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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: offduty; All

Tucker has apologized to his audience for his past association with CNN and his neocon, warmongering ways. He seems to have realized that people who cheer deranged men like Bolton on from the safety of the sidelines are aiding and abetting an anti-American foreign policy.


81 posted on 06/22/2019 7:40:32 AM PDT by JonPreston
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To: CIB-173RDABN

Brilliant commentary there. Thanks.


82 posted on 06/22/2019 7:51:30 AM PDT by poconopundit
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To: reaganaut1

Yada, yada, yada.


83 posted on 06/22/2019 7:52:53 AM PDT by Stentor
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To: reaganaut1

Unlike the fools at the WSJ, Trump is not a simple-minded reactionary, nor will he be pulled offsides by a feint. Trump - 2020.


84 posted on 06/22/2019 8:08:11 AM PDT by Montana_Sam (Truth lives.)
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To: riverrunner

One of the targets being the anti-air missle base that fired the missile bring down a drone the size of a 737— also has
the information on just WHOM provided the de-encryption of the GPS repeat signals (one of the ways the remote piloting is done, from, wherever).

Flattening the base and killing everyone would (thanks to the logic of the Kerry-Bolton- Never Trumper milindustrial perpetual ME war corporate Beltway trough eaters of OUR tax money) destroy that valuable intel.

Bolton is going to be canned— the SOB has ordered troops, and thinks he is a top commander. Nope.

We will take 250 million of obamaumao’s 800 billion in cash, mixed currency (and notably, no bullion) that went to Iran— and destroy piece by piece that value and then some. I.e. the 250 million value of an unmanned Global Hawk. Squeeze these muzzie mullahs even more. Iran’s people (the real one) do not want to live anymore in a crazed terrorist theocracy of paedophile mullahs, and murderers.

Bolton- a Bushie— see? JEB! and his dumba@@ brother who would have been a one termer (for his idiotic response to the shoot down of EC141 plane by the chi-coms— remember that debacle, and other idiocies) if it had not been for 9/11, which also created mega demonrat “constituencies” the reorg into the DHS, The Patriot (Banker’s ripoff control) Act, and “the Religion of Peace” stated sentiment, and expansion of the illegal alien Free Labor Express and the Bush Family Norte Americano program with JEB’s Mehicano pals (and, don’t forget Romney’s offshore account buy in on this- he’s still doing it).

No one will write an article about this, or maybe this is one of them... but the neocon bushie- war forever crappers.... LOST. And the Iranians are crapping their pants, cause we know Kerry was involved, to preserve the “agreement”. Would not be surprised if there was a Clintonite/Russian intermediate that gave the anti-encryption info to the Iranians (cover story for them, immediately to cover their tracks was that it was a “rogue commander who took down the drone”!! Really and just how?


85 posted on 06/22/2019 8:10:12 AM PDT by John S Mosby (Sic Semper Tyrannis)
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

Define starting a war? We haven’t declared war since 1941, Retaliation is not war.


86 posted on 06/22/2019 8:11:40 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn.)
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To: reaganaut1

*** The question for American interests is whether Iran and other adversaries will see it instead as a sign of weakness and indecision. ***

Maybe they see it as Trump realizing that it wouldn’t be a cake walk.

As an aside, I find the recent DOD Doc on Nuclear Operations and the benefits of the use of nuclear strikes unsettling .

New “DoD Doctrine on Nuclear Operations” before it was taken offline available here http://bit.ly/2WTqfhZ


87 posted on 06/22/2019 8:15:27 AM PDT by sockmonkey (I am an America First, not Israel First FReeper.)
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To: All

Wall street journal screams for “BLOOD”! What sadistic war monger! Kill, kill, kill! That’s all the left wants.


88 posted on 06/22/2019 8:18:48 AM PDT by Retvet (Retvet)
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To: offduty

*** Wonder what Bolton did to Tucker to get him so worked up? ***

It’s not what Bolton did to Tucker, it is how Bolton is a war mongering psycho who has no problems lying us into wars.


89 posted on 06/22/2019 8:20:30 AM PDT by sockmonkey (I am an America First, not Israel First FReeper.)
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To: reaganaut1; All

It’s apparent to me the Neocons/Pentagon, when asked by Trump to prepare a response, actually started moving forces way beyond what POTUS envisioned.

They were ready to strike within minutes of receiving the OK.

In the ‘big meeting’, Trump[ asked them what the plan was. He didn’t like it and told them: NO! You’re not going to start a war over a friggin’ drone!

After the meeting they ran to the press, because they are TRAITORS to the American people. They intend to make Trump look weak to undermine him politically, and hope that encourages Iran to escalate further.

Just so the War Pigs can have another war.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ssDXiMLX9o


90 posted on 06/22/2019 8:49:22 AM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: reaganaut1

It’s very clear that the ruling class is willing to use any means necessary to defeat Trump. Iran is their ally and proxy in this effort. Very evil and treacherous. They are going to get our boys and girls in uniform killed.


91 posted on 06/22/2019 9:34:22 AM PDT by McCarthysGhost
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To: Beagle8U

>>>“They are trying to ruin his re election chances.”
No, he did that all by himself. If he won’t protect American interests for fear of killing our enemies he can go back to WWE.<<<

I’m sure POTUS Trump has a lot more information than you have. Should we have started a War when the Iranians captured one of our Drones back in 2011? It was said that they somehow took control of the Drone and forced it to land in their Territory.

POTUS Trump apparently learned from recent History.

Protecting “American Interests” means different things to different people. His actions would not only impact the US and Iran, his actions would impact the entire Region and the world Economy.

The cost of one Drone would be nothing compared to the costs of going full bore in response. I hope he sends the Iranians a Billing Invoice for the cost of the Drone just to see the reactions of the DNC Media and the Rat Party.

I have no doubt that he split second one our Soldiers or Airmen are attacked is the second that Iran will learn that they messed with the wrong Guy.

POTUS Trump just put them on Probation and they know it. Unlike Obama and his so called Red Line, the Goal Posts will not be moving down the Field.

Just my $.02, take it or leave it.


92 posted on 06/22/2019 9:38:25 AM PDT by Kickass Conservative (THEY LIVE, and we're the only ones wearing the Sunglasses.)
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To: sockmonkey

It took more than Bolton to get us involved in the Iraqi war. Tucker didn’t mention other neocons in his diatribe, other than George Will who wasn’t part of the administration. His attack was personal. I don’t remember Tucker being anti-war when he was at CNN. Just struck me as being a little over the top.


93 posted on 06/22/2019 10:23:25 AM PDT by offduty
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To: Mariner

Chuck Schumer caught on tape doing a happy dance leaving the White House — what does it mean for war with Iran?

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/06/chuck-schumer-caught-on-tape-doing-a-happy-dance-leaving-the-white-house-what-does-it-mean-for-war-with-iran/


94 posted on 06/22/2019 11:46:41 AM PDT by COUNTrecount (If only Harvey Weinstein's bathrobe could talk.)
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To: reaganaut1

yep, all the warmongers are beating their tom-toms ... if only a Bush or a Clinton was in office right now, we could have a good war and sacrifice some more of your youth for dubious reasons ...


95 posted on 06/22/2019 12:01:34 PM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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To: seowulf

Exactly. Thx.


96 posted on 06/22/2019 12:07:14 PM PDT by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
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To: central_va
Retaliation is not war.

Tell that to the families of the people who died in Iraq.

97 posted on 06/22/2019 12:13:18 PM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
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To: ronnie raygun

It’s a long way until the elections.
Unless there’s war, this won’t even be in the
rear-view mirror by then. Stay the course.


98 posted on 06/22/2019 12:15:55 PM PDT by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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To: Gen.Blather

I can tell you that their thinking can be as alien to Western thought as if they were a different species from Mars.


I have worked with Iranians, too, and their take on the world around them, even on a job at hand, is half real and half superstitious nonsense. Trying to think like one of them is a waste of mind.


99 posted on 06/22/2019 12:21:17 PM PDT by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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To: billyboy15

. I know he is doing exactly the right thing.


And even when he’s wrong, he’s right. Trump has my unalloyed loyalty and confidence that he will make the best of any given situation. The chorus of crows cackling from the sidelines has no effect on me, nor, it seems the rest of his loyal base.


100 posted on 06/22/2019 12:24:47 PM PDT by sparklite2 (Don't mind me. I'm just a contrarian.)
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