Peace?
It is early Sunday morning and the news – for whatever that’s worth – says Trump has wrangled a “deal” with the Iranians that will end the war that’s been on pause for a few weeks now and re-open the Strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic, which would be something like undoing a tourniquet applied to a man’s thigh to allow the blood to flow again.
What to make of this “news”?
Perhaps the better question to ask is, why would the Iranians agree to Trump’s terms? It is not in Iran’s interests to give up what it has won in this war, so far – especially its assertion of control over the world’s major conduit of exported oil. That would be something like a boxer who didn’t get knocked out agreeing to hand over the title to his opponent, the guy lying on the floor.
Maybe – it is possible – Trump told the Iranians that if they did not agree to his “deal” he would make Teheran glow. Then again, it is also possible the Iranians have the ability to make Tel Aviv glow in return. They’d be crashing imbeciles to have not acquired the capability to do that, at any rate – and even more imbecilic to give it up, if they have. Surely, Trump – that is to say, “Bibi” – would never accede to any deal that does not require the Iranians to do the Ned Beatty, look we don’t want any trouble here and hand over/give up any actual or potential trump card they may hold.
The Iranians aren’t imbeciles – are they?
Perhaps it is better stated to ask, rhetorically, whether they are sociopaths – which they probably aren’t. Trump and “Bibi,” on the other hand. . . .
These two would say/do anything to further their own manipulative/homicidal agendas. This is the bear trap that people who aren’t sociopaths often step into when dealing with sociopaths; i.e., normal people assume other people are normal people. That they have empathy, feel guilt and – most of all – have a conscience that acts to check their worst impulses. Most people cannot even conceive of the sort of calculating malice that hides behind the smile of the sociopath. It is reptilian. Insect-like is better. Think of the way a praying mantis cocks its head and looks at you. There is nothing warm or feeling in the mantis. Just the instinctive drive of a predator-thing.
“The Strait of Hormuz will still be under Iranian management,” say the Iranians.
It is all probably just another show – or, more precisely, part of the ongoing show. Trump says a “deal” has “largely been negotiated” – but not with Iran. With “several Middle Eastern leaders” – whatever that means. Pakistan is one of the countries mentioned – never mind it is not in the Middle East. But America (and Israel) are not at war with the Middle Eastern countries whose leaders Trump mentions. America and Israel started a war with Iran.
All we have – per usual – is vague and unsubstantiated claims made by Trump that a “deal” has “largely been negotiated.”
And those $5,000 DOGE checks are in the mail, too.
In any event, the damage has already been done. Even if there is a deal – and even if the Strait is wide-open by next week – it is going to take months and even years to undo the damage already caused by this stupid, evil war. It is ridiculous – it is infantile – to expect that gas prices are going to go back to where they were just a few months ago anytime soon.
The best-case scenario is an abatement of the damage. Something like the end of “masking” requirements but not the ending of “masking.” The more likely scenario is this “deal” will prove to be another grift that – among other things – will likely benefit short-selling stock manipulations that further enrich insider elites while Trump and “Bibi” plot their next attack upon Iran, for “Bibi” cannot abide an unfallen Iran and Trump is “Bibi’s” golden golem. He will do whatever is in Israel’s interests. It is what Trump always does.
Therefore, one can conclude that whatever is being done right now must be in Israel’s interests, somehow. Trump is of course trying to create the impression of a kind of divorce between himself an “Bibi,” but that is a tale for children and imbeciles. Adults and non-imbeciles know better, for the same reason they know there is no such thing as Santa Claus.
Consider this moment a pause before the storm. The best time to stab someone in the back, after all, is when you are giving them a hug.