No exit in sight.

 

I few months ago I was driving down to Louisiana to play golf with some friends of mine. I had a craving for a bag of those pecan nuts that they serve at Buc-ee's. (If you know you know). Anyway, I got distracted and missed my exit. I was pissed and frustrated because there were all kinds of signs along the way telling me where to get off. The farther down the highway I got, the more anxious I became, because I was intent on going back and getting some of those damn pecans. I kept looking for an off- ramp to turn around, and it seemed like it took  forever for me to finally find one. 

I imagine that's how Donald Trump had to have  been feeling as he tried to get out of this mess of a war that he got us into with Iran. We all know why he did it in the first place, to distract us from the Epstein files and all the ugliness that comes with it. By all objective measures this has been a disaster of epic proportions. The real winners were the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Not only did they realize their strategic hold over the Strait of Hormuz, but they also realized that  they could pretty much destroy the world's economy and make a ton of money by holding the world's shipping markets hostage. We dropped bombs on Tehran and destroyed their buildings, but they will make enough money when this is all over to build bigger and better buildings. We took out their leaders, but they have already replaced  them with younger and more fanatical ones. 

No wonder Trump was dying for an off- ramp.  He saw himself getting deeper and deeper into something that was only going to make things worse for his flailing presidency. So, as a result, he made a deal. A very bad deal, but one that allowed him an off- ramp. He declared victory and lied that the war was a success, but at this point, he had no choice but to do that. He had to say something to save face.  

Iran will now add billions to their coffers, they will maintain power over the Strait of Hormuz, and they will keep their subterranean stockpiles of near-bomb grade (60% enriched) uranium. Yep, those scuba tanks filled with thousands of kilograms of highly enriched uranium is still there. In the end, we spent billions of dollars, sacrificed 13 American lives, and the lives of hundreds of Iranians (including 120 school girls), all for naught. 

I took the off-ramp and got back to Buc-ees's in no time. It just seemed longer, because I was so anxious to sample the pecans.  Mr. Trump will not be so lucky, he took an off-ramp, but he is going to find that the treat he is looking for will be nowhere in sight.