When Trump appointed an evangelical as ambassador to Israel, I was surprised. Because that evangelical is Mike Huckabee, Trump is getting a surprise. On the right of Israel to pursue its Biblical lands, evangelicals are right up there with ultra religious setters.
Huckabee was a minister long before becoming a conservative politician, and will be more inclined to align with Netanyahu as the rift with Trump deepens. Knowing Trump's tolerance for dissent, Huckabee might want to start packing.
As I pen this Wednesday afternoon, Friday's proposed signing with Iran on Friday is a long way off in the world of Donald Trump. However, if it is signed, and Israel cooperates, the West Bank and Gaza will receive more attention.
ADDENDUM: Trump apparently signed the agreement yesterday at the G7 meeting. Quite a bit of controversy is brewing about how much money we're giving Iran, and exactly what the conflict accomplished.
The signing deal scheduled for Friday was already signed by Trump in Versailles yesterday.
ReplyDeletePredictably, a great number of Democrat commentators and others are already condemning it as a total failure by Trump. They claim American tax dollars are now going to Iran. Wrong! Truth is, any attempt at a final plan is set to happen. 60 days from now. Much can change between now and then.
As more and more infurnation on this "deal" is made public, Trump LOST to Iran, and we are bailing them out. The details are to be worked out later as to how much stronger it will be. It is the single most catastrophic foreign policy failure in US history.
ReplyDeleteNo regime change, no deal on nukes, no agreement on proxy factions.. Iran will "reaffirm its commitment not to develop nuclear weapons"? Is that the commitment they made under Obama's agreement?
9:34 - We’re not paying a dime to Iran. I’d suggest you read the actual MOU.
DeleteYes, there are some reasons for concern, and I don’t trust the Iranians any further than I can throw them. I don’t know that the MOU makes it to the end of the 60-day negotiation period to hammer out many of the remaining details, but it’s a starting point.
If you’re looking for regime change, you’re going to have to do a lot of work convincing the Administration and the American people to do it. I believe a much greater commitment would be needed, as it will take a WWII-style effort to make that happen (particularly in terms of what we did in Germany and Japan post WWII).
I don’t think that Trump wants an extended military operation or occupation anywhere. Even if he did, the democrats stand for nothing and would only play politics with whatever Trump would do. So I don’t see regime change happening unless it comes from within Iran itself.
Worse than Pearl Harbor by far including that time the British burned down the White House and the war in the jungles of SE Asia.
DeleteThank you for weighing in again. Your astute analysis is always refreshing.
You have been missed.
This comment is really off the mark. Probably someone who never read the document nor understand the original stated purpose of the American offensive.
DeleteSo, should we assume, killing millions of innocent Iranian citizens and countless other American service members by finishing off Iran completely would have been the preferred route?
Awful lot of time, money and ordnance spent in a war without regime change. Obviously the only way for regime change in Iran is boots on the ground. Bibi knows this, the Mullahs know this, DJT and the entire US military know this.
DeleteOnly trouble is American politics does not allow us to win wars anymore.
The big error was entering this war in the first place.
DeleteYo, Mr. Ray Ray, sir, you like the idea of the Shia Revolutionary Iranian Government having a nuclear arsenal?
DeleteRay, if the pre-stated goal was to ensure Iran could not produce and put into use a nuclear weapon what exactly would have been YOUR strategy? Remember, all indications were, Iran was capable of producing and sending out a nuke within a week, or two. A sophisticated air attack on Iran’s capabilities seemed like the best way to achieve that goal, and it did.
DeleteNetanyahu's propaganda for over 30 years, If Iran wanted the nuclear weapon they would have it years ago. In fact they seem to have survived with non- nuclear weapons..
Deleteanon@11:19: Iran is in a stronger position now than before our attack. Killing "millions of innocent Iranian citizens" was a Trump threat, and the preferred route was never starting the conflict. The Gulf states now know that Iran can and will damage their oil infrastructure at will. Everyone knows that Iran can cripple the world economy with a few mines in the strait. We only have made them a superpower. MAGA sycophants as yourself will try and spin this, but this was your Waterloo. Republican incumbents will now start standing up "bigly" to Trump's nonsense.
ReplyDeleteI guess you’re back in Florida and posting again from Fantasyland.
DeleteIran’s military is greatly degraded. Any mines they have remaining, were part of a larger number pre-war.
If you have a beef with the agreement, thank the democrats who did everything they could to undermine the negotiations while they were going on.
If anything, the democrats have once again shown themselves to be the backstabbing, anti-American leftists that they are. With the exception of Fetterman, they all seemed to be working for the Iranian regime. Not surprising, since the democrats never seem to be working for the American people.
Mike, you really should outline the specific steps you would have taken.
DeleteMike, you should start writing Tom Clancy like fiction. You have a real talent for that sort of material.
ReplyDeleteanon@6:10: Trump said back in June of 25 that the attack then on Iran disabled their nuke program? I think the Republican incumbents, like Ryan Mackenzie, have to start outlining why voters should retain them.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should take a look at what the democrats are offering - reopening the borders; defunding the police (ICE); more men in women’s locker rooms, endless hearings and impeachment as a political stunt, increased energy costs; etc.
DeleteSorry, I’ve seen that show and I’ll pass.
The initial attack, in conjunction with the Israeli Air Force and based on information provided by the Mossad, did disabled the Iranian Government’s nuclear weapons program. Now is the opportunity to completely destroy it for several generations.
DeleteGo for it!
For the life of me, short of simple ‘I hate Trump affliction’ I can’t understand such levels of criticism over this 2-step MOU process.
Delete