer the way we made them suffer in the name of profit and domination and imperialism, because we could. Talk about reparation! Only terribly unfortunately, like those other countries where we murdered so many innocent people, the innocent people here are the ones who will the price. If only we could have had a clear picture of what our government does in our name, behind our backs...Oh right we sometimes do with the whistle blowers like Snowden and Chelsea Manning who are actually real heroes but vilified by the status quo in government. So very topsy turvey ain't it?
2
@Salah Mansour
This is very interesting. Time may move slow but consequences and outcomes always come home.
Mr. Mansour, do you believe the Saudi's will accept the Petro Yuan in spite of the Saudi relationship with trump? Or, does it not matter?
2
I can think of an option considering that Iran is in compliance and the other signers want to uphold their agreement.
The other signers to the agreement: France, UK, Germany, EU, Russia, China and Iran should be allowed to uphold the agreement without threats of punishment and suffering from the US who tore the agreement up and thus is the only country not in compliance.
405
@angel98 The EU were not signatories to the JCPOA, only USA, UK, France, China, Russia (the 5 UN Sec Council members), plus Germany.
The US has every right to say to companies in the five other countries that any company who continues to do business in Iran will not be able to do business with American firms.
The three Western countries, all NATO members, should do the right thing & support the US over this Iranian issue. After all, these three countries are quick to ask America for help whenever they need it. When these European nations want someone to lead bombing raids over Serbia, or against Syria, or when the UK wanted help from America in connection to the Falklands war, then it's different, then they all expect the Americans to help out.
UK, France, & Germany don't want to jeopardise the $20 billion of trade they've built up since sanctions were lifted as a result of the JCPOA.
5
@angel98
I agree... but for this to work.. France, UK, Germany, EU, Russia, China and Iran need to work as one against the USA with regards to sanctions.. once this happens.. US cannot fight their collective wells.. However.. US power and credibility are both dented seriously over night. That cannot be recovered and will signal our decline. Which may not be a bad idea. I prefer that over the risk of another reckless wars. We won't survive another war.
11
@kojak There are plenty of things the United States can do. That's not the question. The question is is it a good idea to do them.
5
This enmity of Iran makes little sense unless our foreign policy is simply dictated by Israel, the chief interferer in American elections. A clear statement of why Iran and the U.S. are enemies by the media and the government would be a good first step. Israel owes Iran about 1.2bn dollars which it stiffed the country. Ending sanctions and paying the debt as a token of good will would be a good sequel. We could use Iran as lever on Saudi Arabia to stop its Yemeni destruction. Such a sane policy would never happen in the U.S.A. Corruption is probably the main reason for current policy so its not likely to change.
33
@Michael Cohen
I would say additional 'influencers' are the Saudis and white evangelicals who yearn for the 'end times'. Pompeo is one of them btw.
4
This is a sucker play. the Russians use the Iranians to provoke the US to strike militarily. They supply the Iranians with weapons. The US is stretched across an ocean and half a continent to engage with Iran....just like the British fighting the colonies. we know how that works. there is no good military option here. Sadly we don't seem to have any diplomats either.
15
>>> "This is a sucker play. the Russians use the Iranians to provoke the US to strike militarily."
That's utterly ridiculous. Neither the Russians nor the Iranians want the US to strike Iran or Russia . . . obviously.
It's rather alarming that at least six people (as of this moment) don't understand that the very notion is preposterous.
Trump went "big" to make his Taj Mahal casino. It was going to be the best and he put tons of borrowed money into it. A lot of people with relevant experience thought what Trump did made no sense. And eventually Taj Mahal crashed big time.
That is the summary of how Trump gets things done. He starts big with huge plans but no real brain work and it all eventually fails.
The same thing is happening regarding Iran. He has an impossible unheard of 12 point list of demands from Iran but that is just not going to happen. If he continues down this path it will end badly.
You would think that he has learned from his life experiences. But he is definitely super immune to learning.
21
@InTheKnow
Although considerably more picturesque, the original Taj Mahal was a Mausoleum. Strangely apt since many Trump evangelicals are whited sepulchres= to use a term from their less preferred New Testament. It is ironic (as always with Trump) that he named his casino after a Muslim construction yet ran on (unconstitutionally) banning Muslims from entering the USA.
3
Isn’t it odd the Iranians are the only ones showing supposed debris from the drone? Is it possible that the U.S., who no doubt had plenty of assets in the area, were not able to retrieve any of the debris because our military did not want to cross into Iranian territorial waters to do so? I’m surprised this question hasn’t received more attention. Would look pretty bad to “retaliate” for something that was our fault in the first place.
24
@Wylie Great point! Why doesn't the media pick up on this???
4
@Wylie Great point.
4
What transpired was Trump's gross exaggeration of events [the way he sees them]... The Pentagon told him not to launch a counter strike and he listened to them.. ..Everything is OKAY. The US military wields more power and influence than we are aware and thank God for that! We are in better hands than we think.
1
Trump is getting what he wants:
He undid the treaty done by Obama.
He has created chaos and loves the resulting attention.
Much like North Korea for a while, it has temporarily distracted us from Russian election meddling and Trump's tax returns and other financial statements.
10
Who knew that foreign relations could be so complicated?
10
Here's an "appealing option" for Trump: instead of dragging the American people into a wholly avoidable war, and instead of further destabilizing international relations, he could resign and let someone who is competent take over.
27
The Iranian people were successful in bringing down the Shah’s regime which crumbled despite the efforts of his ruthless and murderous secret police.
They are capable of changing the current regime as well, either by revolution or evolution. They will do it on their own terms, and certainly not on US , Israeli, or Saudi Arabian terms.
That is why the USA - Israeli-Saudi Arabian strategy has absolutely no other International backers.
235
@Robert, the Iranian people removed the Shah twice "... despite the efforts of his ruthless and murderous secret police", but also despite concerted efforts of the US to keep in him power.
Remember, the people elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1951, forcing the Shah to flee the country. Of course, the US and Britain helped stage the coup that returned the Shah to power when Mosaddegh wanted to make sure the country's oil profits went primarily to the Iranian people, not foreign companies.
Prosperity (rather than crippling sanctions) would lead to more liberalism and the ultimate removal of the theocratic regime.
22
@Robert
"USA - Israeli-Saudi Arabia" have become the new Axis of Evil.
31
@Robert
Bravo!
6
Why doesn't the government of Iran open a Bitcoin account for their oil transactions?
3
The framing of these article and issues is troublesome. The media is buying into the official mythology rather than doing investigative journalism to find foundational facts.
I don't believe anything Trump or his lackeys say.
He's running a professional wrestling/reality show/marketing script in which he whipsaws the media back and forth with threats, bluster, crazy talk, pull-backs, outright lies, sudden reversals, intimidation and other tactics used by fakes, frauds, and scammers.
There is no real crisis with Iran or Venezuela. The USA goes out into the world looking for trouble, and if it can't find enough, it creates trouble.
Follow the money. Who benefits from war fever and war itself?
It's all a big game, and we're the pawns.
Watch the movie Wag the Dog and read the book "Manufacturing Consent."
Don't believe the lies.
17
Provocation to war
Why was a P-8 shadowing the drone? My guess to dare the Iranians what to shoot down. The P-8 was not far from the drone, and paralleled it until the drone turned into Iranian FIR (a new term to me). That is an ambiguous area for flight management responsibilities vs. border.
This was a calculated setup to bait the Iranians. Do we really pay people to think up this stuff?
7
It is quite shocking that Trump ( and his base ) continues to make completely false claims about the Mueller Report. Kudos to PBS for actually breaking down the Mueller report and using a terrific video presentation to outline the report. It's confusing why other News outlets are not able to break down the report. Perhaps very few people have actually read the report.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se5SYcopv6I
8
It is difficult to understand the fact that men will go to war over any issue as war has historically served no purpose but to enrich the most ignorant of us. I have however learned that we as a species have learned nothing. The staggering selective-ignorance gripping society coupled with the governments outside ownership has laid the tracks for the current environmental disaster unfolding everywhere in one form or another. The disgusting greed, hate and again the selective-ignorance is killing us all. It is clear we will stay ignorant till the end.
6
@NewsReaper
Wars are often described as 'pointless' and 'futile'. Most commonly about WW1 - and possibly, Vietnam.
But it's always with hindsight.
Name any war that was 'pointless' when it started.
Trump's concern about civilian casualties has the credibility of "the dog ate my homework". There is little doubt Trump backed down from striking Iran because he is a coward, like bullies usually are. This also explains Trump's behavior with North Korea. Although under close psychological scrutiny this is the most likely reason why Iran wasn't attacked, it is remarkable that neither the Press nor any commentators are connecting the dots. Trump's cowardice might just turn out to be his only redeeming quality after all.
8
I'm surprised the stable genius hasn't floated the idea of separating Iranian children from their parents.
7
@RNS
Mexico will pay for the drone.
@RNS Wait for it, wait for it! Just give him a couple of days.
The clowns waving the Iranian flags supporting "regime change" reminds me of the chicken hawks at Yale Law 55 years ago marching around supporting LBJ and his Vietnam War while they had their student deferments tucked into their pockets.
8
A rally to change leadership in Iran is disgusting and those protestors are asking for war and the death of their sons. They should think! Americans do not want another Iraq.
9
Proportionate response is right. And, let sanctions work for a while. If a response must be made, pick out some targets and drop a couple MOABs. Just a message.
“Goldwater pacifism”. No ground war, no invasions, no occupations, no nation building. Simply air power. And, of course cruise missiles, as appropriate. I am sure the Pentagon planners have such an approach mapped out.
1
If the Iran situation escalates, which appears likely, trump is on his own. He has no allies and Iran is no slouch. Russia and China will maneuver to suit their own interests, not the US. trump is recklessly risking the one “plus” he keeps spouting about ... the US economy, albeit with deficits going through the roof, on a costly adventure he can hardly afford. It’s a fool’s errand he’s invoking, incredibly “loose and stupid” (his words).
7
We now know, with the released video of Bolton's speech, that he probably organized the "regime change" protest outside the White House.
4
The most important options Trump should exercise immediately is
To dump Bolton and Pompeo
Take sanctions off the starving Iranians. They are Persians with a glorious past. They have children and if you start killing them we voters will never forgive you.
11
Trump is finding out that his policy of speaking loudly and carrying a little stick has made him a failed laughingstock in the eyes of his enemies.
4
I truly hope this time there will not be a Judith Miller, neither here, nor in the Post.
3
So, when you hit yourself with a hammer, it hurts. Good to know...
4
Iran seems to have been really careful not to kill any Americans. As long as this tit for tat goes on, the US should do the same. Any image of Iranians killed by the US, if they didn't do it first would not go over well in the media, especially women and children.
Dump Bolton and Pompeo and resign the former treaty with Iran so our grandkids can live and yours too Mr. Trump.
4
Undoing everything Obama did will be your undoing, Mr. President.
5
The Times article fails to mention that the Iranian opposition (MKI) whose photo appears at the top of this piece is a much-hated group inside and outside Iran with few supporters beside the U.S. and Israel. Bolton has been trying to present the group as a viable replacement for the regime in Tehran. According to New Yorker, Bolton has received handsome payments from the group to give talks at their gatherings. Very few Iranians support this cultish terrorist group which received a lot of help from Iraq under Saddam Hussein.
8
Is there a "Don't do stupid stuff" wing of White House advisors? This would be a good time to advocate the undoing of Stupid Stuff (leaving the nuclear agreement) and rejoining the rational world. Even geniuses can have epiphanies - right? (No - not talking about Bolton and Pompeo - I mean the Genius of the United States, GOTUS)
2
For Donald Trump:
End sanctions on Iran and dump Bolton and Pompeo so we voting citizens don’t see another Iraq war—you know that war that maimed and killed our boys.
Remember?
6
It seems to me it’s much worse than Trump painting the US into a corner.
He has destroyed our credibility in the world. Why would the Iranians negotiate with our country when we just walk away from our promises?
I fear we have thrown away our position of world leadership and it will take decades of hard work to regain that credibility if we ever can....
385
@Frances Menzel
re "I fear we have thrown away our position of world leadership and it will take decades of hard work to regain that credibility if we ever can...."
Try telling that to the american people who provide trump his 41% solid support. They don't care.
20
@Frances Menzel "Why would the Iranians agree to a deal when we walkaway from promises"? Well, to start with the President can take any new deal through both Congress & the Senate & get it passed into law. That way a future president wouldn't be able to change anything simply by signing an Executive Order. Obama chose not to get the JCPOA ratified by Congress & made into law. Maybe he thought he wouldn't get a majority for it.
You also say--"Trump has destroyed our credibility in the world". How the hell has he done anything of the kind?
The opposite is true, Obama withdrew the US from its role as Leader of the Free World.
Trump has reversed the Obama policy of not giving sufficient financial support to the US military. Trump has tried to force more support for NATO, basically telling other NATO leaders to either prove they are fully committed to NATO or otherwise what is the point of NATO. As a result we have more countries spending the min 2% GDP on defence.
Obama refused to support Ukraine with military hardware such as missile defence systems. Trump reversed that policy & has done much more the countries on Europe's Eastern border region.
Trump has been a much stronger ally of Israel than Obama was, he's taken decisive actions in relation to Israel.
1
@kojak This is such a willful misinterpretation of the facts that it boggles the mind. Whatever one thinks of Obama - and he had many foreign policy missteps - the US had once again become respected as a world leader by the international community.
The JCPOA and the Paris Accords were two landmark treaties shepherded by the Obama administration, and it was on the brink of sealing the TPP, which would've curbed Chinese influence considerably. The USA was able to wrangle countries with vastly different interests in the service of common goals precisely because the Obama administration had worked hard to rebuild American credibility in the wake of Iraq and the reverberations of the 2008 financial crisis in America.
Obama's stance toward the Chinese and the Russians - and his missteps in Libya - deserve their fair share of criticism, but their overall strategy was cohesive and maintained American leadership in a multipolar world via credibility and hard work.
And Trump blew it all up. And we're left with completely avoidable rising tensions in Iran, an Asian continent wholly dominated by China, and a rudderless world in the face of encroaching climate crisis.
hey, but at least Israel gets the green light to expand its oppression of Palestinians - that's the only game that matters to the American right!
35
He made the bed, and, unfortunately, we all have to sleep in it. For those sitting on the fence whether this man should remain in office, tick off the purposes for this government written in the Preamble to the Constitution. Being honest, Trump has violated every one. Whatever is floating your boat, this cannot stand. The wedge issues on women's reproductive rights, fair taxation, what constitutes a reasonable approach to immigration, and government health insurance are not enough to let this democracy wither by the autocrat wannabe in the White House.
171
@Donald Green
We made the bed. 60,000,000 plus Americans voted for him.
7
@UScentral I agree, but hopefully some number will come to their senses. Many, even those who are among the 60M, have not had their lives improved. In fact they are running in reverse.
3
@UScentral
Almost 3 million people MORE people did not vote for him.
8
"The least-fraught course for the United States is to bank on sanctions eventually working."
.
Disagree.
.
The least-fraught course is to return to the deal negotiated by President Obama. It set the world on the road to peace.
.
Is there anybody who thinks we are safer now?
10
Trump has proven he's a expert at sowing conflict. Immigration, tariffs, Iran, Israel, climate, etc. etc. The problem is he has no plan beyond conflict. He's putting the U.S.A. on the table as a bargaining chip. He must go.
7
I think it's obvious that the Europeans and others who helped to create the Iran Nuclear Agreement in the first place are dismayed (to use a gentle term) by trump simply pulling out of an agreement that was working to contain Iran's nuclear program.
Then for the U.S. to threaten economic sanctions if they bought oil from Iran was just one more slap in the face from Washington.
Now, with the tensions building toward a possible shooting war with Iran the Europeans may be faced with supporting an unnecessary war that they could see coming once the Nuclear Agreement was dissolved by trump.
Looking at the headline of this editorial,"Trump Has Few Appealing Options", perhaps firing Bolton and Pompeo for unhelpful (to say the least) advice would be a start. Giving Kushner a little 'time off to spend with his family at HOME' would be another good step.
And backing off with the hatred thing for Obama would be a giant step toward solving a wide number of issues you seem to be dealing with.
5
“Somebody, anybody, start a war, hey!”
That’s a verse in one of the military cadence recordings I like to run to. I don’t like that particular line, but our ignominious president seems to. I reckon it’s how he feels he has to prove his masculinity to the world (or at least to his base).
If ever there were a compelling reason for a woman to be our next president, this conflict with Iran is it. Women generally don’t need to demonstrate their prowess as leaders by destroying something.
5
So far Trump has failed in Korea, blown the Iran pact, declared we should get out of the middle east (we are still there and getting deeper into the big muddy), started a trade war that has no end in site, failed to build his wall, let alone get Mexico to pay for it, lost forever our market in China for soybeans, enacted tariffs that our consumers pay (not China), enriched his corporate chums at our expense, and failed to deliver better health care. But he did launch his campaign for re-election. Wow! What a guy.
15
How many oil markets does Iran have? Let's count them. (1) China which goes largely unharmed by tariffs being passed on to US citizens. They routinely ignore American-imposed sanctions. (2) North Korea, no explanation needed. (3) Russia which has done the most to destabilize the United States, politically and civilly. (4) All the former USSR countries which have not joined the NATO Pact and who have long memories of the enmity between the USA and them. (5) Most of Europe which has no respect for the bunch of clowns currently trying to destroy what friendships we still have in this world. Rough estimate of remaining "friends" - the two nations at our borders, maybe, since Trump regularly attacks them also; maybe Britain; Saudi Arabia, Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman - as long as Trump kowtows to them; Australia and New Zealand (?); South Korea where our military presence delays the North from invasion; maybe Japan which seems to be vacilating nowadays. The list of our remaining "friends" is much smaller and continues to shrink with Trump's machinations. If we do not put the brakes on this runaway train called the Trump administration, we will have no friends left and that result is terrifying.
4
Something that is not explained in the article or by Trump himself is why he believed the Obama administration's deal with Iran was bad to begin with and why Trump's almighty gut told him that it was necessary to end the deal without provocation and without consulting our long-standing allies. And why isn't Kim Jong-Un's continued work on his nuclear program in North Korea a concern to Trump? What is the goal here? Trump remains erratic and untrustworthy and the idea of leaning towards further conflict in Iran based on his primal urges and his ill-conceived "wag the dog" plotting is appalling.
3
@S A Johnson because in 2030 they can enrich as much nuclear material they want and in the meantime they can perfect their ballistic missile system so they can actually carry a nuclear warhead. As of right now they can reach Italy.
2
Now that the US has breached the agreement, they can enrich all the uranium they want RIGHT NOW. Why is this preferable? Seriously...why?
1
As long as they can reach the aggressors in Israel and Saudi and US bases in UAE, that would be fair because Iran is under the constant potential of assault from these locations.
By accident or design, Trump given the US the initiative in dealing with Iranian. By not striking but maintain the readiness to strike, Iran is forced to consider their every move carefully not to provoke further hostilities. Any further provocation that triggers military action would be see as their own doing. Trump's penchant for bold aggressive action has given him the ability to hold back from striking without appearing as being weak and indecisive.
1
@Qcell Those are the rosiest rose colored glasses ever! "Trump's penchant for bold aggressive action has given him the ability to hold back from striking without appearing as being weak and indecisive." That could be a reasonable interpretation, if Trump hadn't demonstrated complete ineptitude since taking office. So this once, he's a genius? More like we got lucky that he came out of his fog and stopped himself from becoming a murderer. He's still at a loss for how to worm his way out of this mess of his own creation.
2
Once Iran eliminated their nuclear program and were no longer a threat to Israel (not the U.S.) that just wasn't enough for Netanyahu. We had to find (make up) a reason for war to crush Iran and punish them for good.
Iran should be our ally as it once was, not our enemy. Let Israel fight its own battles.
10
@Matt
That's not true. They abided by the agreement to give up their nuclear Weapons program.....unlike Israel.
3
1) Firing warmongering Bolton should be Trump’s first act. Pompeo too. Both are nasty.
2)Cutting back on sanctions on Iran is important. Sanctions don’t work in tense situation like this and could precipitate war. Sanctions are not a sign of good Will and besides Trump is hurting civilians including children.
3) Those are two good options for starters but dumping Netanyahu and the Saudis would help.
Palestinians are not our enemies and need help.
4) Pulling out of the Middle East is a good idea
5) listening to our allies and reestablishing a report with them would be wise.
Trump has plenty of honorable options and if he exercises them he could be re-elected. If he doesn’t he won’t be.
2
While USA warmongers are preparing for the next package of lies and excuses, they face huge problems with the entire world community (with the exception of Israel of course).
Americans should prepare themselves for the consequences from China, South Korea, Japan and the EU, among others where Trump has already left a sour taste of its opinions and disregard for diplomacy.
As time goes by, mistrust against USA is building up faster than ever. Trump thought he could bully China and it does not work, he did the same with UE and it did not work. Now he does the very same with Iran with the very same results.
3
we need long term continuity of policy and leadership.Iranians are betting Trump will be gone in 2020. We need long term thinking. US leaders are always thinking of next election. long term failure of leadership.
Why are conservatives pretending like they're struggling with this decision? This entire confrontation is manufactured by Republicans in order to create conflict - go ahead and own your war, and suffer the consequences. Make sure only conservatives are on the front lines getting shot at.
3
His best option was to stick with Obama’s plan.
11
@David what allow them to perfect ballistic missile system so they can carry a nuclear warhead until 2030, at which point they can resume stockpiling nuclear material for said nuclear warhead?
What do you mean , no good options, how about reinstating the arms deal that was in place and working to keep the peace. Of course dumpster don only knows how to destroy things. We should never have been in the position of no good options. This situation is exactly why sane people were opposed to tRump.
7
When war comes it will be interesting to see what happens to U.S. carriers in the Persian Gulf once Iran's diesel attack submarines go into action. A thirty year old French diesel sub and a more modern Swedish boat "sank" U.S. fleet carriers and their surface escorts in exercises staged in 2015 and 2018 respectively. Maybe Iran's sub threat is one reason why Trump has put a hold on launching his gratuitous little war?
nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/2015-30-year.
nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/swedens-super
4
I demand that this administration produce an image of the screen from a trustworthy radar station that would prove WHERE the drone was shot down.
The administration has never done this because I believe that it would settle the issue once and for all and prove who is lying.
10
Does this newly manufactured Iran crisis mean our plans for military intervention in Venezuela are on hold for now?
8
Gee, of only we had negotiated a deal with Iran that would have contained the situation. If only.....
5
Lots of money from big donors who want war with Iran might have something to do with it.
3
So the self-described Stable Genius sees few appealing options, eh?
Self-inflicted wound, oh only one who can save us!
No worries though, we'll clean it up when you're gone....if we ALL aren't gone by then.
3
Don't be blinded by Trump, the illegitimate president, his ploy to not send an air strike against Iran. It is a ruse. Don't trust the US military 'intelligence' on location of downed drone was in international airspace. The military lied about Pat Tillman being killed by Iraqi gunfire when they knew it was 'friendly' fire all along. Also, in Iraq, the military misstated that they rescued a hospital when it was not so. Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam another military lie. Sorry, don't have room(need volumes) to list all military( and their contractors) falsehoods from Afghanistan, Iraq I and II, Vietnam. This withholding a military strike is a con by Trump. He will appear the reasonable one as he maintains onerous economic and military pressure on Iraq. With Bolton and Pompeo, neocons and warmongers, advising him, and manipulating in the background, war seems inevitable Remember, besides making money for his friends in the military-industrial complex and Saudi Arabia, he might avoid impeachment by Democrats. They would not likely begin impeachment if US is in another and new war(still at war in Afghanistan). Also, a war would greatly improve his chances for reelection. If anyone believes that the functioning sociopath-in-chief has any empathy for people in Iran, I will sell him or her the Golden Gate Bridge tomorrow, and they will get rich collecting the tolls.
4
It is a dangerous and frightening thing when an entire national administration is so thoroughly infected with mendacity that the general public comes to believe that, if its government says something, then it must by default be a lie.
President Trump, for example, is incapable of telling the truth (10,000 lies and counting fast). When a truly grave crisis strikes -- political, military, economic, sociological or natural -- effective management of it absolutely requires an overall trust in one's own national government.
While recognizing the destabilizing predilection of the Iranian State, I am readier to believe Iran than my own United States of America. That might cast doubt on my patriotism but it casts far more doubt on the integrity of my government. In our history, there have been too many catastrophic wars of choice waged on the gravy train of lies.
I am convinced that the growing escalation toward an unrecallable military strike against Iran represents yet another pack of lies promoted by aggressive cowards who boldly act to send other people and their children into harm's way.
3
All things Obama must go.
The options that brought us here is racism, ignorance, and inflated egotism.
Let's hope that's not the same options being used to calm this powder keg.
Calm does not exist in the Trump administration. Pelosi has it figured out, an intervention needs to take place. We are not all zealots and mad in the USA. The problem is at the top.
And if he should happen to get what he thinks is a "better" deal, how long do you think Iran will wait to get even? It's not in the mentality of the region to forget betrayals. And "saving face" - that's not important in the Middle East (or really to anyone) according to him. He is devoid of subtlety and any shred of diplomacy. He can't see past the edge of his nose.
A fool with tunnel vision sits in the Ovoid Office.
3
It s getting to the point where the highest act of patriotism would be for the US military to refuse to obey the orders of its crazed Commander in Chief. Preposterous? Not half as preposterous as embroiling their forces in another chaotic Middle Eastern mess.
By the way, has Trump given any thought to China's reaction to blocking its oil imports from Iran? Thought not!
4
One does not send a fool to market!! This to the best of my knowledge an old maxim which Americans don't abide by. Trump wanted to be president.He was elected with Russian help and remains in office with Republican help and sections of our population whose politics is based on parochial ideas they should have discarded a long time ago. So lets hope that their reward will not be the death of their sons in the fields of Iran.
4
Starting a trade war and/or removing the U.S. from a treaty can have undesirable effects: It could start a shooting war as Trump almost proved last week. The tightening of sanctions against Iran and the tightening of tariffs against China could have the US in a serious conflict in two places of the world at the same time. Is this what we want? No, not when both are easily preventable.
@John there was no treaty with Iran just an executive agreement between Obama and Iran. Because the Congress did not ratify a treaty, Trump was able to pull out of it. Obama went down the rabbit hole when he started executive orders.
The Israelis railed against the painstakingly derived agreement G5 1 agreement that would have limited the Iranians’ nuclear weapons development for ten years. With the full-throated support of Bibi Netanyahu and apocalyptic minded and Gospel of Money Evangelicals, Republicans saw an opportunity for pulling out of the deal.
Now Mr. Trump’s Administration is reckoning with the consequences of a very old truth: “The perfect is the enemy of the good.”
I am glad that Mr. Trump decided that a military strike imposing 150 deaths in return for bringing down a very expensive drone and other nonlethal attacks on shipping would have been disproportionate.
I hope he’s able to get State Department assistance in returning to the discarded international agreement in return for allowing the Iranians to actually feed their children and buy medicine. A chokehold on the Iranians necks is hurting a lot of innocent people, who long ago wanted peace with the United States and less theocracy in their lives.
Come to think of it, we could all do a great deal better without theocrats running our country.
8
No matter where this leads, it's important to remember how we got here in the first place. Trump's fickle behavior lead to a destabilization to the progress of Iran. While it wasn't perfect, it was certainly better than where we are now and many times better than a possible war.
Now as Trump faces down a possible unpopular conflict, we would be entering without any sort of end goal and detailed plan. Sounds familiar. Fool me once with Iraq, fool me twice with Iran...
Unfortunately our credibility is shot after Trump took the chainsaw to so many of our agreements and treaties. What good is our word anymore?
5
Next we need Iran to attack a Chinese tanker by mistake. That should be interesting.
1
So how can Donald Trump start a war that the american people don't want, isn't he supposed to represent the american people? Oh wait, I almost forgot, this is democracy!
1
Many generals warned Trump not to pull out of the Iran Nuclear Treaty, but he didn't listen. It showed to the generals & to Americans he doesn't understand it's simple strategic purpose: Containment of Iran.
TRUMP: “So a general said, 'Mr. Trump doesn't understand. He knows nothing about defense.'
I know more about offense and defense than they will ever understand,
believe me! Believe me!”
July 27, 2016: Trump’s speech in Scranton, Pa.
7
A man who has created the problem, intensified it, coddled it, stroked it and perseverated on it like it was a Clinton or a McCain, now finds that he has few options other than the ones he's always wanted: to use the military like a child uses toy soldiers, to use the entire fiasco as a ratings booster because that's how he sees the world, as a reality show where everyone is an apprentice and everything is negotiable, especially the truth.
5
Did the illegal US war in Iraq make the world a safer place, was the result not the creation of ISIS...?
Today any country can build nuclear weapons! North Korea and Iran are only a threat to us as long as we treat them as enemies! Free trade and free movement of people is the only way to prevent wars! Nobody wants to start a war against a friend or against a business partner! Sanctions are an act of war, and civilians are the only real victims!
6
Maybe just this time Trump might want to do something that he doesn't like to do and that is to listen to his intelligence agencies, because they have something he lacks, intelligence.
5
Pompeo recently asserted that Al Queda had returned to Iran. That is impossible. Al Queda is a Sunni organization & Iran is
Shia. There is no way they would be operating in Iran. It reminds me of the excuse for invading Iraq because they had weapons of mass destruction. The IAEA had consistently maintained there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. They were correct! Fire Pompeo & Bolton & return to the Iran Nuclear Deal ASAP.
12
@AKH Correct. The Taliban are an enemy of Iran, and there was covert cooperation between Iran and the USA to bring the Taliban down In Afghanistan.
5
@Robert Thats not true, the Taliban and Iran are both enemies of the great Satan known as the United States.
Most people fail to understand that the Syrian government is a Sunni nation. Iran is actively helping and financing a Sunni Nation.
We need full-fledged regime change -- in the United States.
11
Why not one of Trump's usual.
Blame it on Pompeo and Bolton, say he didn't tear the agreement up, the enemy of the people lied, it's all fake news, in fact he was making it better than before and throw in a letter from the Iranians to keep in his breast pocket along with Kim's.
His followers will applaud him for it and peace will reign.
2
Here's an option:
Re-enter the Iran Deal.
Sure, it's not ideal to make amends when you're trying to start a new arms race with your puppetmaster, but you've sown enough global discord and chaos to keep the war drums pounding for a couple of decades.
So why not try and make Iran your best bud like you did with North Korea, who brings actual Death to Americans?
I'm sure the Deal Artist can convince them of the benefits of making the world a better place instead of burning it down.
3
See it from Iran's point of view: there is a deranged man in the White House, surrounded by maniacal warmongers who are itching to start another fight. Some of them have openly advocated for the use of tactical nuclear weapons, and would just love to try their toys out.
What would you do? Anyone in Iran's position would rush to the centrifuges and call up the nearest North Korean ballistic missile dealer, as the only insurance against the perceived threat would be a nuclear deterrent of their own.
America is completely guilty for creating both an unnecessary crisis and Iran's nuclear escalation.
6
Let’s all get over the quaint notion that there’s a coherent plan or strategy here, and that Trump is going to “weigh,” anything, okay?
2
N.Y. Times columnist Roger Cohen wrote a superb piece about the U.S. confrontation with Iran: "Trump’s Slouching Toward War With Iran Is a Disgrace".
I urge everyone to read it.
It was published in the NY Times on June 21, 2019.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/21/opinion/trump-iran.html
3
What is the use of having a 130 million dollar drone that the Iranians shot down with one missile? I would think these drones would have defenses of some kind against being shot down. Or are they just sitting ducks?
1
Has anyone considered whether after continued tighter sanctions that the Iranians mihht decide that a cyber attack on US attack is a proportionate response? And what our counter response would be?
Pompeo, Bolton and Pence are all Iran hawks and want war.
They pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal and then Pompeo states Iran is closer to building a nuclear weapon. Total incompetent people are running our government without an adult in the room. In 2002 Bolton claimed Iraq had WMD and Cuba had biological weapons. Neither was true. Congress needs to act to stop this insanity!
2
Mike Tyson words come to mind: "everybody's got a plan until they got punched in the mouth".
Trump's plan was regime change in Iran. Oops!
2
Maybe Trump should have thought this out thoroughly before he started our economic war with Iran? Maybe he should have consulted experienced experts? Now I am really sounding like I am off my rocker, aren’t I?
What if Trump contrived a media circus to help his election chances and no one cared?
1
A country in the grip of its oppressive religious right? Unacceptable.
3
We, Iranians, have said this thousand times and I'll repeat this again: MEK is ten thousand times worse than what we have in Iran right now, and by paying Giuliani, Bolton, Brad Shelman and etc, this fact doesn't get any different.
3
The Israel/Netanyahu/Adelson/Mercer/Bolton
roles in fabricating false narratives and intelligence to ratchet up tension between the US and Iran cannot be overstated, as was the case with the disastrous run up to the Iraq war.
8
America fails to understand who our enemy is. Sunni Saudi Arabia has spent $200 billion on wahhabi schools to export their conservative brand of Islam. ISIS and Al Qaeda are Sunni. The terror attacks in Europe and the USA have all been committed by Sunni terrorists. Shiite Iran fights proxy wars with Israel and Saudi Arabia. They don't do terror against the West. Their enemy is Saudi Arabia who does not even let Shiites visit Mecca. These two are mortal enemies. Saudi Arabia is not our friend as they export terror. But we've been duped into being their proxy army because we don't understand Islam. Just look at what John Bolton wants. Régime change in Iran. Their leader is a spiritual leader. It's like telling the Catholics the pope must go.
13
@Walker Rpwe then why is the sheer government of Iran helping the Sunni Syrian government?
@Gabriel
Shia govt. of Iran has been helping the Syrians since early 1980s because the mullahs despise the Israelis--Iran created, funded and armed Hezbollah to strike and kill Israelis in their cities and villages. Since Syria borders Israel, the Shia govt. of Iran wants an enemy of Israel that it can trust and depend on in power in Syria. Hezbollah, a declared enemy of Israel that has called for the destruction of Israel on public record for many years, is popular in Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and also, on the street in Saudi Arabia. I lived in Saudi Arabia for 5 years, 2010-2015. Saudi university students openly, proudly stated in class, "The Jews are dogs, teacher. Bin Laden is our hero and Hezbollah are the future."
2
@Gabriel
While a majority of Syria is Sunni, Assad and much of the government is Shia.
It is the mirror image of what Iraq was under Saddam Hussein, a majority Shia ruled by a minority of Sunni.
This is the result of the Sykes-Picot agreement between the UK and France after WWI.
The Turks had sided with the Germans. As a result of loosing the war, the UK and France divided up what was the Turkish empire in the Middle East.
And one of the reasons was because the UK needed petroleum for their naval fleet as technology was changing from coal powered ships to diesel.
Seems like a time for cyberwarfare.
If only Trump to stand up to Putin like the way to trashes everything good Obama has done. Sigh! SAD!
4
Trump was going to exit the Iran deal and give us something so much better. Well, Mr. Trump, it’s all on you now. As the saying goes, “You break that thing, you bought it.”
242
@David
Trump was also going to give us way better health care, cheaper, more people covered, lower premiums, and lower co-pays.
And Mexico was going to pay for the wall.
And Trump definitely did not benefit from the tax cuts that increased the deficit to be paid for by us, our children, and grandchildren.
:-)
22
@David Fair comment. I voted Trump & I continue to be a supporter of his. However, as you say, he has made his decisions in regard to this Iranian issue, now he has to get some positive developments as a result. I am nowhere near the point of criticising his position on Iran & the direction he's chosen to go, BUT equally there is nothing to give him credit for as of yet.
Tearing up the JCPOA was always going to be a risky thing to do because people, quite fairly imo, will expect to see something positive in its place. Either a new deal to replace the JCPOA, or something else that guarantees their compliance with existing as a permanently non-nuclear country.
Unless Russia & China, along with most others, all come together & enforce strong measures on Iran, then I don't see how Trump can get this to end well.
3
@kojak. So why support him going down this path? He appears not to think about next steps. He seems to think the other side will immediately cave. Nations are different than tenants or contractors
16
Obama was going to give Iran the bomb in 15 short years. Fifteen years is nothing. He kicked the can down the road in a cowardly act of immense consequence. Thank God that Trump is fighting to stop them.
1
@Jon Trump isnt fighting them, his lines turned pick just like Obama. Trump is weak and makes me want to stay home in 2020. Iran now controls the strait of Hormuz. Title of kamini is much stronger willed than Trump. This weakness is a problem, they can now rally the people because it is proven they can hit Goliath. it is funny that Iran turn to David and we are Goliath at this point. the only way he can save Grace is move 120,000 troops to the area. but let's face it Trump blinked in the face of a rabid dog. it makes me question if he can keep America safe in this is why i might stay home in 2020
@Jon
re "Trump is fighting to stop them."?
Iran is now hellbent on building a nuclear arsenal in short order. The hardliners in their regime with renewed will and energy have shoved their nuclearization efforts into high gear, and their capability in this regard exceeds North Korea by a long shot. Trump who hasn't even got a full-fledged defense secretary and a complicit congress, is embarking on fool's errand without allies and awkward adversaries in Russia and China. Some fighting eh?
@Jon The lies people believe!
I guess I’ll have to watch Fox News to see what the president is going to do.
A step back on striking Iran
A delay in ICE raids to deport immigrants.
What’s next? Will he show us his tax returns?
Will there be giant step forward? Or three umbrella turns? (You have to be old to understand.)
3
@Steve Ell, I recommend the later — and with extreme prejudice.
1
Trump pulls the pin on the grenade, now he is trying to figure out how to save himself. SAD!
5
The Iran mess is a perfect storm for trump to launch into his bombast tough guy persona, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. It's really galling to see this so-called commander-in-chief calling the shots on putting young americans in the military in harm's way as part of his reckless willy-nilly foreign policy in the ME. A deliberative war coward, trump himself evaded sacrifice through blatant graft not once but five separate times in the Vietnam war ... a draft dodger par excellence. 58,220 americans sacrificed their lives as he carried on his self-serving hedonistic life style with absolutely no regrets or second thoughts.
2
These hardliners think they can predict the future. Squeeze Iran, and they will fold. Obama and Euro allies deal took reality into account. The decided to buy time; and while buying time doesn’t have much of a thrill it gives the opportunity for other positive steps to happen. Even with the Obama deal, if Iran reverted back to the way things were, the US and allies could always go back to sanctions.
1
From Europe, Mr. Trump no longer appears as a tough guy, rather as Mr. Dud.
4
While Trump continues to burn down The House Of Obama, it would be nice if the NYT would remove some of the front-page redundancy and inform its readers of the other cans of gasoline & matches this administration is playing with.
Last year Trump's administration decided to pull out of the 145 year old Universal Postal Union (established in 1844). It establishes international postal rates for mail and small packages and benefits U.S. consumers but hated by Amazon and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Trump and lobbyists fume that it allows for illicit drugs to flow into the U.S.
Trump is planning to withdraw by next year, just in time for a few million overseas civilian and military personnel to cast their votes. This administration says it will be a "seamless" transition.... and won't disrupt the overseas voting process-but we know how well the Muslim Ban went-don't we. (Thanks for www.talkingpointsmemo.com June 21, 2019)
2
Those who were rallying outside the White House should have been demonstrating for leadership change in the White House. One wonders too how that well-dressed demonstration was organized?
Whenever the United States has supported and assisted regime change in other countries, it has led to oppression, murder, disappearances, poverty, corruption and devastation for citizens.
We should not be in the business of promoting political turmoil, and desperately need someone in the White House who is not a smug, malicious, ignorant narcissist with matching advisors.
We need an authentic stable genius.
1
I don't understand why Trump fears Iran going nuclear. I thought Hillary sold all of the uranium to Putin already.
1
The ghost of Obama is haunting Trump now.
2
Why do we still frame problems Trump creates as though his lack of options is anything but a consequence of his own malicious ineptitude?
7
this is just a political game for Mr. Trump. ( "acting" President of the United States)
1
We had a working nuke deal with Iran along with other major powers and Trump out of jealousy of Obama unilaterally decided to withdraw. Trump then attacked Iran with draconian sanctions based on advice from Kushner MSB flunky and Bolton tired old war hawk draft dodger retread GOP hack. Now after Trump put on the TV Show Iran the apprentice edition tune in tomorrow to see what your TV president decides. Trump and Bolton would put our American forces in the area in danger albeit they dodged service themselves another Cheney style end run to war profiteering. Trump needs to be removed from his job as he is a menace to the world with insatiable narcissism creating chaos in the world so everyone has to look at him.
2
Trump is already doing a lousy job of lying about the run-up to lying the U.S. into a shooting war.
I must agree with George Conway. Trump should resign today and go back to the real estate world where the worst he can kill is a bank.
5
Huh. The nuclear deal seemed to be working pretty well. Just a suggestion.
5
The blending of Trump's profound ignorance, Bolton's malevolent war mongering, and Pompeo's allegiance to Netanyahu is frightening. Combined, these three stooges represent a major threat to humanity.
4
Trump is getting all of his advice to start a major war from the cabal of John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Judge Janine.
America, we are in grave danger.
1
@Joe Miksis Not to mention cabal tv channel Fox News.
2
It is extremely unfair, and biased in a warmongering way, to write, "as Tehran races toward its next big challenge to the United States: building up and further enriching its stockpile of nuclear fuel."
Iran was selling nuclear fuel on the international market, as allowed and required in the agreement Trump pulled out of. Then using sanctions, Trump blocked those sales. Since they can't sell it, it piles up.
Obviously, Trump hoped they'd concede, and give up for nothing what they'd bargained hard to get, and just stop all enrichment. That however is utterly unreasonable.
If the US wants to limit that stockpile, the answer is easy -- allow sales of it. Don't use sanctions to create a problem, then say you have no options to stop what you created.
This isn't Iran being confrontational. And Trump has a good option -- stop being stupid and self-destructive.
6
@Mark Thomason easy answer is to neutralize the stockpile and the ability to enrich more, a MOP would work best.
U.S. foreign-policy-by-adolescent-narcissist; Fire! Aim! Ready! Another lesson for America and the world. Donald the Unready is dangerous and a threat to peace.
3
General Tsun Tsu wrote in the art of war 25000 years ago: Never corner your enemy/opponent & always leave w way out.
However.. Our Mr. Stable Genius.. went full speed with maximum pressure campaign & left no way out to save face for himself and for the Mullahs. This actually cornered the Mullahs and left them with one option alone. Stay tuned
3
Zarif has given a clue about how to start reproach between the USA and Iran , when he plainly said try some respect first.
The Iranians ( or Persians as manny prefer to call themselves) are proud people with a very long history.
Iranian governance is a form of democracy which is flawed and corrupted . Likewise the governance of the United States is flawed and corrupted . No doubt the peoples of both nations would like to see changes.
Israel is also a flawed ( and inherently racist ) democracy, and Saudi Arabia is democracy at all. What in hell is America fighting for in the Middle East?
3
So, Trump unilaterally walks away from a nuclear agreement with Iran, ramps up provocations and sanctions, acts aggrieved when Iran responds and demands they return to negotiations.
Has anybody told him that the average person in the street would not take that deal?
It is in Iran's best interest to ramp up nuclear weapons programs because Trump has now signaled his unwillingness to follow through on his boasts. And North Korea demonstrated that nukes can be made under crushing sanctions and result in a dinner party with Trump paying the tab.
16
Please for the love of all that is honorable in this world, can we stop giving this man any scintilla of credit for simply failing to fully execute the stupid ideas he utters, or in this case orders, and then pulls back from?
Whether by design or by idiocy, he sets up catastrophe, does something horrible, and people are relieved that we have horrible instead of catastrophe. It’s still horrible.
Next you know, people will praise him for leaving office peacefully at the end of his term, like he’s doing us a favor by deigning to follow the law once in a while.
14
Trump should fire Bolton ASAP and make a new agreement with Iran, this is over his head, he should let experts handle this.
9
@Missy not gonna happen. Bolton is the puppet master.
Trump's erratic behavior is why we are in this mess. The sooner he's out of office the safer we all are. There is no strategy at work here. Just an unqualified, erratic, and narcissistic CinC...
11
How to paint yourself into a corner with Iran: Step One: rattle your saber rather than engage in any sort of diplomacy, which requires the kind of subtle thinking of which you are entirely incapable. Step Two: watch Iran out-think you and make you look like a fool — and restart its nuclear program.
Guess Obama’s “horrible deal” doesn’t look so bad now, does it? Breaking things for the sake of breaking things does not constitute “foreign policy.”
10
The best option (for the nation, the planet, and the world) is for this former pageant promoter and serial bankrupt to resign.
He likes the tax-payer funded trappings (Air Force One; golf weekends ; dinner at Buckingham; Riyadh shindig, etc.)
But the rest ? Not so much,
Whoever knew geo-politics and understanding the history, cultures and inter-dependent contexts of a complicated, planet could be so complicated.
18
I am not surprised Iran is acting this way. What most don’t understand is the Middle East behaves as tribes and Iran is a minority Shiite tribe that is fighting for its survival in a majority Sunni environment. The Iranian mullahs believe they have found the least expensive and costly way to support the rest of the Shiite muslim population in other countries around it where they defend themselves against aggression and repression again in a majority Sunni environment that believe Shia sect believers are infidels a believe fueled by Iran neighbors mostly Saudi Arabia. The other problem is the rest of the Sunni Arab countries don’t want to admit and allow Iran to flourish and become a regional power since they are themselves drowning in self petty and lack of confidence despite all the riches and notional resources. I wish our administration realizes that the Iranian are vey progressive, innovative , and educated and they are yearning for a better future and the nuclear pact in the Obama era was the key to open the door and a framework for better dialogue to build trust between both countries. I hope we are not on a war course that would make the Middle East explode and spend more of our blood and treasures.
12
@Concerned
Did you like what Sarah Palin said when asked about what she'd do about the Middle East? She said, 'I'd let Allah figure it out.'
@Concerned then why is the she have government supporting the Sunni Government of Syria?
So we have a President who decides to throw out a negotiated agreement with much of the rest of the world and Iran. Now we have a President who loves to posture, but doesn't have a plan when Iran refuses to cower to his threats.
Mr. President, you got yourself into this mess - it is up to you to get yourself out of it. As a reminder, you promised to not get into any wars in the Middle East - you have an interesting predicament.
4
@Michael
You mean this isn't the fault of HIllary's e-mails?
1
I'm wondering whether Iran developed the capability to shoot down a (stealth?) drone? Given their close ties to Russia, perhaps that technology is already in their arsenal. And then, of course, cyber warfare of WW3. We are familiar with Russian hacking and potential infrastructure attacks.
2
@Kami Kata
That was a Soviet SAM .. 100%
1
We still don't know, and perhaps never will, exactly when & how Trump cancelled the air strike. Originally it was when the planes were in the air, then it was 10 minutes before take off. It doesn't matter because what emerges is a self indulgent irresponsible person luckily 'influenced' by military people with supreme knowledge and respect for humanity.
I don't think this 'issue' is over, but the first step in a process. Now that he has alienated Iran, we are entering a stage of self fulfilling projections.
Forgive my cynicism, unfortunately these days that is reality.
After more minor 'incidents' and bombastic tweets Trump will create some sort of military situation with Iran.
But not too soon. He will time it to occur within a few months of the presidential election, so it will not be resolved by then, but can be manipulated for votes.
Getting re elected is a major concern for Trump, not for his 'vision' or the illegal financial benefits it provides his children.
Why? He is convinced, perhaps in error, that as president he is immune to the multitude of federal, state, and local charges awaiting him. But when he exits the white house as a private citizen in January 2021 these charges will make his life beyond uncomfortable for many many years.
He deserves nothing less.
America deserves nothing less.
It's called justice.
11
We all need another another step in the escalating behavior of retaliation, and trumps the man to do. Who would think it could actually take place? America attacking again for a real purpose, saving the world. We attack, then Iran sinks a carrier, Americas floating white line justifying an all out war of attrition. North Korea supports Iran, China supports Korea, Russia tired of American sanctions funnels high speed missilery and jamming technology to China which in turn sends weapons to Iran and North Korea. Iran nukes Israel which appears to be part of an attack on several US fleet task force ships in the China Sea, which can't be verified. Several Clandestinely launched Chinese missiles appear from Korean airspace.
US command and control is overwhelmed by several unverifiable target locked locations. The mayhem, distrust and whacky leadership of Trump in contention with the Joint Chiefs and the intelligence community he distrusts leaves Trump unchecked.
He then orders in 200 nuclear cruise missiles targeted for what seem to be the source of the launches. 50 of these weapons are shot down, 25 destroy Saudi oil fields because of GPS jamming and counter targeting. 125 missiles render the rest of the Middle East into patches of broiled glass.
Drone cost $12,000,000.00, nuclear exchange costs incalculable. Trump is re-elected for his decisiveness.
2
Of course Iran is "lashing out in the Gulf" is due to the sanctions. In the 1940s the U.S. tried to cripple Japan's economy by preventing all Japanese imports of oil. Japan "lashed out" with Pearl Harbor. Who expects Iran to simply sit back while Trump tries to cripple its economy without doing anything? The nuclear deal reached with Iran in 2015 took the work and agreement of the U.S.,The EU, Germany, France, Russia, and China, and no one argues that Iran wasn't in compliance. After unilaterally withdrawing the U.S. from the deal, and reimposing sanctions, why is Trump surprised that Iran doesn't see any point in keeping its side of the deal? Once again, Trump has created the problem, and now he doesn't see a way out, other than increasing the sanctions even more.
3
"Iran’s moves to bolster its nuclear fuel program stemmed in substantial part from the president’s decision last year to pull out of the 2015 international accord."
This statement is misleading in its suggestion that Iran has any reason other than US bad faith and aggression for not living up to the accord.
There's no evidence to support such an insinuation: IAEA inspections report that Iran has faithfully kept up its commitments under the accord. It is only threatening to break its commitment now as a last resort, after the US not only unilaterally violated the accord but launched all-out economic warfare against Iranian society, with devastating effect.
It is also monumentally arrogant to expect any nation to meekly accept such abuse without defending itself or hitting back. It's like the US policeman is charging Iran for resisting lawful arrest (similarly, I remember US troops calling Iraqis who resisted the 2003 US invasion "bad guys", as if such resistance to the US were somehow morally culpable).
Iran is doing what any self-respecting country would do in the same situation, and it should be obvious by now that the Trump administration's unprincipled behavior is generating sympathy for Iran within the international community, not the desired opposite.
2
David Sanger is a great reporter & analyst of the tools of modern warfare (see The Perfect Weapon) but the error he and most other columnists make is to assume that Americans don't want another war in the Middle East.
I believe Trump's supporters would gleefully welcome another war in the Middle East. Even those that understand the risks, and understand that the US lost in Iraq, lost in Syria, and is losing in Afghanistan, want a war in Iran.
Nearly 85 percent of Trump's supporters favored his Muslim ban, and the moment he tests the crowd at his next rally, he will find that the same percentage favor bombing (and, eventually, invading) the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Trump might resist members of his cabinet, but he will never resist his adoring fans. The notion of options is an illusion. War (against Muslims) is what Trump supporters want, so, as night follows day, it will be what Trump wants.
3
Trump is good at ripping business partners, competitors, and the American people in general off. That skill set has not translated into any foreign policy successes. I think his inability to comprehend idealism may cost him in this ill conceived cold war against Iran.
2
Trump has no long-term overall strategy, no end-game, no allies, no clear objectives. He does have one, and one only tactic: threaten, sanction, menace, demonize, bluff, then pull-back and claim he 'saved the day'. Now he wants to 'talk' to Iran. Maybe he'll make a 'deal'. Like the deal he reneged on. Or maybe he'll just repeat the same tactic. Depends on who he talked to last.
2
I try to put myself in Iran's position. The United States has reneged on a deal that Iran was complying with and, at the same time, forced the remaining signatories to basically welsh on the deal too. Iran is gaining nothing from continued compliance. What, then, is the use in signing another deal? The last one was meaningless, and as a reward for the United State's bad behavior with the last deal, Iran is expected to give greater concessions? It defies logic and will never happen. It is yet another example of Trump's inability to negotiate internationally. The closest he comes to a "successful" negotiation is to bowbeat his neighbors, Canada and Mexico, and get a new NAFTA agreement that isn't really that different from the original. Well, I guess there's always bankruptcy.
2
We keep trying to untangle what the Trump presidency "I am running this country" says and does, looking for an overall plan that might be guiding. The best we can come up with is the old saw: "There's a method to his madness."
When we will understand that there is just madness; no method. Trump ran his companies into the grounds losing his investors' (and banks') money while stealing from (not paying) small contractors along the way and finding lots of time to assault a minimum of a dozen women.
Because he is impacting the world, we wake up each morning wondering what clown and his circus of enablers are up to. I have no solution to this dilemma but I like the fact that the 2020 election had be positioned as "the 20/20 election."
20/20 vision. We need to be clear eyed to clear up this situation while we still have a chance to preserve our democracy. Work in the purple states to ensure that the next government represents the MAJORITY of Americans. That is what I plan to do.
7
We need an independent organization to pinpoint where the drone was when it was shot down. Our current president has told more than 10,000 lies since he assumed office, and we cannot simply take his word for it on this issue. On the other hand, we cannot trust Iran either. The evidence should be turned over to the U.N.
1
Today Iran wins and Trump is weak, never thought i would say that. I never thought the Iranian Military would be stronger than ours, not by technology or equipment, they have a stronger will. Unfortunately the Ayatollah is much much stronger willed than Trump. This weakness is a problem, because the Iranians are a war culture and will always dominate that region especially now that they can legitimately brag about the downing of an American drone.
This makes me not want to vote for him in 2020 because he's weak. I seriously doubt he can keep this country safe now.
Ayatollah Khomeini -1
Donald Trump -0
Congratulations Donald Trump the controlling force in the Middle East is the Iranian military.
More than 150 Iranians were killed by their own government(women, suspected spies, enemies of the state,
homosexuals or anyone who violates Sharia law such as drinking alcohol, and dont forget death by starvation and torturing).
Glad to see Trump cares about the lives of enemy combatants. Really makes me want to stay home 2020
1
@Gabriel Ayatollah Khomeini is dead. Ayatollah Khamenei is the current leader.
The Iranians are not a warlike people, any more than we are. They have different laws, religion, and culture than we do, what's your point? Is it wrong to be different?
Instead of staying home in 2020, why don't you enlist? You talk big, be big.
1
The U.S. government has had a long-standing dysfunctional philosophy in dealing with governments that it doesn't like. That is: "If we make life miserable for the people of X country, they will rise up and overthrow their leaders."
This insane strategy has never worked, and it never will work. But that doesn't keep Washington from promulgating this idea again and again under both Democratic and Republican administrations.
This idea is going to be especially ridiculous in the case of Iran. Iranians are fiercely patriotic. Probably half or more of the population already is opposed to the government leadership, but their civilization and their nation is infinitely more important than their feelings about "the Ayatollahs."
John Bolton has an even more insane idea, and that is that the United States can engineer a coup (like it did in 1953) and replace the whole government, Constitution and all, with a despised terrorist group, the Mujaheddin-e Khalq or MEK. The MEK will never, never be accepted by Iranians. Never.
Iranians are sick of America's continual attempts to control their internal affairs. In fact, the U.S. promised in the Algiers accords that ended the 444 day Hostage Crisis in 1980 to never interfere again. But here are Bolton and Pompeo screaming for regime change--and with that utterly unacceptable MEK in the background.
Forcing Iran to bend to Trump's, Bolton's and Pompeo's will is a completely abortive strategy. We should stop this madness now!
6
The problem with the Trump administration's approach - tearing up the 2015 deal, then trying to get the Iranian leadership to essentially surrender by making everyday Iranians destitute - is that it doesn't work. On the contrary, the current "starve them into submission" approach serves as a convenient cause for the theocracy in Teheran to rally the population behind them, especially since dissenting voices are now easily labeled as treasonous and disloyal, and suppressed quickly and brutally by an authoritarian regime not concerned with human rights and personal liberties. The current situation is a godsend for the hardliners in Iran. We can be quite sure that their leaders won't be starving or suffering because of our sanctions, unlike the general population there.
2
Nuclear proliferation seems like a bad idea, but with the _threat_ of rogue states like Israel and the U.S., perhaps it is in Iran's best interests to acquire a nuclear weapons arsenal. Perhaps mutually assured destruction is the only way to keep the peace.
1
Mr. Trump is creating or exacerbating crises around the world while corrupt world leaders jump on the Trump bandwagon, blackmailing and cajoling while and exploiting his pathological mind. And all the while, Trump dismantles one constitutional article or amendment after the other.
Restoring the rule of law may be the biggest challenge facing our next president.
Why does the UN allow this? Both the US and Israel have many, many nuclear weapons of mass destruction aimed straight at Iran, so why cannot the sovereign nation of Iran have the right to self defense?
At a minimum, Iran should request UN observers to make sure there isn't a war of aggression against them. And the US sanctions are for what reason...to stop the spread of nuclear weapons to the Middle East?
Sure, Israel and the Saudis are enemies of Iran, but why does that make it an American problem? Why should even one American man or woman have to die in the sand for Saudi royal domination? The Saudi Sunni billionaires pretending to be leaders are not friends of America and one has to wonder if billions are passing into American bank accounts, perhaps illegally.
Hugh
We can bet that the airstrikes will happen within minutes of someone questioning Trump's virility over NOT striking.
Vote them all out, for the sake of the world.
2
By trumping up charges, with no proof that Iran bombed the ships, then almost attacking Iran...The stable genius makes a great incentive for Iran to produce Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs.
Another fine mess republicans in the electoral college got us into by "again" appointing the loser of the election.
After almost 17 years we are still at war because of "W", that "other" election loser, who the electoral college appointed.
Why do republicans appoint whom We The People Reject ?
Why do they steal supreme court seats ?
Why do they gerrymander ?
It's obvious by now. They are no good. Definitely enemies of a "Government of The People"
Humans are remarkable for being able to turn the most wondrous of inventions into weapons. Just like with conventional wars, there will be no winners with cyberwars. No doubt Iran, with the assistance of other countries will further develop their capabilities, and the U.S. will do the same. In the end neither side will accomplish anything constructive.
We can only hope that at some point before we totally annihilate each other it will become apparent it's in everybody's interest to negotiate peaceful solutions to our problems. Alas this is a diminishing hope I'm afraid.
1
I can only feel serious discomfort with anything coming out of the Trump White House. Bolton wants to be the warrior and lead his king into battle. Trump is not fearless but is only looking to wage war to show he’s s strong leader and can defeat the enemy.... all before the 2020 elections. Does he seriously believe he can succeed in this with people not in his camp?
Diplomacy is always an option. Career diplomats do have the expertise and savvy to make it appear to be a new win for Trump to re-enter the agreement, and a win for Iran to do what they have been doing all along, complying with the agreement.
16
@angel98 You don't (just as I don't) know for a fact that Iran were complying with the JCPOA. The vast vast majority of the population has to take the word of other people with this type of thing.
Anyway, the way I read it is that is wasn't Iran's compliance with sticking to the 10 year rule of no nuclear weapon development that was the problem so much, but it was more to do with what the JCPOA agreement allowed Iran to do, the 'freedom' it gave them to trade with, for example, the EU, which in turn finances the various wars Iran are engaged in all over the region.
The EU want the JCPOA to continue not because of the world's safety but because the EU currently do $20 billion of trade with Iran, same with Russia & China. The US government are the only ones being brutally honest about the situation.
If Germany, France, & the UK would join Trump & also take a stand on the Iranian problem then that would increase the chances of the Trump admin getting this resolved in a satisfactory manner for Western civilisation & for the world too.
@kojak I trust the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and they stated Iran was in compliance. I trusted and believed the IAEA when Bush tried everything in his power to denigrate it, Mohamed El Baradei and Hans Blix, and spin his lies for the illegal invasion of Iraq. The IAEA were and are trustworthy, Bush wasn't, Trump isn't.
Germany, France, & the UK have already taken a stand, they signed the agreement which took almost two years to iron out. It was not a heads or tails call. Why in the world would they renege on it, especially in favor of an untrustworthy, known liar, who has also attacked them, whose only loyalty is to himself and who reneges on promises when it takes his fancy for attention and the love of his followers. That is madness.
And please! As for deals and money to be made. Trump has sold the US out to Saudi Arabia (a brutal dictatorship, that dismembered and murdered a man and where most of the 9/11 hijackers were from) for $110 billion immediately and $350 billion over 10 years, and no doubt a heavy treasure chest for Trump Inc.'s future.
Theses are certainly trying times for Trump. Facing intensifying confrontation with Iran, Trump has a single option that will have the support of we the people of USA. No new regime change war and no disproportionate retaliation. Patience and prudence over haste and prejudice should be the guiding lights for Trump's confrontation with Iran. It is high time leaders of both sides meet with the urgency of now. Taking steps towards peaceful resolution of all bilateral issues is bravery not cowardice.
11
From the headline here, one would think that what just happened with the U.S. launching a full strike against Iranian targets and the president calling it off last minute is a typical thing. It's great that we're not going to war over nothing, but I can't get over how much Trump's actions seem to have benefited only Iran. Just from a strategic standpoint they know exactly now how we would deploy a future assault and be better able to defend themselves. They've already been able to successfully take out one of our $100 million dollar drones.
4
@JRR Trump's actions have only benefited Iran?? Hardly. Read the latest reports on the state of the Iranian economy, have a look at how many barrels of oil per day they are now exporting compared to a little while back.
Iran are currently on their knees begging the UK, France, Germany, to stay in the agreement. Iran are getting more desperate by the month & so I think we can safely assume that the present situation is NOT benefiting Iran in the slightest.
1
Making the economy suffer means nothing other than making Iranian people suffer- from hunger, lack of medicine, etc. Many more will die than the alleged 150 Trump claims to have spared by calling off his attack. The leaders of the Revolutionary Guards and the theocracy will not suffer, it will be ordinary Iranians, many of whom look to the West to help move Iran in a democratic direction. But they are not us, so why should we care?
Even if we don't care, assuming that the Iranian people will cry uncle, or the regime will fold because you starve and humiliate the country would mean that Iranians are from a different species than we are. Would we react that way to sanctions attacking our economy? It will only strengthen the hard liners in Iran. Case in point, Cuba. We really toppled the Castro regime there, didn't we?
Finally, I wonder how the U.S. government would react to a surveillance drone 50 miles or so off our coast, territorial waters or not?
All this because Obama made a very helpful treaty with 5 other nations keeping Iran from going nuclear for over a decade. Same as Obama with Obamacare. Too bad Obama didn't create cancer; then Trump would be motivated to cure it.
70
@Peter Wolf Hold on a moment.........when Trump opposed sanctions on another country....Russia....he was castigated by Democrats & the Left. When he DOES put sanctions on another country though, you all criticise that too.
Are Iranian lives worth less than Russian lives for some reason?
I believe your whole premise is wrong. If people suffer because of sanctions then that is the Iranian government's fault, not the US government's fault. You don't blame the police for someone in jail, you blame the person who committed the crime for being in jail. Likewise....you don't blame America for enforcing international laws, for taking action against those countries who pose a threat to us & our allies.
Just be thankful that the world has a country such as America, a country powerful enough & willing enough to defend & protect OUR civilisation, OUR Western civilisation.
America may not always relish the role of being the international policeman but trust me, every other Western country is mighty glad that we have an American superpower.
@kojak
There are just so many flaws, misconceptions (I am giving you the benefit of the doubt) and apples and oranges equations that have nothing to do with each other that it would take a book-length response to begin to get to the point where we could even have a coherent disagreement.
3
As a Trump voter & someone who was attracted to his "no more interventions, & no more wars on the other side of the planet".
I can only hope Trump stands strong in the face of Bolton, Pompeo, etc, etc, & that he remembers his election promise.
My faith in Trump refusing to cave in to the war industry is diminishing as we speak though.
4
@kojak
"My faith in Trump refusing to cave in to the war industry is diminishing as we speak though."
Trump appointed the war-monger Bolton, Why?
In dramatic contrast, Hillary Clinton pulled together the sanctions regime (even convincing Russia to participate) that pressured Iran into signing the nuclear constraint deal.
1
It bothers me that trump gets all this credit for pushing back on Bolton and Pompeo; he's the one who chose them for his administration! We also know he chose to rid himself of more reasoned, moderate voices and he has allowed Bolton to suppress dissenting opinions. Since trump is so woefully ignorant, lazy and unprepared, he must turn to Tucker Carlson for advice!
2
I’m sorry to say you put your trust in the hands of a well known con man.
2
Let's hope that he listens to his shadow cabinet at Fox News. It seems that some there agree with their enemies "the liberals" and are counseling against war. Inside the White House there are war hawks that want to blow everything in Iran up. But this problem is Trump's creation. He blew up an international agreement that was effectively constraining Iran from making a nuclear bomb. He never thought through the ramifications of the move. Just do it and worry about the consequences later. He painted himself into a corner. Now he only has two options fight a war the American people don't want, or negotiate. The path to war always looks easier than it is. Iraq, Iraq, Iraq, Mr. Trump.
18
The Trump administration cannot be trusted with telling the truth about the so called “drone downing incident”. Why hasn’t GPS coordinates of the drone at the time of the incident been released by the Pentagon to prove whether or not the drone was in international waters? Appears everyone is believing the US version of events without demanding proof. Based on previous incidents used by the US justifying military action I would not be surprised if the US was engaged in aggressive surveillance missions near the Iran with the goal of provoking a military response.
Let’s not fool ourselves about the intent of this administration. Pompeo and Bolton want regime change and are doing everything possible to justify military action against Iran. Does anyone think the bombing of military targets with a potential of “only 150 casualties” would not lead to retaliation and war. How can Congress sit idly while Trump takes this country into another unnecessary war?
10
As an academic who has written some papers on Iran, I am convinced that trump is totally clueless and has no realistic understandings of what Iran can and will do. The Regime cannot, and will not, back down to pressure from the US. In fact, by providing an outside enemy, we are unifying support around what once was a tottering regime. We are basically guaranteed costly and escalating violent confrontations in the immediate future.
I want to be wrong, but i cannot foreseee any ending to this situation hat will result in an outcome better than what we had with the Treaty that Trump withdrew from. If anything, I find it far more likely that the Iranian regime will respond to our threat by building nuclear weapons as soon as possible.
38
The Iranians are expected to abide by an agreement that Trump rejected and withdrew from?
36
Leadership change in Iran, Fine. BUT LET THE IRANIANS LIVING IN IRAN TAKE CARE OF THIS! not US diplomats, not US military, not Iranian-Americans.
13
I'm absolutely opposed to military action against Iran. We should stand back, realizing that no life was lost, and do all we can with our former allies to reach a diplomatic solution. More sanctions simply hurt innocent citizens.
11
“underscored the absence of appealing options available to him as Tehran races toward its next big challenge to the United States“
Anyone reading this would imagine that the US has been the reasonable party trying to deal with an unreasonable country doing provocative things for no reason.
It’s not true and I wish the NYT would stop writing stories that implicitly assume that US officials are well intentioned people with the best of motives. One doesn’t have to like the Iranian government to see which country has been causing the problems here.
18
Trump broke the treaty with the Iran. He should fix it by rejoining the treaty's European signers.
Problem is that Trump would never eat the "humble pie" necessary to rejoin because he doesn't know the meaning of the word modesty, let alone of the word humility.
Yet, now more than ever, the U.S. needs to acknowledge that, regardless of its having the power ignite a world-destroying conflagration, it cannot survive even a much lesser disaster if it persists in standing alone in contention with the rest of the world community.
10
There was no “treaty.” It was an agreement, signed by Obama but never presented to the Senate for approval, for the obvious reason they would never agree to it.
Here’s an option that puts America First: Develop alternate energy sources and the Persian Gulf becomes irrelevant.
11
The US officials declare; "We want regime change in Iran." Simple question; who the heck do we think we are? And what kind of world are we living in when the President openly states "We might cyber attack." Welcome to World War III. Or as Marx, or Lenin or Trotsky; not sure which one said; "Someday there will be continuing, on going war and violence and no one will understand why."
10
The glaringly obvious solution is to just re-enter the deal that was working. Something tells me -- just a hunch -- that Trump might not take that route. Of course, if we re-named the deal the "Trump Accord" and had some Iranians leaders stay at a Trump Property, he might even welcome it. I say it's worth a shot if it will keep the peace.
58
@Brannon Perkison
All decisions apparently go through Fox News TV pundits, Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson, who are Trump's top advisors now.
3
We are living with the awful consequences of a standing volunteer army vs a draft of citizens. We have made wars too easy. Just what we need another war to create even more chaos in the Middle East.
13
Hi, at the first I already apologise for my English and, yeah, I'm from Iran.
There is no "good deal" between these countries, something like win-win, because the main problem is that Iran denies Israel as a country and they want to destroy it (apparently), remember Israel's lobbies in US and importance of Israel for US so as I said before do not look for a deal that brings happiness and peace for both countries.
6
@Arash
Your command of English is greatly superior to the command most Americans have of even spoken Farsi, let alone the near-impossiblity of mastering Persian calligraphy suffiently to read with ease.
I know because I tried while in graduate school at Columbia University in Manhattan: Laughably, the only word I now nremember is "abat-jour", which is a borrowing from French that means an electric lamp. Written Farsi was so diffcult that I was perpetually reduced to weeping when trying to decipher the script.
1
@Arash Thank you for joining the discussion and providing your views. We in the West hear very little from people in areas being targeted.
I believe that the majority of humanity wants de-escalation of hostilities and above all, no war. May there be peace.......perhaps a long time in working for it.....but still, peace. Best wishes to you!
Article states: Mike Pompeo contended that the potential for Iran to move closer to being able to build a nuclear weapon was the primary threat from Tehran, one participant said,
And who brought us to this point, Mr. Pompeo.
Sounds like Trump administration will not rest until we have a war on our hands. From 45’s perspective, war would make sense when his re-election gets bumpy.
24
Yikes. With generals McMaster and Mattis gone, we now have the dynamic duo of bombastic Bolton and pompous Pompeo to urge our Narcissistic Fool in Chief. I never imagined Tucker Carlson would be a restraining force against full on crazy.
97
@Mike T Trump adding Bolton to his government was a clear sign that Trump wants war with someone whom he thinks he can beat. Since Trump is Israel's puppet, it has to be a war with a middle-eastern country.
5
“Mr. Trump has long asserted that the deal would eventually let Iran restart its nuclear program and did too little to curb its support for terrorism.”
Under Mr. Trump’s watch, eventually has turned into now.
84
Where is our voice being heard, the American peoples' voice? Why are there no polls about whether Americans want to enter another major war in the Middle East? Where are the man on the street interviews? The media focus group shows?
Our representatives in Congress are saying relatively little considering the stakes that are at hand. It's fine to try to cut the Saudis off from weapons for their Yemeni war but for our country, its a side show compared to being involved in another major conflagration, this time against Iran.
It seems we are very close to war but we, as a country, are far from having discussed if we even want to be in one. If such decisions are now almost exclusively in the hands of the likes of the John Boltons and Mike Pompeos of the world, then we have fallen a lot further than I had imagined.
52
@Chris
We need to make our voices heard to our elected representatives. So long as we are passive our members of Congress will take the path of least resistance and/or the path that defense industry lobbyists pay them to take.
6
When the Americans are asked, they don't want war. Why do you think did the government come up with lies?
The Maine, the Lusitania, Golf of Tonkin, WMD, the list is endless.
4
@Chris
"Our representatives in Congress are saying relatively little"
Many have spoken up, but they are not getting attention
Here is Pelosi's statement:
https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/62119/
“During our meeting with the President at the White House, Congressional Leaders stressed the necessity that we work with our allies and not strengthen the hand of Iran’s hardliners.
“Democratic Leaders emphasized that hostilities must not be initiated without the approval of Congress"
3
Stand down. We are a community of nations and need to show great restraint. If the international community (and I don't mean just Israel and Saudi Arabia) urge action, then maybe. Maybe. Unilateral aggression is unwise, as was the lesson since the Vietnam War to today. Learn from past mistakes. Get Congressional support first.
19
The Obama administration created the illusion that the problem of a nuclear Iran was solved. But it's only an illusion as the agreement only delays Iran's nuclear program. As with other challenges the politicians merely passed it to the next generation.
9
@clarity007: There was no illusion that the JCPOA entirely solved the issue of Iranian nuclear weapons development. However, the agreement did serve to significantly pause the Iranian nuclear program, put the program under the scope of international inspectors, and gave space for peaceful alternatives to take root.
As imperfect as the JCPOA may have been, it was a significant achievement that was yielding positive results. Trump was utterly irresponsible to entirely throw out the agreement seemingly without much thought and clearly without having a replacement plan. The JCPOA could have been improved rather than destroyed, but trump only seems to know how to destroy.
22
@clarity007 Only "delays"? What do you want - an agreement that offers a solution that is good forever & ever, amen? A delay is no small feat. It leaves open the possibility that changes in Iranian society & politics, as that nation interacts more openly with the world, will gradually result in a less bellicose relationship. Those not satisfied with conditional & temporary settlements are willing to accept only unconditional & permanent settlements - in a word, in unconditional, unilateral surrender by Iran of its ability to defend itself. Which is not realistic. Why don't we make a similar demand of, say, North Korea?
17
@clarity007 The Trump Administration has certainly made improvements since then. Iran has every right to develop nuclear power for civilian usage. Hard to put the genie back in the bottle.
“Trump... Has Few Appealing Options”. Really? This is a confrontation of his own mad creation. Of course, he can dial it back as he has done with North Korea. Concerning Iran, he should stop listening to AIPAC and it’s lieutenants whose interests don’t sync in with those of the US. AIPAC should be required to register as a foreign lobby advocating on behalf of a foreign government, namely Netanyahu’s.
122
Two decisive truisms emerge from David Sanger's excellent analysis. First, that as a result of Trump's unstrategic and irrational, unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear agreement and his punitive reimposition of Iranian sanctions the Administration is more isolated abroad and weakened at home, with its options narrowed in dealing with Iran. Two, and conversely, Iran will be considered as the "victim" in this confrontation with Trump if it largely stays within the nuclear accord's limits, its effective retaliatory options have grown, and it has the important element of time on its side with the American elections around the corner. Trump's rash abandonment of the accord, with the still unfolding negative consequences for doing so mounting, could be an important factor in his electoral defeat in 2020.
17
MSM coverage of the drone shutdown has been devoted to whether it was in Iranian or international airspace rather than themuchmore important question of whether it was arme with "smart" missiles aimed at Iranian targets. Such as the anti-aircraft batteries that actually did bring the drone dow. It may have been fear of that the drone might be able to do just that that prompted the Iranians to shoot it down before it could knock out their AA batteries. That would be a lot more important to them than whose airspace it was in,
5
@archer717 The administration has claimed the drone was unarmed. Hope that's true.
1
My concern is that trump talks too much and tweets too much. He reminds me of a pinball machine. Perhaps he fancies himself as unpredictable and thinks he is somehow confounding his enemies but he presents as erratic, irrational and reckless.
27
@R. Anderson
To paraphrase TR, Trump speaks loudly and carries a toothpick.
Another huge waste of people's time and money, not to mention the angst and enormous distraction that this president orchestrates at every opportunity. It's all being done to shame his predecessor and to get our minds off the real problem: the Trump presidency. We've seen these theatrics before with the health care debate, wall funding, government shutdown, etc etc etc. The majority of Americans are appalled and exhausted after two years of this incompetent management.
19
Too bad Trump will never see that focusing on undoing everything your predecessor did is no way to govern. Trump has only himself to blame for being in this position. Did he seriously think there would be no negative consequences for the U.S. when he pulled out of the Iran deal? Unfortunately, we’re all paying the price for his foolishness. We have Republican Senators to thank for that.
35
Trump should get in touch with Merkel and start from what she will say.Dump Pompeo and the stupid Bolton ; in the meantime reactivate the agreement with Iran and remove the sanctions
20
Regime change is not a bad idea if it takes place in Saudi Arabia and Israel NOT IRAN.
64
@Robert
'Especially since because'?
@GrandmaNecessary: July 4th Dump Trump Rally in from of Lincoln Memorial, with bullhorns.
4
@Robert Seriously, when has Iran bombed another country? Israel has. When has Iran used bone saw diplomacy? Saudi Arabia has.
7
Trump should fire Bolton and Pompeo at once. They are not only enemies to Iran but to the USA as well.
And more sanction is the kiss of death to diplomacy. Trump cannot turn enemies into friends by punishing its people more and more and more the way he has.
Such behavior will only mean war
And America does not want war with Iran—a Persian populace with a brilliant history unrelated to the Saudis mentality.
15
"Regime change in Iran."
It would be a piece of cake, same as regime change in Venezuela and N. Korea.
After this successful run, we would be ready for China.
33
@El Lucho: I'm in favor of Regime change in the USA. Vote no to Trump and the Republicans.
2
Bring back the original agreement with no changes. Attempting to cripple the economy of Iran serves no useful purpose and hurts many innocent people. But I suppose this fits with the ideas of war hawks in the administration and elsewhere.
11
Trump has an extraordinary ability to create unnecessary and dangerous crises stemming from decisions he makes without adequate knowledge or careful analysis of facts, objectives, risks, and benefits. He didn't think or didn't care about the human cost in setting up his cruel policies at the Mexican border. He created damaging government shutdowns for no beneficial reason. He escalated tension with North Korea, before falling "in love" with Kim Un Jong, and then apparently cooling the romance. He started tariff wars, not understanding the impact on the US economy that would follow, then decided to bail out the farmers whose business he had harmed. He chose a compromised person, Jared, with business interests in the Middle East, and no diplomatic experience, to develop his policies for the region.
The constant theme leading to these unnecessary crises is Trump's uninformed flailing round, trying to feel "in charge" when all he is really doing is breaking things without knowing why they were made and what their function was. The problem is made worse because he surrounds himself with people who say what he wants to hear, and he is not careful about making sure he hears dissenting views. Trump needs to try a different policy making approach than simply undoing everything Obama did. Like George W Bush, Trump wants to be a "consequential" president, but his path so far will lead, as did Bush's, to harmful consquences for the US and the world.
42
@Bonnie Well said. It is apparent that beyond military intervention and the sanctions that Trump prefers, there is also diplomacy. But for a president to engage in that strategy they would have to rely on more than their "gut", they would need have a deeper understanding of both nations past and how that history plays a part in the present. Diplomacy means negotiating from informed understanding, it can also be making measured trade offs. Trumps preferences seem to skirt that option, he can not focus on reading material of any length and does not respect those whom he could call on, who do have in depth knowledge. His political instincts remain at the level of a school yard bully. This election can not come fast enough.
3
@Bonnie " decisions he makes without adequate knowledge or careful analysis of facts, objectives, risks, and benefits. "
That's the ONLY way this intellectually challenged incompetent can "operate". But leave out "objectives", as that implies strategy. There is none of that in OUR WH.
3
"Facing Intensifying Confrontation With Iran, Trump Has Few Appealing Options"
That's to be expected when trumpie's first move is to put himself into a corner with no viable exit other than performing a not-so-graceful backdown on his pompous threats. Military action should NEVER have even been seriously considered in the first place, let alone being 10 minutes from being carried out. Now his groupies are throwing around words like "wisdom" as if Trump had any other realistic choice. Trump's base is truly a pack of uninformed nobodies.
20
The tense confrontation between nations never leaves "appealing options". 80 years ago the headline could have rad, "Facing Intensifying Confrontation With [Germany/Japan], Roosevelt Has Few Appealing Options". The basic options in now are:
1. Give up, ease sanctions, go back to the Iran Agreement (which would never have been ratified as a treaty) and pretend that all is well, i.e. the Obama strategy.. The result would be an emboldened Iran and much more Iranian aggression throughout the region as it spreads its fundamentalist ideology.
2. Take military action, realizing that there would be a risk of an all out war.
3. Tighten sanctions and hope that they will eventually lead to the collapse of the Mullahs' regime without them lashing out, while preparing for the event that they lash out.
Option 1 would most likely just delay a military confrontation while giving Iran the opportunity to strengthen its forces.
Option 2 appears a bit hasty, at the moment, although if Iran attacks again and especially if the attack costs American lives, Option 2 would be the only realistic option aside from raising the white flag. That leaves Option 3 as the best choice right now.
2
Maybe the US is the Germany/Japan of 80 years ago. How long will the rest of the world stand for it?
This article is clearly casting Iran as a dangerous enemy who needs to be contained or dealt with in some fashion. The author presents the administrations point of view with little critique. He seems to have accepted a priori that Iran presents a threat to the US, when it’s obvious to me that the US has done far more harm to Iran than vice versa in recent history. Meanwhile Trump is portrayed as someone tasked with making difficult decisions in good faith, with “limited options” as if the situation weren’t nearly entirely of his doing. While not coming out and saying it, articles like these are there to promote a dangerous and jingoistic worldview, where US is heroically bearing the burden of “security” and Iran is a scheming comic book villain building a doomsday device. This same story has played out so many times — have we learned nothing?
43
@Allen N
Many foreigners have been harmed by the US' "acting on its interests" and "seeing itself as the world's policeman". "Heroically bearing the burden of security" is hubris, patronizing and has elements of bullying.
There are enough critical domestic issues (climate, pollution, education, health care, fair elections, poverty, etc.) to keep citizens in every nation busy, working on improvements.
1
Trump is not a president. He is a person with the power of the presidency of the United States. What a shame he has no skills to keep us safe, healthy, educated, happy, or to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States.
28
The exact type of Trump nightmare all intelligent people have feared. When will Republican leaders wake up and show some spine, before it's too late.
If the self proclaimed top negotiator on the planet
can't work a deal with people we already had a deal with...
23
Those who not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. US want regime change in Iran. They wanted it before, in 1953, and that has resulted in the situation we are in today.
Also interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan have never brought what was expected.
These kind of interventions can very quickly spiral out of control.
30
We had a deal. The Obama administration made a deal. Whatever bloodshed results from this will be because Trump and the Republican Party could never accept the accomplishments of the first black president.
1049
@M. Grove
SO true...I have thought this for some time. The only thing DT knows about foreign or domestic issues is if democrats most importantly Obama is responsible for a law, policy it is wrong and WILL be turned around. We had a Nobel Peace Prize winning President with an awesome education, wonderful family, a First lady that did so much for children and the position of FLOTUS. An economy on the mend from 2008. DT still riding the crest but he has put a drag on it. The adults are gone, buffoon center stage. It is embarrassing as a nation and his disregard of human rights is not all that Christ-like know what I mean?
175
@M. Grove
Amen. And that explains Mitch McConnell as well. Take orders from a black president?! The ice cube in hell has a better chance. It will take a new generation to replace to one that has to die out, just like their Bible tells them. They just don't realize they are wandering in the desert worshiping a golden calf.
80
@M. Grove In his rush to make a legacy, Obama made a terrible deal with the Iranians- actually rewarding them for not making nuclear weapons for only 10 years while at the same time allowing the Iranians to retain their manufacturing capabilities. Trump was brave to pull out of the deal knowing that he would suffer political backlash and knowing the Iranians were going to stir up trouble having been emboldened by their dealings with Obama.
7
Can't find a good option? You mean like the good option he was left by the Obama administration and torn up in a hissy fit? The Art of the Inept.
220
The feature photo should be showing Americans outside the White House demanding leadership change. Should have started the day of Trump's inauguration.
It is disgusting that Trump has been allowed to spread hate and tell utter lies on a daily basis as our POTUS. Insane is another word that comes to mind.
40
Looking at the photo of the smug Bolton and Pompeo is enough to make one sick. To think they are lead players on Iran should scare every American and the world.
145
The US is bullying Iran and it is part of an effort to bully our allies into doing what we want in Iran. Disgusting.
35
Napoleon once said that he would rather have a lucky general than a smart one. Trump has been that lucky general. Everything has gone his way.
However, it appears that his luck has finally run out.
The Iranians are not going to negotiate unless the US honors its old deal. After all, why should they trust us unless we keep our word? And any war would be blamed directly on Trump by most Americans and would be supported by our allies very reluctantly if at all. No easy way out.
9
@Tony Mendoza
Mr. Mendoza, sorry, but where do you get the idea that "Everything has gone Trump's way"? What foreign policy successes has Trump had, pray tell?
10
@Tony Mendoza Respect the agreement, fire Pompeo and Bolton and make apologies for the mistake...then you can have a talk with Iran about your other problems.BTW you can also change your best friends in the M.-E..
5
@T3D No successes, but he has been lucky that nothing really bad has happened. Yea, his trade policies are silly, but even there, they haven't affected our economy yet. He has been really lucky given what he has done.
What does FOX Entertainment have to say about this?
Pompeo and Bolton must really enjoy being upstaged by a TeeVee talking head!!!
Can you imagine how the GOP would lose thier minds when the Dem President makes his choices by what Don Lemon says?!?!?!?
18
It's interesting to see that the very people that pay John Bolton to give speeches at their gatherings https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/07/world/middleeast/john-bolton-regime-change-iran.html are now cheering him up to attack Iran.
5
Idiot. He and the Republican warmongers who helped install him blew up an agreement that would have kept the Iranian nuclear program in a box for 15 years. In 15 years anything can happen. In 1980 people thought the Soviet Union would last forever. They were gone in 15 years. Now he’s painted himself into a corner and expects the Iranians to negotiate with him. Why should they? Who can trust America’s word - no one. It’s worthless.
Voters should remember the criminals and traitors who installed this dangerous sociopath in the White House - REPUBLICANS - and vote accordingly.
453
@Ignatz Farquad
Well stated. What country in its right mind would make any agreement with a lame duck president like trump?
49
@Ignatz Farquad - Trump has shown for the last two years that he will say one thing to his subordinates and as soon as they relay that info to the press, he does a 180. No one can deal with a child-like personality like this except perhaps a nun with a yard-stick.
41
@Ignatz Farquad
"Voters should remember the criminals and traitors who installed this dangerous sociopath in the White House - REPUBLICANS - and vote accordingly."
Have you checked out the goings-on in Oregon and the problems they have with Republicans?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/06/22/threats-militia-provoke-shutdown-oregon-capitol-day-after-gop-lawmakers-fled/?utm_term=.bfeb339760af
7
Renegotiate the EXACT same deal as the Obama agreement, call it THE TRUMP ACCORDS, and sign it.
36
Trump’s fecklessness and equivocating is Making America Weak Again. Not retaliating because it will cause 150 (presumably military) casualties? Good grief. Iran has directly or through proxies has killed thousands of Americans.
2
@Rip Murdock
How has Iran directly or through proxies killed thousands of Americans?
Have they bewitched the Saudis to slam planes in office buildings? Have they poisoned the water in Flint? Have they attacked US infrastructure, causing the civil engineering society to give it a D+ grade?
1
This is what happens when we have a president- Donald J. Trump- who disdains articulate diplomacy, has not seriously studied history, and many of whose motivations stem from his personal hatred (or jealousy?) of former President Barak Obama.
59
... and the US
You are so right - Trump is jealous of Obama because he earned his loyal supporters because of his character and intelligent decision-making. Trump can't compete with that so he coerces and bullies. lies and boasts to destroy what he can't be.
I am an Iranian/American. If these people want regime change, they should go back to Iran and start the revolution from within...it's easy when you are here in the comfort of knowing they can't touch you. War is not the answer. It has to come from within the country.
20
@Jaleh
We should concentrate on our OWN regime change before we start lecturing anyone else!
1
The US is worried that Iran will develop a nuclear bomb?Well maybe the US shouldn’t have pulled out of the nuclear agreement then.
121
It wasn’t all about the nukes though. The US admin and allies were worried about the Iranian ballistic missile program, as well as its proliferation in Syria, backing of the Houthis in the war in Yemen, Hizbollah in Lebanon and Shiite militias in Iraq. Iran is setting the Middle East on fire.
2
“Missing from any coalition, at least for now, are the Europeans, the Chinese and the Russians, all of whom participated in those negotiations and say that Mr. Trump created the current crisis by abandoning a nuclear accord that was working, even if imperfectly...”
Not only did Trump nullify American participation in the agreement, but he also tried bullying other countries not to do business with Iran. And now the Trump team are surprised to find themselves alone in a predicament of their own making? Pompeo declared that other nations should support the US against Iran, but there are consequences to alienating and trying to intimidate the global community. Putting ‘America first’ doesn’t mean pushing other countries away.
40
How to resolve this Trump created conflict? First, end all sanctions on Iran. Sanctions don't work; I don't see Cuba, North Korea, Russia, or Venezuela changing or capitulating as a result of sanctions. Second, re-enter the Iran nuclear deal. If the stated goal is to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons, then stay in the deal! And third, the Europeans, Russians, and Chinese need to live up to their part of the Iran nuclear deal, even if that means defying the US. Their attitude should be "we are not going to sit idly by and allow a war to break out because the US has a moronic bully as president." In other words, screw this, we are going to keep working with Iran because that is the best thing to do.
Ultimately, to bring sanity back in the world, Trump has got to go.
53
@Dogs are the best -- Sanctions don't work when the ask is too big. They work to produce something more moderate.
They won't produce a regime change, at least they never have. They have gotten an agreement, including one with Iran on its nuclear program.
We got what we could get from sanctions.
4
Appealing Option Numbers one thru one thousand: Resign, Fool.
Seriously.
61
Hubris being punished here
10
How about if we evolve beyond waging war all the damned time? Why is violence always the only solution? Why do leaders act like psychotic 7 year olds? Damn it, most people on this planet want only peace. If leaders want aggression and bloodshed, they should personally meet out in a field with guns and indulge their aggressions. But stop slaughtering innocent people just to prove your superiority or [supposed] genital abundance.
32
Let's have the regime change here, instead.
624
Every time I see Trump get on TV with the press and start bloviating and distorting (which I try to avoid.. but the press insists on saturating us with his ongoing nonsense) ......
.... I am reminded of the Movie Groundhog Day, with the groundhog in Bill Murray's lap pretending to drive the pickup truck... and Bill is imploring the ground hog.... "don't drive angry now... don't drive angry".
Problem in real life here is.. Trump has surrounded himself with Iran hawks... demanding that he drive angry 7/24 over Iran. Luckily... Trump is always about the optics.... and is chicken to violate one of his big campaign promises to his base ---> to pull out of foreign conflicts and not get into new ones.
1
Hey, here's an idea: Why don't we get together with some of our European allies and come up with a plan, an accord of some kind, that would strongly encourage Iran to limit its nuclear capabilities while loosening the sanctions that are strangling its economy. If only there was such a plan in place...
768
@Chris Wildman Yes! And, like NAFTA, all we'll need to do is come up with a new name for it, and then take full credit!
62
@Chris Wildman
What European allies?
24
@Chris Wildman Oh their is another idea, why not reinstate the Obama accord ?
23
Few appealing options to Iran's "building up and enriching its stockpile of nuclear fuel"??? What nonsense! There is a perfectly good solution already in place, known as the 2015 "Iran Deal." The United States has unilaterally broken that deal (the other signatories, including Iran, have not). End of story. Actually, the end of the story should be for the U.S. to honor its part of the deal, maybe via some face-saving patch work if that's what Trump's ego requires. What a debacle!
8
"Left unsaid was that Iran’s moves to bolster its nuclear fuel program stemmed in substantial part from the president’s decision last year to pull out of the 2015 international accord, while insisting that Tehran abide by the strict limits that agreement imposed on its nuclear activities."
This says it all. Had he been a sane, competent REAL president, perhaps this could've been avoided. He was so anxious to try diplomatic solutions with North Korea but not Iran. The guy is a total loser.
9
I along with many other Americans, am sick of Mideastern involvement. As a nurse of many years and a healthcare advocate believe all this time, money, and energy spent on this stuff, instead of healthcare, education, resources for Americans is sickening. Donald Trump could not care one iota for us.
36
Maybe we should just rejoin the 6 party nuclear treaty.
7
Th Iranian-US crisis arrived to a point of difficult return. It looks like in previous opportunities, we are playing as losers.
Trump says a military strike is still on the table. Fine, so long as he follows previous practice and nobody gets killed.
Régime change would be a solution -- but not in Iran.
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@Alexandra
Oh lord. Hopefully we will never have another "regime" after we rid ourselves of this. You guys managed to get rid of the monarchy, we can too. You guys ended up with Versailles. We'll end up with "trump" tower. Sigh.
6
These so-called protesters for regime change in Iran are financed by the discredited terrorist group known as MEK. MEK is financed by the Saudis and by certain government operatives of the United States. They also enjoy bipartisan support from sellout American politicians who unrealistically support regime change in Iran. They enjoy no support whatsoever from the Iranian people.
21
Even if there was a regime change in Iran, the regime would likely still be Shia. And still disliked by some other governments in the Middle East.
1
So the Trump administration is re-evaluating its options including getting Middle East "allies" onboard for striking Iran, or further ramping up sanctions (which are working so well, sarcasm) against Iran. Why isn't a diplomatic option of sitting down with Iran and reversing the US withdrawal from the nuclear treaty which was constraining Iranian accumulation of enriched Uranium on the table too? Oh yeah, that was the Obama solution so by definition it is a no go.
9
It's too bad we don't have a deal that would ensure a nuclear free Iran for, say, ten years or so. Then, once nuclear weapons are safely off the table, we could build a dialogue and try to get Iran to modify behaviors that we don't agree with. And to extend the nuclear freeze.
Oh, wait. That's what President Obama got for us.
Maybe Trump should just ask Iran if he can sign back on to the deal again?
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Actually, it was Kelly who negotiated that - as part of the coalition negotiation team of the Obama administration.
Options? In a self-made, Trump-created crisis?
How about the option to not to have made this mess to begin with? How about the option of going back to the deal with Obama brokered?
Oh right. Have to show up the guy with dark skin.
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He had a very appealing option from the day he took office: Hold Iran to its nuclear treaty obligations and keep demanding strict inspections. But he chose to throw that away because he was allergic to anything with the name "Obama" attached, and now we're paying for his childish ego tantrum, with nowhere to go but deeper into confrontation. Thanks, Trump.
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Is he going to "save" us from his latest self-created crisis?
Why are still letting him do this ?
21
“He and Mr. Trump are telling allies and members of Congress that Iran’s leaders will eventually no longer be able to tolerate the devastating economic and domestic political costs, perhaps forcing them to agree to a new nuclear accord tougher than the one they negotiated with President Barack Obama.”
Why should the Iranians agree to any new deal, that can just be cancelled in coming years for even more stringent sanctions. The Iranians made a deal and were upholding their end of the agreement, when Trump just tore it up. The US stands now with “bonesaw” bin Salmon and the Saudis the largest financiers of terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS that spread radical Wahhabi ideology around the world.
I am glad that Trump decided not to bomb Iran because as we are told 150 lives are not a proportional response. Perhaps Trump is trying to be painted as a humanitarian for this, yet he is still supporting the Saudis with weapons and air support in the genocide of Yemen civilians. Trump is also supporting economic sanctions in Iran and Venezuela - a UN War crime - targeting the poorest civilians.
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Trump has options in Iran but they aren’t intervention or war.
1.It is talk.
2 He should put the treaty he rescinded back in action.
3. He also ought to think more about canceling certain sanctions. You don’t get to be friends with enemies by not talking to them, by starving their people and being pals with their Saudis enemies who are a danger also to the US..
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Americans never learn geography, so here is a little fact to ponder.
Iran has 82 million population and 636 thousand square miles.
Iraq AND Afghanistan AND Syria combined are 91 million population and 604 thousand square miles.
So, to a first approximation: Iran = Iraq + Afghanistan + Syria
We have done so well subduing those individually, I'm sure trying to pacify a country the size of all three together will go really well.
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Hawkish is a nice word, I like it, it's nuanced. However I feel it is disconnecting readers from the truth of John Bolton. He openly wants war with Iran, and regime change. In the Times' future articles, I think it would be good to say "Trump's pro-war advisor" rather than "Trump's hawkish advisor"
thanks for everything you do, Times staff! Your work is so important.
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Why would Iran sign another agreement when they signed the previous one, never broke any of their obligations, and then the USA unilaterally pulls out because Trump wanted to undo Obama's legacy? We have no credibility.
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We had an agreement with Iran which was working according to independent observers. I remember the day (on Twitter) following David Sanger and Michael Gordon when the Agreement was signed. For a history buff like me, it was like watching history happen. The agreement had its foes who argued that Obama had been too generous and/or he had not been tough enough on the Iranians. Nonetheless, it was working until Trump thought he could do better. That is where we are now, with nothing but threats and bluster. A chance to limit the production of nuclear materials for 15 years was destroyed by the pettiness of our President. The world should be profoundly sad this has happened. Above all America should be embarrassed; it elected an ignoramus without any foreign policy experience to make decisions which could affect the future of the globe.
8
‘Though Bolton supported the Vietnam War, he declined to enter combat duty, instead enlisting in the National Guard and attending law school after his 1970 graduation. “I confess I had no desire to die in a Southeast Asian rice paddy,” Bolton wrote of his decision in the 25th reunion book. “I considered the war in Vietnam already lost.” Yale Daily News
I strongly support Mr Bolton strapping on a pair, and a rifle, to lead the initial invasion.
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The problem here is that diplomacy is the only reasonable answer, but Trump’s prior actions make this impossible. Trump has built a reputation of ignoring any previous agreement, and unilaterally voiding it. About the only deal Iran would even listen to would be someone setting up a financial system where the US no longer had the ability to impose unilateral sanctions. Otherwise, how could Iran be sure that any promises in today’s deal would be voided, and still further demands made?
My guess is that Iran has been pushed as far as they can be. Military options will only be met with guerilla warfare. For a historical example, see Napoleon’s war in Spain.
11
You can't meet air strikes with guerilla warfare.
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@Benjo
This is true, but please cite me one example where a country has been subdued via airstrikes alone.
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@Benjo And you can't win a war with air strikes alone. Perpetual stalemate.
3
Given the economic squeeze that sanctions have put on Iran's economy, the "appealing options" for President Trump should be to figure out what his goal is short of "regime change" that would require an all-out war. Iranians are desperate for relief, but defiant of Trump's bullying and use of force. Trump has created room for a deal. Perhaps it could be modifications in the nuclear accord that he found lacking. There clearly are options, but they're diplomatic not military. It's time for statesmanship not saber-rattling. All we need are diplomats who seem to AWOL in the State Department since Rex Tillerson cleaned house and Trump appointed a Secretary of War to replace him, Congress, the Democratic presidential candidates, and the Europeans. It seems we're reduced to the likes of Fox host and Trump confidant, Tucker Carlson.
15
let's see what happens when i pull out of an agreement, problems develop, tensions escalate, and i have no experience in how foreign affairs or government works.
if this how trump thinks things through we are all doomed.
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There was already a deal and as with healthcare and many other Obama trade initiatives there was no need to invent the wheel. Only someone like Trump would waste the government on lesser agreement construction. He has brought us all to the brink and another costly war looms. He has no patience for studying or crafting anything more complex, and his advisors are not capable of what was created under Obama. We really have turned our allies away (Trump has) and now he turns to the Middle East for answers. His policies are not worth discussion. And nothing he starts seems to end favourably for the US. Tariffs and threats of war are his stock in trade. Economic agreements are not signed or improved.
180
Patience? Maybe. But he also lacks the mental and emotional capacity to understand anything beyond bullying. I’d like - in a fantasy - for this President to be the first President to walk on the moon, and be forgotten there.
One option is to give peace a chance. This peace option would save many lives and dollars. How about making one's enemy a friend?
193
How Donald, Pompeo and Bolton do that? Rabid and moribund Bolton exists to terminate the Persian culture and civilization.
21
Kumbaya!
8
@Uly
Frankly, if we're going to pick and choose friends and enemies, I'd rather be friends with Iran and an enemy of Saudi Arabia.
Best scenario: at peace with Iran, and reorganize global commerce so that the Saudis and other faux-nation monarchic petro-states become completely irrelevant.
64
Here's a great option: maybe salvage what you can of the deal that your Democratic predecessor made? Or it that too much crow to eat?
365
We had an agreement. Iran kept up its commitments Trump tore it up,and initiated severe sanctions against Iran.Now Trump whines that somehow Iran has broken its agreement . This is Insanity.
Let's go back to what we had.Maybe we could get Obama back as well,since the Constitution has been rendered close to impotency under Trump anyway.
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@ Kevin
sadly, I think that is too much to ask!
4
@Kevin An honest suggestion here: Restore Obama's original agreement, and let's pretend Donald Trump made said agreement completely from scratch, so he thinks maybe he can actually get that Nobel he's wanted so badly.
6
There is only one good option for Trump- resign.
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I bet this will be the top comment.
13
@Greg only if Pence goes as well.
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@Michael
That would be lovely, but not going to happen.
He will instantly go on trial.
Perhaps after his re-election and the clock runs out on the statutes of limitation.
Resign and face going to jail?
The only thing between the grey bars and this guy is the Presidency.
1
Here's a "Good Option:
You know that ole nuke deal with Iran?
Bring it back.
280
@AJ That would be the same as Trump admitting that Obama was a superior President. That would be very hard for a racist like Trump to swallow and would not go down very well with his followers at all.
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@Tony Mendoza
I am sure with some expert diplomacy it could happen if they made it that Trump looked like the winner. If push comes to shove maybe one tiny tweak, an extra comma, different colored ink, so he can say "I won, everyone accepted my changes".
Or a letter from the Iranians may help, he can stash it in his pocket with Kim's and use it at show-and-tell-the-press.
Career diplomats (not the me rich, me want a title, me want extended vacation in another country type) are not as egocentric as Trump. I doubt they would mind him getting all the attention and praise, peace has its own reward.
And it's a well known pattern with Trump so his followers would buy it, hook, line and sinker: he regularly sets fire to something and then puts the fire out and claims himself the savior and his followers applaud him and smother him with love.
Or he could say that he didn't tear up the agreement, that it was fake news from the enemy of the people. It's worked very well for him in countless situations and his followers just lap it up and love him even more.
10