[Salon] The Iran Debacle



FM: John Whitbeck

When, this morning, I heard Marco Rubio saying that the Trump regime is now seeking a "memorandum of understanding" (by definition, a non-binding document entered into in anticipation of subsequent negotiations toward a binding agreement) rather than a "deal", that the current war against Iran is over and that the United States has acheived all of its objectives in this war, I saw reason to hope that Donald Trump might have decided to ignore Bibi Netanyahu's wishes and to throw in the towel on this criminal war of aggression.

If, as cited in my distinguished recipient Bill Astore's post transmitted below, the MoU now being sought would be a one-pager, there is even more reason for optimism.

Presumably, the Strait of Hormuz would be at least tentatively reopened by both blockading states and negotiations between the United States and Iran on other issues of concern would resume where they left off on February 27 -- as though, deaths and destruction aside, the war had never happened but with Iran, having proven its will and ability to withstand everything non-nuclear that the two nuclear-armed aggressor states could throw at it and to hold the world economy hostage whenever it wishes, in a far better negotiating position.

Of course, since this information about being close to an MoU is all coming from the American side, it could, like so much such information beforehand, simply be fake news designed to facilitate financial gains from market manipulation and insider trading.

Furthermore, when "deals" with Iran have appeared imminent, Bibi has repeatedly caused Donald to opt for war rather than take the final step toward peace. It could happen again.

However, if it does not and if this war really does end without, assassinations of Iranian leaders aside, any Israeli/American objectives having been achieved, this outcome should constitute a long overdue and seismic revolution in the "special relationship" between Israel and the United States -- a significant silver lining to this dark debacle.

Yet Another Disastrous War of Choice
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The Iran Debacle

Yet Another Disastrous War of Choice

May 6
 



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The worst of the Iran War may be over, according to this report from NBC News:

Oil plunged and markets surged amid a report the U.S. and Iran are nearing a deal to end the war as gas prices jumped past $4.50.

Officials in Washington and Tehran were working on “a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations,” according to the report from Axios, which cited two U.S. officials and two additional sources.

I like how that NBC report focuses on what really matters: gas prices.

The Iran debacle, much like America’s previous wars of choice in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, has been a total disaster. Professor Glenn Diesen sums it up well in this post on X:

Marco Rubio argues that "Operation Epic Fury is concluded" as the objectives were acheved. In reality, Iran won this war. There was no regime chenge, no nuclear deal, no limits of ballistic missiles and drones, no decoupling of ties between Iran and its regional allies, and the Strait of Hormuz is now under Iran's control. US bases in the region have been destroyed, the US alliance system has been weakened, and the petro-dollar will not recover. This epic failure was not just another failed regime change war, this will severely weaken the position of the US in the Middle East. All that was achieved was the murder of many Iranians and keeping the Epstein files out of the media.

In fact, Iran is likely more determined than ever to acquire a nuclear weapon, more united than ever, and more confident in its ability to resist U.S. and Israeli pressure. Meanwhile, Trump has shown yet again that he’s unconstrained by legality, morality, and the U.S. Constitution, and Congress has shown its utter inability to constrain him in meaningful ways.

When it comes to war and foreign policy in Washington, the process is utterly broken. Congress is inconsequential and irrelevant. All that matters is what Trump, Israel, the national security state, and powerful oligarchs want.



America may have an “all-volunteer” military, but the wars it wages are involuntary, undemocratic, and most often unconstitutional. The troops, whether they know it or not, violate their oath of office when they participate in them. (Not that I blame corporals and ensigns; rather, I blame the gutless “salute smartly” brass.) So too do members of Congress and anyone who takes the oath where one solemnly swears to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Is America ever going to stop waging undeclared wars of aggression? Maybe “We the People” should act to put a stop to this.

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