Yikes.
Friday, May 22, 2026
Robert Kagan: Trump seems to hope to slip away without Americans noticing the magnitude of this defeat
Which is exactly what Trump did a year ago in the Red Sea.
Beyond the near term endgame Kagan describes, and the isolation of Israel in particular, Trump's cowardice, weakness, and incompetence will have the unintended consequence of reinvigorating the climate and green energy madness which has already weakened the West.
From the story here:
... In a phone call
with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, Trump
reportedly explained that the United States was negotiating a “letter of
intent” with Iran that would “formally end the war and launch a 30-day
period of negotiations” on Iran’s nuclear program and the reopening of
the Strait of Hormuz. The purpose and effect of such an agreement should
be clear: The United States is walking away from the crisis.
... Trump has blinked many times in the confrontation with Iran—ever since
March 18, when Israel attacked the Pars gas field and Iran retaliated
with a strike against Qatar’s most important natural-gas-production
facility. Trump then called for a halt on U.S. and Israeli targeting of
Iran’s energy infrastructure, and the war effectively ended.
... [Iran's] terms for a settlement are those of a victor: They demand war
reparations, no limits on uranium enrichment, recognized control of the
strait, and an end to sanctions. For Trump to respond to this defiance by now calling for another 30 days of cease-fire and talks is a tacit admission of defeat.
... with 30 more days to heal, rearm, and fill its coffers with tolls, Iran will be a more formidable adversary. In 30 days, moreover, the new Iranian strait regime may already be firmly in place. As the Institute for the Study of War reports,
Iran has been using the cease-fire period [since April 7] to “normalize” its control
over the strait by “compelling oil-importing countries” to establish
transit agreements with Tehran and charging fees on vessels from nations
without such deals.
... Now that Trump has made clear he has no intention of fighting to reopen
the strait, the stampede to get good terms with Tehran will begin.
... By the end of 30 days, most of the world will have a stake in the new
arrangement and will oppose any resumption of hostilities, even in the
unlikely event that Trump wanted to go back to war. Trump no doubt hopes that he can slip away without Americans noticing the magnitude of this defeat.
... The president may also hope that he can change the subject by launching
another military operation, this time against the government in Cuba. ...
Republican Congress critters got the hell out of town Thursday and won't be back until June and left all this unfinished business in their wake lol
Republicans lash out over $1.776B ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
McConnell slams Blanche over ‘slush fund to pay people who assault cops’
Republicans punt on reconciliation amid furious disagreement over ‘anti-weaponization’ fund
House Republicans fume at Senate for punting immigration funding package
House punts Iran war powers resolution vote
Trump approval among Republicans at new low in Fox News poll
Trump, facing GOP blowback, sends 5,000 troops to Poland
(Trump orders withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany amid feud with Merz)
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