In his desperate search for a Middle East victory, Trump confuses tactics with strategy - opinion
Hardly a day goes by without Iran thumbing its nose at Trump, declaring that Tehran, not Washington, controls the international waterway of the Strait of Hormuz.
In a desperate quest for a Middle East victory, President Donald Trump's approach confuses tactics with strategy. He sends his Board of Peace representatives, including Jared Kushner, Tony Blair, and Nikolai Mladenov, to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump aims to compel Netanyahu to withdraw from the Gaza Strip before Hamas disarms, and to halt attacks on Hamas terrorists.
The US president is likely offering his endorsement in the upcoming Israeli election as a carrot to motivate Netanyahu. However, Netanyahu is aware that no entity other than Israel can enforce the agreement against Hamas violations or verify its disarmament.
To achieve his goals, Trump dangles his endorsement as a carrot to motivate Netanyahu. Yet, Netanyahu remains cognizant that only Israel has the capability to enforce the agreement against Hamas violations or confirm its disarmament. In this situation, Trump overlooks the fact that when negotiating with terrorists, victories are elusive.
Iran, for instance, openly defies Trump, asserting that Tehran, not Washington, controls the international waterway of the Strait of Hormuz. In reality, oil is not flowing freely, and gasoline prices remain above $3 a gallon.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
