Continuing his ratcheting up of tensions with Iran, President Trump today responded to quotes by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who had warned that people who approach Iran with “the language of threats” would come to regret doing so.
Trump responded to the report by declaring that Rouhani “better be careful” about what he says. Trump has previously announced Iran to be “on notice,” and insisted he would not rule out military action against Iran in the future.
The Trump Administration began picking up anti-Iran rhetoric two weeks ago, following an Iranian test of a medium-range ballistic missile. US officials initially suggested the test might have been a violation of a UN resolution, though this ultimately was not the case.
What followed was two weeks of repeated statements lashing Iran, new sanctions, threats of more sanctions beyond that, and talk of war. Iran has largely stayed out of this, but it has not stopped the Trump Administration from coming up with new statements pretty regularly.
He should follow up rejecting neocon in his administration by rejecting neocon policy toward Iran as well.
That’s going to be rather difficult as he continues to surround himself with those who seek more war – Islamophobes of all stripes and aging dinosaurs with stars on their collars who think they’re all Eisenhowers or MacArthurs of Pattons and feel they need a war under their watch to “make their bones.” Unfortunately, the up-and-commers in the military food chain are not much better and much less wiser – that being a relative term, of course.
Wars are the best way to increase the number of decorations on your breast.
Trump’s threats are not very similar to the sort of work George W. Bush conducted in preparation for his war against Iraq. Bush spent months working Iraq up as a violator of specific international obligations, and a threat to the United States, and rounded up allies – such as they were – to assist in making the war sound credible.
Trump is dispensing with any semblance of this sort of effort as he sets about threatening Iran. It seems unlikely he has the patience.
Trump has already found out that his authority doesn’t extend to arbitrarily blocking visa-holders from a set of countries of his choosing. Will he find out that he can’t simply order the US military to attack Iran, without some sort of legal justification? Or a plan? How will the uniformed military react? What will happen when he tries?
If President Trump declares an attack on Iran to be part of the war against 9/11 or 9/11-derived terrorists he already has the authority of several US laws/declarations past in haste by Congress to go head.
You are correct assuming that he must do something to avoid being labeled “paper tiger”. Scary!
All those experts who still after 15 years or more do not know the difference between Sunni Muslims and Shiites.
Has Trump explained (!) how the Iran deal, signed by Iran and 5 others besides the USA , and working well for a year, is “the worst deal ever agreed to”???
I m sorry for replying so late. When Mr. Trump avers ” this is the worst deal ever agreed to” he is always talking about the deal that is on his mind at that moment”. I have heard him say almost the same about NAFTA and the TPP. Even NATO today is a “bad deal” = “antiquated”.
When Mr. Trump talks about negotiations one must keep in mind that the opposite party is not allowed to get anything in return for what it gives up. That is a prescription for the well known statement: “war is a continuation of politics by other means”. von Clausewitz meant: “if you cannot get what you want at the negotiation table go to war to get it”.
Iran a Shia nation should be the last country to be attacked for 9/11. Their diplomats were victims of Taleban and Al Qaida before us Americans first heard the word Al Qaida.
They are more distant with Al Qaida than US is – considering that Al Nusra is now being helped by US and allies, and we are arming Saudis to kill Houthi Shia Yemenis who are or were fighting Al Qaeda and ISIS.
We threaten war and sanctions and then warn Iran about what THEY say?
In the strictest interpretation of all resolutions and agreements, Iran is in violation of absolutely nothing with that missile test. However as a tactical matter, it was a pretty stupid move.
Iran would have been much wiser to not engage in any activity that can be seen as a provocation! I understand that just existing is a provocation, but really, what were they thinking? How did they expect Trump and all the warmongers to react?
Iran is completely paranoid, as they should be with three major enemies, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the US. So what purpose do a few silly missiles serve? And even if those missiles were capable of a nuclear payload, Iran does not possess nuclear weapons. It an is so completely, militarily out numbered, if they ever made a hostile move toward anybody they would be immediately crushed….and everybody knows this.
So what is the point of giving the warmongers any reason to go “you see, you see….”
Why is it a “stupid move” if they are in violation of absolutely nothing? When are they safe to do things sovereign countries are allowed to do for their defense? I would have flipped us the big bird.
No, they have the right to do whatever they want. the u,s,a is not the overlord of the world, Wish you americans could just see this and shut up about what is not their business. Iran says nothing about americans missile tests. Shut up and mind your own business. And maybe you will learn how to better paly with others!
Such missiles are an inefficient substitute for the air force they don’t have. They are meant to be a conventional deterrent.
I doubt they have real deterrent effect. They don’t work to do their only intended purpose. Therefore, I have to agree they are counterproductive.
I do not know what motivated the government of Iran to do this test but it had the perhaps intended effect to show the world that the resident of our White house is an uninhibited bully. The world noticed.
The risk is now that if our president does nothing he will become known as the paper tiger in the White House.
No it is Mango Mussolini that needs to watch it. Rouhani is the product of a desire for rapproachment. Piss them off and I guarantee you there will be a replacement that will make you long for the days of Dubya and Dr Ahmadinejad.
“On notice”
“Better be careful”
Great to hear statesmanly, specific language from the leader of the free world. What’s next? “You’re cruising for a bruising?” “Yapping for a slapping?”
As to the headline here: It’s meaningless babble from Trump who thinks he needs to say something at least. He doesn’t understand the impact it can have on all parties concerned. In this case quite likely the entire world.
It’s another clear indication of the shallowness of Trump. That is, to reasonably intelligent people.
But it’s raw meat for the lowlife as-holes who continue to support Trump. 9/10ths of whom couldn’t place Iran on a map of the world. Let alone their own bloody country!
That’s what makes Raimondo’s fixation such a mystery. He’s a smart guy who has made the wrong decision on Trump in the beginning and is now trapped into staying with him.
Soon Justin!
As to the headline here: It’s meaningless babble from Trump who thinks he needs to say something at least. He doesn’t understand the impact it can have on all parties concerned. In this case quite likely the entire world.
It’s another clear indication of the shallowness of Trump. That is, to reasonably intelligent people.
But it’s raw meat for the lowlife as-holes who continue to support Trump. 9/10ths of whom couldn’t place Iran on a map of the world. Let alone their own bloody country!
That’s what makes Raimondo’s fixation such a mystery. He’s a smart guy who has made the wrong decision on Trump in the beginning and is now trapped into staying with him.
Soon Justin!