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Iran Got Trump All Wrong
New York times ^ | 1st March 2026 | Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr

Posted on 02/28/2026 10:44:20 PM PST by Cronos

For decades, Iran managed to bluff American presidents. It deterred attacks from a superpower and carried out proxy campaigns against its neighbors and Israel. Our strikes on Iran on Saturday are evidence that this long-term strategy of negotiating in bad faith is bankrupt. The military campaign underway is the direct result of Iranian leaders’ foot-dragging, obfuscation and delay tactics.

This time, they misjudged the president.

The path to today began in 2020, when President Trump made the decision to strike then Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, an Iranian military leader who masterminded attacks against American people and facilities in the Middle East. Since his death, Iran has been unable to recover the coherence and purpose of General Suleimani’s proxy operations. Equally important, the strike established Mr. Trump’s credentials as someone who would not be in thrall to Iran. The president is the unique advantage we have in the region. For the first time in decades, American military power in the Middle East deployed against Iran is coupled with a commander in chief who isn’t afraid to use it.

For decades, the primary goal of Iranian statecraft has been regime preservation. The generation of the 1970s, though aging, still aims to pass the torch at home and export it abroad in the form of militant Shia Islam. Iran’s leaders seem to believe that keeping the revolutionary fire alive is their biggest priority, and they respond only to direct and unambiguous pressure on the regime.

...There is opportunity in the death of the supreme leader. We should not squander this moment, when Iran is uniquely weak and vulnerable and we hold all of the advantages

...

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Iran; War; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: cartersfolly; carterslegacy; epicfury; fafo; iran; iranfafo; irantruth; irgc; kennethfmckenziejr; newyorktimes; notawar; specialmilitaryop; waronterror
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1 posted on 02/28/2026 10:44:20 PM PST by Cronos
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To: Cronos

So nice to see cheerleading from the NYT, isn’t it? Because, well, they’re the experts. Definitely inspires confidence that this was a good move for MAGA.


2 posted on 02/28/2026 10:48:36 PM PST by irishjuggler
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To: Cronos

It sounds like the NYT is afraid of Ellison buying them.


3 posted on 02/28/2026 10:53:38 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: Cronos

OK, Who broke into the NYT and switched the copy?


4 posted on 02/28/2026 10:59:19 PM PST by Salvavida
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To: irishjuggler

Kind of surprising. I only read the excerpt but it was definitely a positive assessment as far as that went.


5 posted on 02/28/2026 11:01:01 PM PST by TigersEye (Are the RINOs helping the Democrats with their color revolution?)
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To: Cronos

“The president is the unique advantage we have in the region. For the first time in decades, American military power in the Middle East deployed against Iran is coupled with a commander in chief who isn’t afraid to use it.”

This! From the NY Slimes!?

Well, what do you know? Pigs do fly!


6 posted on 02/28/2026 11:01:59 PM PST by aquila48 (Do not let them make you "care" ! Guilting you is how they control you. )
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To: Cronos

Did we just get switched to some kind of alternative universe? A Patriotic article from the Slimes? In support of President Trump?


7 posted on 02/28/2026 11:04:07 PM PST by Nateman (Democrats did not strive for fraud friendly voting merely to continue honest elections.)
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To: Cronos

It’s an Op-Ed, not the NYT opinion. The actual editors are in mourning.


8 posted on 02/28/2026 11:09:04 PM PST by montag813
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To: Nateman

It’s a mirage. It is not really real or the NYT is mainlining dope through the build HVAC system.


9 posted on 02/28/2026 11:10:14 PM PST by Equine1952 (MM1SS SASOB)
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To: irishjuggler

Sounds more you’re a butthurt moron.


10 posted on 02/28/2026 11:10:50 PM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: ifinnegan

Sounds less like you’re capable of penning a literate sentence.


11 posted on 02/28/2026 11:14:04 PM PST by irishjuggler
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To: Cronos

What people often get wrong about Trump is that his manner of speaking makes him underestimated.


12 posted on 02/28/2026 11:18:58 PM PST by Jonty30 (I always ask AI stupid questions to avoid the smart lists for elimination. I want to surprise it.)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; BraveMan; cardinal4; ...

13 posted on 02/28/2026 11:31:18 PM PST by SunkenCiv (TDS -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: Cronos
… this long-term strategy of negotiating in bad faith is bankrupt. The military campaign underway is the direct result of Iranian leaders’ foot-dragging, obfuscation and delay tactics. This time, they misjudged the president.

Pity the president has not applied his own lessons against the Russians who are foot dragging, obfuscating, and delaying in negotiations over the war in Ukraine. Instead, the president is blaming the wrong party, blaming the victim, instead of behaving like the Donald Trump who is dealing brilliantly with Russia's ally, Iran.


14 posted on 02/28/2026 11:44:33 PM PST by nathanbedford (Attack, repeat, attack! - Bull Halsey)
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To: Jonty30
What people often get wrong about Trump is that his manner of speaking makes him underestimated.

Yeah, he doesn't do the faculty lounge talk the NY cognoscenti use when they appear on NPR think programs. Therefore he must be stupid.

15 posted on 02/28/2026 11:47:35 PM PST by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: nathanbedford
Pity the president has not applied his own lessons against the Russians who are foot dragging, obfuscating, and delaying in negotiations over the war in Ukraine. Instead, the president is blaming the wrong party, blaming the victim, instead of behaving like the Donald Trump who is dealing brilliantly with Russia's ally, Iran.

Maybe he is dealing with Russia. Maybe one has to deal with nuclear-armed Russia a little differently from how one deals with nuclear wannabe Iran. Just a WAG.

16 posted on 02/28/2026 11:49:49 PM PST by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: Cronos

Remember the NYT is a swamp talking piece. The swamp is happy. Or I should say that parts of the swamp are extremely happy. Those parts of the CIA that intersect with Israel’s intelligence and defense agencies. Obama and Biden were very happy to make deals with Iran. The Milley wing of the military who wished to make deals with our enemies and undermine our people while creating a woke military are out of favor. It seems they are out of favor at the NYTs as well. Probably because they have no sniping uncredited sources any more. The NYT lives on those sources. And those sources love war and Israel and decisive action. Lets hope that Rubio and his state department is better at nation building than his predecessors. We are not quite sure what is happening in Mexico or Venezuela. I hope it works out. But its a very tricky business.


17 posted on 02/28/2026 11:53:40 PM PST by poinq
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To: Salvavida

Something is not Kosher at the NYT...


18 posted on 02/28/2026 11:55:55 PM PST by Netz ( and looking for a way ti IMPROVE mankind.)
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Lindsay Graham couldn’t have said it better.


19 posted on 03/01/2026 12:02:34 AM PST by proust (All posts made under this handle are, for the intents and purposes of the author, considered satire.)
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To: irishjuggler

Pen? Do people mail their ink-written comments to you?

You can support the Islamonazis all you want, we know you be scum. Be.


20 posted on 03/01/2026 12:11:23 AM PST by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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