Trump seems trapped by Iran war, even as he wields the world’s biggest hammer
President Trump is struggling to exit the Iran conflict after failing to achieve his strategic goals, leaving him trapped by limited options and the risk of damaging his political legacy.
News analysis
US President Trump entered the Iran conflict with little strategy for victory, and is now struggling for a face-saving way to exit.
PHOTO: ALEX KENT/NYTIMES
David E. Sanger
Published
- President Trump is struggling with the Iran war, unable to achieve his goals of ending Iran's nuclear programme or changing its government.
- Military escalation, economic sanctions, or withdrawal are the three options Trump faces, each with significant risks and downsides.
- Trump’s hesitation is influenced by depleted military resources, public opposition, and the complexity of exiting without damaging his legacy or energy markets.
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump often celebrates his unpredictability, declaring that it keeps allies and adversaries alike off balance.
By his telling, his willingness to bomb Iranian nuclear sites 13 months ago, and send Delta Force commandos in to snatch President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela from his bed in early January, reflected his determination to execute military operations that would have made his predecessors blanch. He told The New York Times he was limited only by “my own morality”, as he wielded the world’s biggest hammer.
source: The Straits Times https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/trump-seems-trapped-by-iran-war-even-as-he-wields-the-worlds-biggest-hammer?ref=top-stories
