Trump’s plan for Iran isn’t working – he has three options. world News
As the world awaits possible US military action against Iran, has Donald Trump backed himself into a corner and has only himself to blame?
There is now heavy American firepower in the area, and also the commander-in-chief has been issued Tehran. With several warnings: make a deal or else.
But what if they don’t?
It appears the President’s plan was to use the US Navy to force the Iranians to accept his terms by putting a gun to their heads, but it’s not working.
His chief negotiator, Steve Witkoff This much has been accepted.
He said of Trump, “He’s curious why they didn’t surrender, why there was this kind of pressure despite the naval power we have there, and why they didn’t come to us.”
So what now? Witkoff claims, “The President understands he has a lot of options,” but does he?
Anti-regime protesters want Trump to take action. Photo: Reuters
option one
An alternative could be a calibrated strike. Strike Iran once and see if that makes its government more accountable.
Experts say this could prove to be a major miscalculation. There is no doubt that the Iranian government is in a difficult situation, but if this is just a series of attacks, it may try to ride out the storm.
Iran’s President refuses to bow to US pressure
option two
Or the President can give authority to attack Iran with full force. But this is also problematic.
Observers have warned that despite all the military strength mobilised in the region, it is still not enough to sustain an extended air campaign.
In a leak that has angered the president, his own commanders at the Pentagon are also sounding the alarm.
It is believed that the two carrier strike groups and all the warplanes sent to the bases to reinforce them can bomb Iran for a week, a maximum of two weeks.
This will be painful for the Iranians, but they may also try to cool it down and toughen it up. And they will retaliate with their formidable arsenal of ballistic missiles.
Three signs that Iran may be preparing for a possible US attack
option three
Attacking Iran poses significant risks for the President. But going away is also like that.
For all his belligerent rhetoric, “Taco President” can pull out and send his aircraft carriers back to base.
Read more from Sky News:
How might Iran be preparing for a US attack?
Is Tehran ready to compromise?
Ship tracking of USS Abraham Lincoln and IRIS Shahid Bagheri. Credit – EU Sentinel, Copernicus
But having developed so much firepower, doing nothing would seem weak and have consequences: for America’s standing and for the president’s own political fortunes, at a time when his approval ratings are deteriorating.
Talks in Geneva on Thursday offer an off-ramp. As Witkoff puts it, Iran has another chance to “surrender”. But they are experts in doing destructive work and deceiving their enemies.
If they do, has the US President thought this through, or has he simply made up his mind?
