STRAITJACKET

Trump said he’d impose a toll on all passthrough shipping to compensate the US for “providing protection”. Then he reversed himself.That doesn’t mean he won’t tack yet again. The idea that this is purposeful decision-making and not the rambles of a mercurial masochist should  be set aside. Without Congressional approval, Trump started and is stuck in a war he is not winning. His best move would be to declare victory and go home.

Preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon (if they haven’t already got one in hiding) is clearly a legitimate concern. Trump is right about that. But the constant bombing has accomplished exactly what? The best chance for deterrence is continuing diplomatic effort and an on-site international inspection presence. Sanctions are counter-productive mostly because there so many ways to get around them. Iran is neither Cuba nor Venezuela. The Strait is Iran’s main bargaining chip.

Wouldn’t we like to blame it all on Bibi? He nagged Trump into fighting Israel’s war. Trump’s demand that NATO countries join us went nowhere because none of them was consulted, nor do they have a dog in the hunt. Trump’s moony demands for the US to simply annex Canada or Greenland is DOA. He could use an elephant to kill a flea and take Cuba, leaving the US taxpayer with a welfare baby that would cost many billions and last a long time, well beyond Trump’s diminishing term in office. Cuban-American Marco Rubio — who  yearns to be president (and who is far smarter and far more capable of the job than JD Vance, the convert-to-Catholic hillbilly) — knows that’s a non-starter.

The untimely  death of Lindsey Graham and the incapacity of Mitch McConnell provide a metaphoric screen shot of Congress. It has been aptly described as the most powerful nursing home in the world. This is a tall order but If the Democrats don’t bleep it up, they will take back the House, and though it’s a long shot, the Senate.

Trump should be in the straitjacket, not Hormuz!

Illustration by HG, AI generated.