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Iran Calls Trump’s Bluff: The President is caught between hawkish goals and dovish means.
Wall Street Journal ^ | June 21, 2019

Posted on 06/22/2019 3:25:28 AM PDT by reaganaut1

President Trump called off a military strike against Iran in mid-mission Thursday, and his supporters and even some of his critics are hailing it as an act of restraint and courage. The question for American interests is whether Iran and other adversaries will see it instead as a sign of weakness and indecision.

“We were cocked & loaded to retaliate last night on 3 different sights when I asked, how many will die. 150 people, sir, was the answer from a General. 10 minutes before the strike I stopped it, not proportionate to shooting down an unmanned drone,” Mr. Trump tweeted Friday morning.

It’s important to understand how extraordinary this is. The Commander in Chief ordered ships and planes into battle but recalled them because he hadn’t asked in advance what the damage and casualties might be? While the planes were in the air, he asked, oh, by the way? This is hard to take at face value.

More likely, he changed his mind because he had second thoughts about the military and political consequences of engaging in a conflict he promised as a candidate to avoid. Mr. Trump may have saved Iranian lives now, but his indecision and professed fear of casualties may be risking more American lives later.

Squeezed by the U.S. “maximum pressure” campaign, Iran’s rulers are trying to pressure Mr. Trump in return. In recent weeks they have attacked oil pipelines, mined oil tankers, and this week brazenly shot down a $130 million U.S. drone monitoring shipping lanes over international waters. Iran’s bet is that Mr. Trump is so averse to military confrontation that he will ease U.S. sanctions. On the evidence of the aborted mission, they may be right.

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


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2020election; djibouti; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; election2020; eritrea; hassannasrallah; hezbollah; iran; lebanon; mediawingofthednc; nevertrump; nevertrumper; nevertrumpers; partisanmediashills; presstitutes; smearmachine; sudan; trump; wallstreeturinal; yemen
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To: reaganaut1

There was a reconnaissance aircraft right by the drone,they are the ones that got the photo of the shoot down,it had 25 airmen on board,the Iranians did not shoot that down when they could have very easily,were they cowards or afraid of what the wimp President Trump would do if they did that?
Me thinks going to war over a drone is ridiculous,they are trying to get President Trump to react,he will,but all these experts will be the first to hammer the President when Russia and China send their military in to back Iran,oh Trump the maniac has started world war 3 over the mullahs in Iran.
The President is doing fine,the Mullahs actions prove it,but can’t give credit to the President.


41 posted on 06/22/2019 4:46:19 AM PDT by ballplayer
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To: reaganaut1

And perhaps it was a plan to speak to the Iranian people.


42 posted on 06/22/2019 4:48:41 AM PDT by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
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To: ThePatriotsFlag

Doing this, he is setting up for a massive strike with nearly ANY pretense in the future. This was not an egregious enough act to take out their nuclear plants..””

Exactly. Nailed it.


43 posted on 06/22/2019 4:51:52 AM PDT by TalBlack (Damn right I'll "do something" you fat, balding son of a bitch!)
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To: reaganaut1

General Tata just on FOX saying Trump’s restraint was incredible and showed what a great president would do. He said Trump weighed all the possible repercussions to that action.

I know you hate Trump, but you are wrong as usual. Maybe you should evaluate why you are always wrong.


44 posted on 06/22/2019 4:55:21 AM PDT by dforest (Just shut up Obama. Maybe everyone should just shut up!)
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To: reaganaut1
Iran’s bet is that Mr. Trump is so averse to military confrontation that he will ease U.S. sanctions. On the evidence of the aborted mission, they may be right.

One of the top 3 stupidest things written about Donald Trump. And one of the stupidest "conclusions" I have ever read.

45 posted on 06/22/2019 5:02:45 AM PDT by Bryan24 (When in doubt, move to the right..........)
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To: dforest

I hope the warmongers here and with the rest of the NeverTrumpers consider what wonders the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have wrought. Functioning democracies, honest governments, protected religious minorities, women treated like equals, an emphasis on liberal education?? Haven’t seen much if any of it, have we? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result.


46 posted on 06/22/2019 5:08:44 AM PDT by laconic
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To: reaganaut1

These guys don’t understand feints at least when it comes to President Trump. In fact I wouldn’t rule out President Trump to do another feint. Iran lets their guard down then @ss kicking time. Assuming the mullahs continue with their actions.


47 posted on 06/22/2019 5:09:01 AM PDT by Lent
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To: riverrunner

When waging war one can not be afraid of killing our enemies.

A mistake our county has made for decades.

___________________________________________________

We’ve killed !@#$loads of people over the past few decades. What are you talking about?


48 posted on 06/22/2019 5:12:02 AM PDT by Bishop_Malachi (Liberal Socialism - A philosophy which advocates spreading a low standard of living equally.)
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To: reaganaut1
Really???? Or was it a leak trap for Democrats who were given the intel in a briefing and then it was promptly leaked to the media that we had stuck Iran. Was it a lesson to Iran that we are ready to deal with them at a moments notice in a big way?

This President has a very high IQ and plays a lot of games with people and the media. When this presidency is over and it gets studied in depth without liberal bias, it will be an eyeopener.

I was not a Trump fan during the primary but this has been fascinating and very fun to watch. Trump is a master maneuverer and FISA works both ways with real cause.

49 posted on 06/22/2019 5:14:17 AM PDT by Lady Heron
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To: reaganaut1

Y’know they killed JFK for doing what Trump is doing.


50 posted on 06/22/2019 5:15:49 AM PDT by conservativeimage (A Time For War?)
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To: reaganaut1; All

It’s simple...he won’t go to war over a shot down drone or a few limpet mines....he will when they actually start killing people and sinking ships. Trump is the one drawing the line, start killing people and all bets are off!


51 posted on 06/22/2019 5:18:30 AM PDT by mdmathis6
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To: Alberta's Child

It’s been said the Amish saved Bush’s bacon.


52 posted on 06/22/2019 5:22:12 AM PDT by mdmathis6
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To: Ouch

I hope you are right. John Kerry hasn’t gotten one thing right his entire adult life.


53 posted on 06/22/2019 5:22:40 AM PDT by VTenigma (The Democrat party is the party of the mathematically challenged)
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To: nuconvert
WSJ-Yes

Iranian regime-Possibly, and most likely with the advice of John Kerry if so.

54 posted on 06/22/2019 5:29:42 AM PDT by Robert DeLong
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To: Oshkalaboomboom
They are trying to goad him into starting a war so they can post a daily body count and destroy any chance he has of getting reelected.

True, and Trump gave Iran an excuse.....That tells me he thinks it is BS set up for Iran.

Why would Iran go to war with the US and end up like Libya, Iran and Syria? Those are some very selfish Mullahs who cherish their own lives......why commit suicide for themselves and all their loved ones?

Democrats and Globalist need Trump to go to war because of what is coming out of Barr's DOJ during this election cycle.

Trump has set up this election cycle to be a sh@! show on democrat corruption displayed in non stop fashion. Between NIXVM and where that mess is going(this is going to snowball and be huge), Uranium 1 and all the other spying related investigations not to mention pay for play schemes. Democrats will be toast. This election has the potential to make Reagan's second election numbers pale in comparison if it all comes out.

BTW, the media outlets are in as much trouble as the dems and rinos.

55 posted on 06/22/2019 5:31:51 AM PDT by Lady Heron
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To: BRL

It never started....which make one think about the real motive behind this show.


56 posted on 06/22/2019 5:33:33 AM PDT by Lady Heron
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To: reaganaut1

FAKE NEWS! Sorry, I just had to say it.


57 posted on 06/22/2019 5:34:21 AM PDT by WWG1WWA (Brothers, what we do in life echoes in eternity." -Marcusurelius)
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To: reaganaut1

WSJ Neocons.

War is good for the Deep State and the bottom line of Wall Street. Means more defense stocks sold, higher global oil prices; mucho denaro.

But Trump is right on this one. All the facts aren’t in and we don’t need to rush, we still have massive capabilities.

Iran’s day is coming, but as Aragorn said, “Today is not that day.”


58 posted on 06/22/2019 5:34:22 AM PDT by Alas Babylon! (The media is after us. Trump's just in the way.)
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To: reaganaut1

Support our President.

He was right not to attack, it was an international trap, designed to separate Europe from the USA on Iran sanctions.


59 posted on 06/22/2019 5:36:59 AM PDT by Candor7 ((Obama Fascism)http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2009/05/barack_obama_the_quintessentia_1.html)
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To: reaganaut1

Trump just showed Iran what a civilized nation looks like.

Iranian leaders need to come out of the dark ages and get the kill, kill, kill attitude out of their collective minds.


60 posted on 06/22/2019 5:37:27 AM PDT by abclily
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