Threats cast about, tensions rising, tankers attacked last week in the Persian Gulf; then that expensive, unmanned US drone shot down in the Strait of Hormuz. After intense discussion and debate at the White House, a rushed military operation was underway, planes were in the air, ships were in position, and with ten minutes to spare before the planned strikes on a handful of Iranian targets, president Trump aborted the operation. He explained: he thought the incident might somehow have been unintended, and spontaneously calculated the retaliation would not be “proportional”. Trump then, instead, escalated crippling sanctions. Not being “in the room where it happened”, we don’t know if there was a last-minute call from Putin, but the Iranian-ally warned Trump last week to, “NOT use military force against Iran, despite provocations”; that “an attack on Iran would have enormous consequences — that it would trigger an escalation of hostilities across the region, at a minimum”. ****Putin asserted that “Iran has abided by the terms of a land-mark nuclear deal despite the US’ withdrawal from the accord”, adding that he considers “American sanctions against Iran unfounded!” Rut-row! Asked if Russia could be willing to negotiate “a grand bargain” with the U.S. on Syria and other issues, Putin responded by saying that “we aren’t trading in our allies, our interests and our principles, but dialogue is always good and necessary.” ****
Trish Forsyth Voss
Jun 28 2019
What to think of President Trump’s response to Iranian players shooting down our RQ-4 Global Hawk drone?
Threats cast about, tensions rising, tankers attacked last week in the Persian Gulf; then that expensive, unmanned US drone shot down in the Strait of Hormuz. After intense discussion and debate at the White House, a rushed military operation was underway, planes were in the air, ships were in position, and with ten minutes to spare before the planned strikes on a handful of Iranian targets, president Trump aborted the operation. He explained: he thought the incident might somehow have been unintended, and spontaneously calculated the retaliation would not be “proportional”. Trump then, instead, escalated crippling sanctions. Not being “in the room where it happened”, we don’t know if there was a last-minute call from Putin, but the Iranian-ally warned Trump last week to, “NOT use military force against Iran, despite provocations”; that “an attack on Iran would have enormous consequences — that it would trigger an escalation of hostilities across the region, at a minimum”. ****Putin asserted that “Iran has abided by the terms of a land-mark nuclear deal despite the US’ withdrawal from the accord”, adding that he considers “American sanctions against Iran unfounded!” Rut-row! Asked if Russia could be willing to negotiate “a grand bargain” with the U.S. on Syria and other issues, Putin responded by saying that “we aren’t trading in our allies, our interests and our principles, but dialogue is always good and necessary.” ****
Trish Forsyth Voss
By spiritspeak • Community Roundtable 0