The United States are abandoning another ally: “We will not defend Taiwan, and we are halting weapons deliveries to the island because they themselves want to start a war against China,” Trump.
This exactly the same rhetoric Trump used against Ukraine: “You don’t start a war against somebody that’s 20 times your size, and then hope that people give you some missiles.”
Reminds me of the Soviet classic - only bad guys should be afraid of the KGB! After all, you should have no issue with an unaccountable militarized security force pushing into every aspect of your life unless you've got something to be afraid of, right comrade?
The initial plan was for the Iranian regime to collapse after the bombings and the loss of its leadership. That obviously failed.
The U.S. now has very few options, and none of them reliably produce the desired outcome without serious risks.
One possible course of action appears to be taking control of Iranian oil export terminals. Bombarding them is not an option. It would be an irreversible step, it would push oil prices even higher, and it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Controlling the terminals could give the U.S. leverage in negotiations, but it does not guarantee successful negotiations either.
At the same time, it is clear that the U.S. wants minimal boots on the ground because a large deployment would cause political fallout. So the White House is looking for the smallest possible operation.
The bombing campaign also has limits. Continuing it without congressional approval cannot last more than a few more weeks, as it would create budget pressure on the Pentagon. The White House likely understands that passing a supplemental budget for the Iranian operation would be very difficult in Congress.
So Trump needs to finish this war as quickly as possible. However, boots on the ground and control over the oil terminals still do not guarantee the end of the war.
Iran will likely continue receiving strike drones from Russia, and its own drone manufacturing has not yet been destroyed.
There is also another possible political calculation. Trump may believe that sending boots on the ground and then demanding funding from Congress could put Democrats in a difficult position. If they oppose the funding, he could portray them as unpatriotic or anti-American.
The core problem for the White House is that none of the available options guarantee the desired outcome. Every path forward carries serious military, political, or economic risks.
Senator Whitehouse’s Top 10 list of Trump’s favours for putin.
If you still think the 'America First' slogan applies to anyone other than putin, this list is going to be a massive reality check. Whitehouse lays out ten distinct times recently where the Trump administration didn't just 'negotiate'—they basically functioned as the Kremlin’s high-end concierge service.
From freezing weapons for Ukraine while they were literally under fire, to rolling out the red carpet in Alaska for a dictator, the pattern is so consistent it’s borderline predictable.
As Whitehouse points out, quoting the late John McCain, Russia is essentially a 'gas station run by gangsters.' So why is the 'most powerful man in the world' acting like he’s the one working the night shift at the Russian pump?
Here is Senator Sheldon Whitehouse walking through Trump’s pro‑Kremlin moves.
“Here's a sampling of what Trump has done for Russia just lately and usually at the expense of American interests. There are many, but here's a top ten.
One. After Trump and Vice President Vance theatrically chastised the heroic Ukrainian President Zelensky in front of TV cameras in the Oval Office last year, Trump paused our weapons shipments to Ukraine.
Two. In July, during the worst Russian bombing campaign of the war until that point, Trump paused an already funded weapons shipment for Ukraine, including the Patriot interceptors that protect civilians from putin’s savage attacks.
Three. That same month, Trump's Treasury Department stopped imposing new sanctions and closing sanctions loopholes, effectively allowing dummy corporations to send funds, chips, and military equipment to Russia.
Four. Leaked phone calls show that White House envoy Steve Wittkoff and putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev have worked together closely behind the scenes on a peace deal favorable to Russia.
Five. Last summer, Trump rolled out the presidential red carpet for the Russian dictator on American soil, with a summit in Alaska that yielded, unsurprisingly, no gains toward ending the war in Ukraine.
Six. Trump's Vice President traveled to the Munich Security Conference last year to parrot Russia's anti-Western talking points, pushed by right-wing groups that putin has long funded and used to create political strife in Europe.
Seven. Trump installed Russia apologist Tulsi Gabbard as his Director of National Intelligence, much to the glee of Russian state media.
Eight. Upon the confirmation of Trump's Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Department of Justice shuttered its anti-kleptocracy work that had successfully targeted putin’s Russian oligarchs.
Nine. Late last year, Trump unveiled a new so-called national security strategy, which abandoned traditional alliances in Europe and favored a transactional foreign policy that the Kremlin praised as largely consistent with Moscow's vision and desires.
Ten. The Trump administration has even paving the way for Russia's return to global sports competition, ending its isolation in those arenas in the wake of the hostile Ukraine invasion and state-backed systemic doping programs in Russia.
That's a top ten, but the list goes on.
If Trump were purposefully doing Russia’s bidding, it is hard to see what he would be doing differently.
The United States is the most powerful nation in the world. Russia is a weak, corrupt regime.
My old friend Senator John McCain used to say that Russia is a gas station run by gangsters with an army.
It doesn’t make sense that the President of the United States—who insists, insists on being dominant in essentially every relationship—is so submissive to one person. And that one person is Russia’s dictator, vladimir putin.
So what is it about Trump..."