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In: Donald Trump, Syria

Had Washington made an effort since the last time Trump promised to quit Syria to pursue diplomatic and military channels and prepare the ground for a U.S. departure, this might indeed be a day to celebrate. But that’s not Trump’s way. He acts on his whims, and if lives are destroyed by the hundreds or even thousands as a result, they don’t matter to him anyway. That’s what’s happening here. Continue Reading

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In: Iran

Trump has betrayed the world and US national interests. He has shown that the commitments of the United States cannot be trusted. Iran abided by the deal it signed. That deal was not the horribly flawed one Trump claimed. It took away most of Iran’s enriched uranium and its plutonium. It allowed by far the most intrusive inspection regime ever implemented. And even if Iran had tried to get around it, the deal substantially lengthened the time it would take Iran to develop a weapon.Continue Reading

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In: Donald Trump, Iran, North Korea

The aftermath of leaving the JCPOA holds no promise. The short-term future is particularly grim precisely because, to paraphrase Macron, Trump believes he can bully other countries into doing what he wants by employing a stick and offering no carrots. That is a recipe for heightened—even if still simmering—tensions at best and outright warfare seeking the quixotic and self-defeating regime change at worst. Trump’s ignorance of world affairs—combined with his newly minted war cabinet—does not promise many best-case scenarios.Continue Reading