"War, what is it good for? Absolutely, nothing" ~ Edwin Starr~
Before Trump's war, also known as Operation Epstein, most Americans would have thought that the Strait of Hormuz was just the name of a bad Disney movie. I am pretty sure that the Trump team did not think this war with Iran thing through, because from the way things are shaping up, they never heard of it either. If they did, they would understand how important that tiny stretch of water is to the world's commerce, and how easy it is for the Iranians to control it.
Trump is dying to get an off ramp to end his ridiculous and pointless war, but the Iranians do not seem willing to give it to him. This past Friday he declared that the Strait of Hormuz is officially open, and that all ships will be allowed to pass through, thanks to the blockade being created by the mighty United States Navy. But just this evening Iran announced its own blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. So sadly, those gas prices will not be going down anytime soon. Reports are now coming out that the Strait of Hormuz is in "absolute chaos ", because Iran is once again firing on ships.
Autocrats like Trump, of course, love wars. They don't care about the cost of human lives or what it will cost in terms of actual dollars. It gives them a sense of power, and it stifles debate. They view it as another tool in their tool box to hold on to power. The American people (MAGA cult members excluded) see right through this charade. Most of us know that there is no point to this war, and that after all the carnage, destruction, and money spent; nothing has changed in Iran. Yes, a lot of bombed out buildings, but the Revolutionary Guard is still in control, they still have a large stockpile of enriched uranium, and they still control the Strait of Hormuz. So what was the point of all of this?
I will give you a two letter hint: J E.
You can get a hint of his thinking about the war from the timing of his bullshit pronouncements about ceasefires or the strait opening: they all happen just before the markets open.
ReplyDeletePersia has been around for thousands of years, and they won't be drying up and blowing away because Fergus throws a tantrum.
The main lasting effect of this war will be the diminishment in stature of American military power in the eyes of the world.
As one meme had it: "The strait was open back when the military was woke and gay."
-Doug in Sugar Pine
“Autocrats like Trump, of course, love wars. They don't care about the cost of human lives or what it will cost in terms of actual dollars.”
ReplyDeleteTrump is certainly no longer loving this war, since its going so badly for him, though I’m sure the Iranian government now do love it. The attack on their country has undoubtedly strengthened the regime, which had become very unpopular, but which more Iranians will now rally around in solidarity against the Americans and Israelis who have been bombing and killing them. There is so much boneheadedness that lead up to this debacle, it’s hard to know where to start.
I am no fan of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, but the deal negotiated under Obama, allowing Iran only a peaceful, low-uranium-enrichment nuclear program, had largely solved that problem. But then Trump destroyed that deal, probably just out of pure anti-Obama spite.
One alternative to that deal, of course, was regime change via invasion. The US could have occupied Iran, toppled the Iranian government by force, and replaced it with a better one that would dismantle its nuclear program entirely. While I am very opposed to such a solution, I have to admit it could work —but an invasion would involve many, many American deaths, and would thus require selling the American public on the necessity of the war.
Trump decided not to do that either.
No nuclear deals for Trump. No invasions for Trump. Instead, Trump took the advice of Benjamin Netanyahu and went with the third and dumbest option: just bomb Iran and hope for the best.
Of course it failed miserably, and now Trump is stuck alternately threatening and begging Iran to stop disrupting global trade just so the American military can slink home in disgrace, having achieved absolutely nothing.