Foreign policy under President Trump can often be wildly unpredictable, with optimistic offers of diplomacy and wild ravings about the “great suffering” he’s going to inflict militarily interspersed, and seemingly nobody in the administration on the same page.
So as the US threats against Iran spiral out of control, many saw it as business as usual, with Trump objecting to any report that there is disagreement within the administration. In comments Friday, President Trump indicated that his dangerously inscrutable foreign policy is by design.
Trump bragged on Twitter that “Iran can have no idea what is actually going on.” Later in the day, he was talking to real estate agents and said it was “probably a good thing” that Iran has no understanding of his policy toward them.
This all seems to verify Iran’s official position that the US is not approaching them in an honest manner. Administration offers of talks and threats of war are all built around a deliberate policy of making sure Iran, and for that matter the American public, have no idea what the president’s real intentions are.
This is in keeping with Trump’s approach to the ISIS War, which was being very opaque about policy to leave them guessing. While this is keeping potential enemies guessing, it’s also keeping close allies uncomfortably off-balance, and alienating many who believe the US is behaving unreasonably.
I, for one, can’t handle how great America has become again.
Sick of winning already? Mission accomplished.
The ever present loudmouth ignorant drunk at the end of the bar finally has his chance to be president.
Not only that, Dave, the holier-than-thou Christian Zionists are still his biggest supporters. To them, he’s the answer to their prayers and part of the divine plan. How crazy is that? Don’t leave him or his pal, Jeffrey Epstein, alone with one of their little girls, though. That end of the bar reeks with body fluids.
The remarkable thing about this ‘strategy’ is the fact that maintaining the appearance of having absolutely no clue whatsoever about what it is you’re doing is the product either of a) executing it very well, or b) having absolutely no clue whatsoever about what it is you’re doing.
Sowing confusion often has the nasty habit of biting the attempting confuser.
Sowing uncertainty is certainly a trick of the trade. But just one trick. It’s not something you can pull again and again. Especially when it starts failing. The definition of an idiot is the continuation of failure despite evidence it’s not working. With foreign policy and economics alike, behavior centered around consistency and predictability are equally important and crucial to develop. Trump, his whole life, is about short term tactical power plays and gains, while showing long term losses and covering up of losses; recovering from failure. He’s quite good at that as well but it would be a disastrous strategy for the nation as a whole. Assuming there’s a better alternative (empire in decline will remain difficult story).
At this point, incoherence is the best and most hopeful aspect of US policy towards Iran… cross your fingers and pray nothing more gets accomplished. What’s US policy towards Iran? You don’t want to know, and you’re not likely to find out.
They are operating under an updated Oded Yinon Plan. The only difference is Saudi Arabia will stay full size because has been fully incorporated into the system. https://zurichtimes.wordpress.com/2017/04/29/the-master-plan/
If this doesn’t prove once and for all that you can’t rely on anything Trump says or tweets, I don’t know what does. Stop trying to analyze him. No one knows what’s in his head or what he will do except him. Actions are all that matter.
Well, his actions show he’s gonzo.
…Or the stupid assh*le really doesn’t have any idea what the f**k is going on. Is that really so hard to believe?
Him, and also 38-42 percent of fine Merkens.
How about a clear and simple foreign policy of non-intervention, free trade with all willing nations, and entangling alliances with none? As JQ Aadams said in 1823, we should serve as an example to the world, but not go abroad in search of monsters.
This would take an intelligent, mature US citizen, and that is not who has been chosen in US “free and fair elections” or even in the selection of candidates.
You are un-American (whatever that means). 🙂
So the whole thing is a TV game. Pity about all the deaths, conflicts, destruction caused by the USA, though it is hardly a change from recent former presidents.
On the bright side, the confusion ain’t working on Iran, but it sure has screwed things further here at home.
It’s Tweeter’s brain that’s fried.