The brilliant phrase snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, attributed to Winston Churchill, perfectly describes U.S. President Donald Trump’s impending deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Victory seemed closer than ever. Following the strikes first in June last year and then in March of this year, Iran lay in ruins: military infrastructure was destroyed; the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ top command was eliminated; the supreme leader was killed; Iran lost two-thirds of its missile and drone production capacity, hundreds of launchers and 250 air defense systems; damage to the economy reached $140-150 billion; major factories, power plants and bridges were destroyed; and more than 85% of Iran’s petrochemical exports were disabled.
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz deprived the IRGC of a much-needed flow of petrodollars.
Iran was little more than a depleted skeleton of a state without a functional leadership.
And at that moment, Trump obsessively wants to agree to a deal that lifts sanctions on the regime, unfreezes its assets, and allows oil sales. He agrees to play with a cheater he can never beat.
The deal being floated with Iran seems straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the IRGC to build a WMD program and terrorize the world.
Not remotely America First.
“It’s straightforward: Open the damned strait. Deny Iran access to money. Take out enough Iranian capability so it cannot threaten our allies in the region,” Mike Pompeo wrote, and he is absolutely right.
Moreover, Trump reportedly insults Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his main ally, ties his hands and prevents him from finally crushing Hezbollah, because Iran does not want this.
How unexpected was Trump’s decision? Not very. A man with the instincts and methods of a businessman, Trump never had a strategic vision or understanding of the nature of those with whom he was dealing. He was always focused on quick success, spectacular performance, and theatricality at minimal cost. In some cases, this was beneficial, such as the move of the embassy to Jerusalem, the Abraham Accords and the kidnapping of Maduro, freeing the hostages. In others, it resembled eccentric posturing with elements of farce and tragicomedy. This is what happened with the notorious Gaza Peace Council, with the “annexation” of Canada and Greenland, the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, etc.
Trump was generous with compliments to those who least deserved them: Erdogan, Putin, Kim Jong-un, Xi, al-Jolani. Meanwhile, he publicly humiliated Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, who desperately needed US support.
He made decisions that undermined trust in the United States with unusual ease.
- In 2019, following a phone call with Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he withdrew troops from Syrian Kurdistan, abandoning US allies who had played a decisive role in defeating ISIS.
- He refused to defend Saudi Arabia when Iranian missiles burned out ARAMCO (“That was an attack on Saudi Arabia, and that wasn’t an attack on us”).
- In his second term, he again sacrificed the Kurds of Syria, forcing them to submit to the jihadists of al-Jolani in Damascus.
- During a recent visit to Beijing, he froze arms sales to Taiwan to appease the Chinese Communist Party, even though Xi Jinping did nothing to benefit the US.
- He continued negotiations with Iran after the latter’s barbaric shelling of American allies in the Persian Gulf.
Can all these countries trust the United States if each administration turns out to be worse than the last?
We can ask ourselves whether the latest turn towards Iran was a surprise.
Let’s remember: after the start of mass protests, Trump publicly announced that he was coming to the aid of the rebels, strongly implied that the regime would be overthrown. In the second stage, the idea of overthrowing the regime was forgotten, and four demands were voiced to Tehran:
*Nuclear renunciation
*Sharp reduction in ballistic missiles
*Iran’s cessation of funding for its proxies in the Middle East
*An end to mass repression of protesters.
Time passed, and of these four demands, only one remained: the cessation of the nuclear program and the removal of enriched uranium. And now, we’ve reached a situation where Trump seems willing to compromise on this issue as well.
What will be the geopolitical implications of the deal as reported?
- Iran will emerge from the conflict as the clear and unconditional winner. It not only survived, but managed to impose its terms on a most powerful nation and humiliate it, by forcing the U.S. to pay reparations in the form of lifting economic sanctions and unblocking assets.
- Iran will strive for hegemony with renewed vigor, and completely subjugate the region without encountering resistance. In the world, and especially in the Middle East, strength and only strength are respected.
- In Iran itself, repression will increase. Victors are not judged. Masses of people, recently ready to take to the streets, will bow their heads before the regime that has triumphed over America.
- Tyrannical regimes — in Ankara, Moscow and Beijing — will see how cowardly, fickle and unreliable the United States is. America will finally turn into a “paper tiger.”
- Islamic jihad activity will rise sharply. If Allah has granted the faithful victory in their war against the “Great Satan,” then they must follow the “path of jihad” with even greater zeal. This means even more terror, more violence, more aggressive demands and expansion.
- Israel will find itself even more isolated, as even those countries that had considered rapprochement with it will abandon the idea for the sake of survival.
Victory over the USSR in Afghanistan became the impetus for the rise of Islam worldwide. Iran’s victory over the United States will take jihad to a new, triumphant level.
Does Trump think about all this? Of course not. Zeus has too much on his plate to ponder his actions and their consequences. Let others do that. Contemplating the future is beneath him. That’s why he’s Zeus.
He tries on Obama’s peacekeeping toga and likes it.
truth says
good lord BEG much.??? Need people to do your dirty work much????
Do it yourselves you bloodthirsty weirdos. He never should’ve started this in the first place. NO one believes the Nuke lies absolute No one. You can’t say that for 40 years and expect people to believe it. Americans Are done fighting wars for Israel we’ve been done with that, it’s one of the main reasons we elected trump. But of course he folded under the blackmail and got bought off by billionaires who love death and destruction.
If you fools don’t stop it will be Israel vs the world. Read a room. I guess when you have that supremacist mentality reading rooms isn’t something you do well. Luckily for Israel and the many good people there,Theres an easy fix to all of this strife.. Remove bibi and his blood thirsty lying ass regime. Do that and most Americans will love Israel again as we once did.
Bibi Killed any christian’s in lebanon lately.???
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I agree w/ one thing you said – he shouldn’t have started this in the first place, given his penchant for chaos. Especially since he was going to hobble this war effort from day 1 by keeping the peacekeeping drama open. He should have just shut up and let Israel deal w/ it all
As for your final line, you are beyond retarded if you think that Hizbullah is Christian, by any stretch of imagination! You might as well sign up for PFLP or DFLP
Wellington says
truth: Disagree. Big time. Iran has been on a trajectory to destabilize the Middle East since 1979 and through its proxies has killed or maimed thousands of Americans, never mind Israelis. Thank God for Israel which has done so much to neutralize an insane Iran.
As for your contention that Iran has not been a nuclear threat, are you truly serious? Holy Hell, even after the putrid JCPOA was implemented by Obama in 2015, Iran continued to cheat on nuclear proliferation. For example, a Guardian article from November 18th, 2020 (and the Guardian is a far-left publication) indicated how much Iran was cheating on the JCPOA and was developing centrifuges at Natanz forbidden by said agreement.
I do agree with Infidel, who already posted on this thread, that Trump should have just left Israel do what it wanted—but he hasn’t and Trump is looking the worse for it by the week, by the month, even by the year if one goes back to what happened a year ago this June. My God, Israel is the best hope for mankind in the Middle East and I think you have completely missed this.
John Smith says
It’s not often I disagree with you or Infidel but on this occasion I do. This isn’t a war that should be left alone for just Israel to deal with, it involves us all. Trump did the right thing going in to help Netanyahu and other free world counties should have done the same, especially NATO countries. Everything else I agree with you on.
Wellington says
Hello, John Smith. Actually, I think we’re closer on this then might appear at first. I think Trump has done the right thing aligning so closely to Israel but my reservation to the extent that I have one is that at times he seems to hold Israel back when arguably he shouldn’t have, both back in June of 2025 and now this year.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
John
Initially, my reaction was identical to yours. I also know that Trump has said in the past that he likes to create chaos and have his enemies guessing. But in this case, he’s created chaos on our side, not the islamic side. Which is why I think that our participation in this war is now a liability to the cause of solving the Iran issue
I have a theory that what drives it is the anti-war faction of MAGA as well as within the administration – headed by the VP. So what he should do is pull out of the war, but give Israel a carte-blanche to do whatever is needed. It’ll solve much of the rift within MAGA:
⮞ The anti-war faction will be thrilled at having our troops recalled, and will no longer be able to weaponize any deaths of our troops, even in cases of accidents, friendly fire,…..
⮞ The pro-war faction will be thrilled at Israel getting its shackles off, and being able to work w/ Pahlavi in completing the regime change and setting Iran on a totally new path. Pahlavi is the regime change that Iran needs, not the 3rd tier IRGC brass
From day 1 of the war, Israel’s objectives have made sense to me: killing the ayatollah as well as top leaders of the regime, including Larijani. Our objectives haven’t – destroying only their missile launchers & other sites. If the right government is there in Tehran, it would make sense to have them defend Iran against legitimate threats, such as Azerbaijan, Iraq, Taliban…. since Baku has territorial claims on Iran, Baghdad supports shi’a militias coming into Iran while the Taliban had a clash w/ Iran a couple of years ago over water
I therefore now think that the US should exit the war, while Israel should do a limited regime change operation to help the Pahlavi team take over. After that, it should be up to Pahlavi to restore order and head a transitional regime
carpediadem says
malicious idiot.
David Lakatos says
Ignoring the threat of Islam is a fatal mistake.
Walter Sieruk says
President Trump. it’s very wrong to even consider any type of deal, likewise truce or any kind of “peace agreement” with those disingenuous liars who would have no real intention of keeping their word on any document that they might sign. Therefore, the words that they would sign wouldn’t be worth that paper that have printed on such a document. It would be hoax. Those in power in that Islamic regime are just as dangerous hostile and menacing as those despots who in Iranian regime who had been killed this this war started.
Moreover, it’s very important that President Trump doesn’t let the Iranian people down , he did encourage to revolt against that brutal cruel oppressive death tyrannical Islamic regime , Therefore, Trump should finish the job by getting of over with , likewise trump should supply weapons to the people of Iran ,so they may be able to overthrow horrific tyranny . If not those fiendish, villains in power will viciously without mercy come down hard on those brave Iranian patriots who were after a legitimate, which ensures and respects the natural basic human rights of its citizens.
Walter Sieruk says
Any “deal” made with that wicked “mullah regime” of Iran is a bad deal. President Thump after his words of engagement to the Iran people to rise up for freedom….Trump should not abandon the people of Iran now. That would be treacherous of him.
Walter Sieruk says
It’s no wonder, at all that the Iranian people feel that they have been betrayed by President Trump. First he promised that he would aid them in overthrowing that tyrannical regime that oppressive and harms them in many ways them so severely, since in would not stop committing mass murder of the Iranian protesters who were only demanding their basic natural human rights.
Then Trump does turns around and is very willing to have “talks” with the representatives of that same tyranny has murdered many Iranian protesters, that he would let those murdering despots remain in power in their same regime if they agree make changes in their agenda.
This certainly has a foil smell of treachery by Donald Trump towards the people of Iran
Walter Sieruk says
President Trump should never want a “ deal”, of any kind, with that wicked Islamic tyranny so that it will remain in existence and further brutally oppress maim and murders the Iranians people.
For the people of Iran really should have much support, and constant support, which tragically they didn’t get ,to be able fight back against that horrendous tyrannical regime and then establish a legitimate government, which ensure and respects basic human rights..
In other words, the Iranian people have had unlimited US aid , in their righteous and just right to rise up to overthrow that horrendously brutal cruel viciously oppressive malicious and murderous tyrannical Islamic regime of Iran, After that they may have the chance to establish a legitimate, genuine , government which ensures and respects the basic natural human rights of its citizens.
For those ayatollahs mullahs and the other Muslim despots in tyrannical control in that Islamic regime of Iran terribly oppressed the Iranian people through their thugs in uniform who are called the “Islamic Revolutionary guards.’
Therefore, it’s no wonder that the people of Iran are celebrating that they are free of those tyrants in power in Iran. Nevertheless, because the that “mullah regime’s Islamic state police, Revolutionary guards, many Iranians still live in fear of those Muslim dictators of that Islamic tyranny.
As Benjamin Franklin in his periodical entitled POOR RICHARD’S ALMANAC printed, “For it reads “Those who are feared are also hated. “Nevertheless, there are limits to how far fear can suppress a terribly abused and oppressed people.
For the Iranian people had “reached a point where fear is no longer a deterrent” In high-level meetings, official regime official said.. He also remarked that the “People are extremely angry,” he said, adding a US attack could lead Iranians to rise up again. “The wall of fear has collapsed. There is no fear left.”
For that tyrant Ayatollah Khamenei when he was alive and in power, was an enemy the Iranian people, through that misery and death inflecting horrific Islamic tyranny of Iran, which is evil in sense of that word, he pushes the people too far. Therefore, that Islamic tyranny should be and needs to be overthrown and replaced with a genuine government, which respects and safeguards that natural human rights and freedom which of the people should of Iran have.
Therefore, it’s fitting to relate to the concepts, precepts and guidelines of the Intellect philosopher John Locke, His basic principles. very much apply to this situation in Iran.
For Mr. Locke taught that any good government has the duty to ensure the security and safety of its citizens, So the people under the bondage and oppression of a tyrannical government do have every natural and ethical right to overthrow that terrible and oppressive tyrannical government.
Walter Sieruk says
President Trump really should have had followed through with his original promise to the Iranian people and aid them in overthrowing that h horrendously oppressive maiming and murderous “mullah regime” of Iran. So then they will have a change to establish legitimate, genuine, government which ensures and respects their basic natural human rights.
Since Trump keeps his promise to help the people of Iran obtain their freedom from tyranny since he terribly failed. them. That he didn’t keep his promise and therefore broke his word then he reveals himself to be a liar, and likewise a man of no honor. Trump would then be inflecting shame on the Office of the Presidency, and the leaders of other nations would know not to trust him to keep his word, even with them.
Furthermore, Trump should remember the history of World War II . For those tyrants of that Islamic are every as evil regime II since America is winning the war with that ‘mullah regime” of Iran to try to have any kind of “deal ‘ with those villains who are the dictators of Iran. That is would be wrong and foolish. The heads of that Islamic regime are just as evil and Hitler his other higher ups in Nazi Germany.
Walter Sieruk says
It’s hardly believable that President Trump is so very foolish, as to even think of taking up a fools quest willing to try to have genuine negotiations of any value or worth with. those despots in power in that Islamic tyrannical regime played that deception tactic of having “talks.”
There should be no negotiation between the US and that “mullah regime’ of Iran , Therefore no :mediation “ of any kind would be needed. Any such so called “talks” the officials of that tyranny would only speak half- truths and outright lies.
Furthermore, it very important to understand that it’s just far too late for any type of “diplomatic settlement’.” The reason why this is so is because the massive human carnage is so horrendous that those murderous despots of Iran must be brought to justice. Likewise, their tyrannical Islamic regime need to be destroyed.
Last, but not least important, there’s a very old Bible based saying which is “Have no dialogue with the Devil” It’s based on Genesis chapter three in with Eve talks with Satan through the serpent. The result of that dialogue was disaster for Adam and Eve and all of humankind. Likewise, Donald Trump even having any intention of having talks, negotiations, with the representatives of that actual Islamic tyranny of the Devil is the wrong move.
Walter Sieruk says
For dictators are sons of Satan and that if President Trump has any wisdom at all. He will call off “talks,” For if Trump goes through with such “negotiations” he might fall for the beguiling lying words with would in a bogus “peace agreement” that would be a disaster for America, a disaster for Israel, a disaster for the Iranian people and a disaster for the world.
Walter Sieruk says
It’s hardly believable that President Trump is so very foolish, as to even think of taking up a fools quest willing to try to have genuine negotiations of any value or worth with. those despots in power in that Islamic tyrannical regime played that deception tactic of having “talks.”
There should be no negotiation between the US and that “mullah regime’ of Iran , Therefore no :mediation “ of any kind would be needed. Any such so called “talks” the officials of that tyranny would only speak half- truths and outright lies.
Furthermore, it very important to understand that it’s just far too late for any type of “diplomatic settlement’.” The reason why this is so is because the massive human carnage is so horrendous that those murderous despots of Iran must be brought to justice. Likewise, their tyrannical Islamic regime need to be destroyed.
Walter Sieruk says
First and foremost, it’s wise not to reach any kind of a ‘deal” with those lying tyrant of that Islamic tyranny, For its best, since this war started to finish the of by getting it over with and completely defeating and thus eliminating that horrendously dangerous regime once and for all . As it had been rightly and wisely said that “Half measures in war is madness and folly.” Likewise, giving the Iranian people a chance to establish a legitimate, government which would ensure and respect the basic human rights of Its citizens.
Second, since “President Trump foolishly striving for a “deal’ with those disingenuous and wicked men in power in that horrific Islamic regime of Iran. That “deal” all those responsible for the imprisonment with the torture that is also prisoner and maiming and mass murder of all Iranian protesters will escape with complete impunity for all the criminal malicious atrocities that they had so viciously committed
Trump should remember the history of World War II . For those tyrants of that Islamic are every as evil regime II since America is winning the war with that ‘mullah regime” of Iran to try to have any kind of “deal ‘ with those villains who are the dictators of Iran. That is would be wrong and foolish. The heads of that Islamic regime are just as evil and Hitler his other higher ups in Nazi Germany.
GianCarlo MATTA says
tell us , w.s. , how many books have you read ?
tell us , please …….
Dan Schnittker says
Well, so much for the pessimistic take. I cannot say that it is wrong. For all his Zeusian bravura, I believe there is more to the man. I don’t think he is ready to fold, midterms or not. I believe he has a strategic sense, given his record with Iran, and just as importantly, his making an issue of China from the start of his “second career” in 2015. There is still time to deal.
mark c says
The quotation is ” Snatching Victory from the jaws of Defeat”
OLD GUY says
Not sure where Trump is going, but I sincerely hope he finishes the job. The current regime in Iran can NOT be allowed to lead Iran in the future.
David M says
Regime change has already failed. His only option is to nuke Iran, which will lead to WW3.