By Lafe Tolliver, Esq
Guest Column
Well, President Trump, aka: Dear Leader, is up against the wall when it comes to making a decision about whether he will give in to the jingoistic instincts of his military muscle men or will he tone down the war rhetoric with Iran’s supreme leader.
The current odds on favorite is that Trump will give the Muslim leader another two weeks before he either pulls the trigger and releases “The Birds,”
aka: bomber planes and jets, or gives peace a chance.
It is no surprise that Bibi Netanyahu wants Iran bombed backed into the 15th century, which axiomatically will result in regime change in Iran and thus a hope that the progressive Iranian population can install a semblance of a democracy.
If Israel and the US of A are counting on the power and might of the bunker busting bombs to turn the tide, all eyes will have to wait and see in two weeks; if the untested “mother of all bombs” is a dud because the targeted Fordo underground nuclear site is about a half mile deep under rock and concrete. All bets are off!
If the gargantuan bomb fails the test, then expect a long war of attrition between Israel and Iran with both sides throwing everything they have against the wall in order to wear down their opponent.
Israel would then pressure Trump to pummel Iran both with planes from the three aircraft carriers already in place and to throttle the source of Iran’s monies…oil.
As for military planning, the word is that Trump is not relying upon any advice from Defense Secretary Hegseth since he is woefully unqualified to direct the Department of Defense and any war advice would come from the in place generals at the Pentagon.
This is what happens when you bring in a clown car of sycophants and ninnies whose only claim to fame is that they are telegenic or have slavish loyalty to Trump.
Of course, if war is the inevitable outcome of this debacle, the question must be raised, what happens to the tax cuts for the uber rich? Can you afford to give billionaires more monies so they can buy that third yacht or do you fund an open ended war. Curious minds want to know!
Not to worry! Trump will find a way to blame any war caper on both Biden and Obama.
Trump wants an unconditional surrender from the Iranian leader and the Iranian leader has said that irreparable damage will be done to the US of A if it gets involved.
What’s at stake? If Iran still has any “sleeper cells” ready to rise up and attack the Great Satan (as they call the US of A) or if Iran can lull Trump into sending in boots on the ground, all bets are off.
The winner would be the military industrial complex which makes the bombs and the bullets and the other war goodies that would be consumed in vast quantities both by the US of A and Israel, our ally.
The majority of polled Americans are against another Middle East engagement that costs billions and billions and exposes the military to unknown casualties.
In the back of Trump’s mind (?), he knows that an unpopular war would cost the GOP both the House and the Senate and his agenda, whatever that is, would be in peril; if the Democrats were to win big in both chambers, they could pass bills without fear of a veto from the White House.
Need I remind you that President Obama had an agreement in place with Iran regarding their nuclear capacities but, of course, anything with Obama’s approval on it, causes Trump to break out in hives and thus he pulled out of that agreement.
So, in the next months or so, will it come down to “butter or bullets” as was the case with former President L.B.J. with the never-ending imbroglio in the Vietnam war?
Of course, with this looming momentous decision, what gets lost is the continuing sage in Ukraine, the rising military problems in the South China Sea with China eyeing Taiwan, inflation in the US of A and the immigration debacle.
Are we having fun yet?
Contact Lafe Tolliver at tolliver@juno.com