At this point, the US has put itself into a position where everyone else is allied together with Russia and Iran against the US.
Well played, Fredo.
I’m sure all of our allies in the eastern theater are really feeling like they’ve got a good negotiating partner on North Korea now.
I don’t know who to blame the most for this one. The repeated beatdown the deal got from all corners and the election of the Antiobama made this inevitable.
Thing is, I finally took the time to read over the agreement, and so much of the criticism was absolute BS. It became something of a litmus test when listening to politicians and talking heads; if they started lying about it, I instantly disbelieved the rest of what they said.
All corners? You mean by Netanyahu and FOX News? They were pretty much the only ones complaining.
This was inevitable after McMaster got the boot and that notorious 101st Chairborne chickenhawk Bolton got the National Security gig.
Netanyahu has also been making a big fuss in the last week about Iran, and you know that was directed solely at Donnie.
Democrats voted against the deal as well, which I think provided political cover for idiots at Fox, et al to label their lies as “bipartisan concern.”
As I understand it – and I may be wrong – the US pulling out of the deal is likely to only cause the US political and diplomatic issues abroad. Assuming the European signatories remain, it’s unlikely that US-only sanctions will cause much domestic pain in Iran…while helping hard-liners there a lot and hurting reform movement.
It’s such genius. Trump wanted more concessions after 2030 and Iran refused. So, of course, the best way to get concessions is… trash the deal completely. Have I called him a shitgibbon lately? No?
Yes, it basically just weakens the position of the US in the world.
Which is essentially Putin’s entire purpose with Trump’s presidency.
The mainstream media seems to have no capacity to learn from mistakes. While this could certainly end up being true, and the basis for the article could be rock solid, would it really shock any of us if Trump changes his mind? Or if they even let this info out on purpose to make the paper look bad?
I have no idea what you’re talking about here.
Trump called Macron and told him he was pulling out of the Iran treaty. That was the story reported. He can’t un-call Macron.
Also:
Drumpf speaking on this now. Here the problem he’s created. Iran may be a threat or not. He’s quoting numbers like “they have increased their military budget in the last few years by over 40%”. He’s using this to try and build a case against Iran.
The problem is he has lost all credibility. Not only is he a proven liar and notoriously cherry picks statistics to support his views, I can’t even trust his sources. Is this something he read on Fox News? Is this something presented to him in an intelligence meeting? Is this something Hannity told him over dinner?
He’s so terrible I can’t even believe him with serious things like this, because it’s obvious his sources are always third hand telephone style.
Yes, I understand that, acknowledged it even. But some of the headlines said we were pulling out of the deal. All I am saying is that I wouldn’t take for granted that anything he says will actually come to pass. Heck, he could have even changed his mind and said the so-called call to Macron was “fake news”.
I simply don’t think it is wise to report on what Trump is going to do before it happens. But they will continue to do so. Sometimes they will be correct, sometimes they won’t.
Surprised he doesn’t ask them to join NATO.
Guess who else has increased their military budgets year-after-year?
There is no upside to this stupid move on Trump’s part. None whatsoever. It won’t change facts on the ground. It won’t help (hah!) the possibility of improved relations with Iran down the road (something that IMO we desperately need for regional security). It won’t do anything except make us look mendacious, arbitrary, stupid, and embarrassingly ineffective. Of course, Trump has already mastered the art of doing that, anyhow.
The only people who are truly afraid of Iran are some inside of Israel, and some of the Gulf states. The former group at least has some reason to be skeptical of Tehran, given the rhetoric coming out of there over the past couple of decades or so, but I still think the Israelis in general exaggerate Iranian threats for domestic consumption. As for the Gulf states, well, the ones most concerned are the ones that are least democratic, more radical (Sunni version), least stable, and most ethically challenged, which should tell you something.
What really makes me wonder though is that there has been this strain of thought in the US since 1979 that has just been jonesing for a chance to hit Iran, despite the fact that there’s very little we could do more than blow some stuff up and piss people off a lot. Ever since the hostage crisis, Iran has been a convenient boogeyman to drag out when the hawks need a good threat. This despite Iran doing pretty much nothing that directly or seriously affects us. Their regional involvements, and general thuggery involving political opponents, is pretty wretched, but about on par with what, oh, the Saudis and their ilk like to do. Pakistan has done far, far more to harm US interests than Iran.
I know next to nothing about the Iranian deal so I couldn’t say whether it is good or bad. I can confidently say however Trump knows less than me, so regardless of the merits of his decision he made it from a position of ignorance and stupidity. Because he is an idiot.
This is going to destroy America’s credibility for a long time. How can anyone trust us when we even backstab ourselves?