"Trump laid out his five key war objectives in his post on Friday" strikes me as similar to Trump giving his endorsement to GOP primary candidates only after the polls show them highly likely to win the primary. It seems obvious that at least 1 thru 3 and maybe 4 can already be claimed to have been accomplished. I can absolutely guarantee I will accomplish everyone of my New Years resolutions this year as I plan to announce them this December 31.
I believe Trump is involved in "pump and dump" tactics with the stock market and his billionaire bros. All his flip flop seems to move the market predictably up and down.
As far as masks go, He should be made to wear one whenever he is photographed or filmed :-)
Trump cannot unilaterally make a deal with Iran. He can’t negotiate a cease fire because he has absolutely no control over what Israel does. This is all theater. And, yes, as others have commented, it is probably for the purpose of manipulating markets.
Trump is playing with us all. That lives are at risk doesn't seem to bother him or those around him. Just before his post this morning about promising talks with the enemy or its representatives, substantial investments were made that the market would react positively to the soon to be posted "winding down" information. So is Trump in on the deal? It's not a deal you discussed, but was it the real reason for the announcement? How to make a quick buck?
Based on the Iranian response, there is some evidence that Trump's post was all about cashing in on insider information, and not about ending the carnage. And hostilities have continued during the day. It's a shame that Polymarket bets are so short termed. Were they longer, you might be able to get to the truth by watching the likely insider moves that occur just minutes before Trump posts something.
The points of the alleged deal raise a number of questions. How do you degrade a pickup? Shoulder fired weapons are really not eradicated. Limpet mines don't require subs. Come on. But the defense industry base: now we're talking. Is Trump going to bomb every factory making drones (for the Russians to reduce Ukraine to rubble) that might take out a desalination plant for the UAE? Is that feasible? How many innocents would die in the hunt for the factories? Next is the navy and air force and anti-aircraft weaponry. I thought that had already been done. Didn't Pete Hegseth assure us that task was completed? Will that be obliterated again? It seems to me that Iran has demonstrated that a teenager with a joystick is more dangerous in the Middle East than a jet fighter. A motorized dingy may be just as effective as a sub.
I don't want to make light of the weaponry, so let's consider that all of that is memorialized to a writing. Would Iran trust the US to keep its end of the bargain? Would the US trust the new Ayatollah to keep his end of the bargain? How long after the ink dries will it take the Russians or North Koreans or the Chinese to help Iran re-arm? And when satellite imagery suggests that Iran is violating the agreement, what then?
The real issue is nuclear capability. Let's assume that the 400 pounds of fissile material is buried forever or even removed. The capability is in the head of smart scientists. That cannot be removed. (Princeton seniors have written theses on how to make a nuclear weapon. It's common knowledge and if a nation doesn't possess it, Pakistan or North Korea will send you a kit.) So what does this mean? Buying centrifuges? Are we back to the 6 nation agreement from which Trump walked away?
I don't get the last point at all. The US is going to protect all the Sunni nations in the Middle East and Iran is going to commit to being nice? That will look good on paper.
So the deal sounds like it isn't really going to happen at least with the five points. Maybe it ought to be 14, but then a Democrat once had a peace deal in mind that had 14 points. So for Trump, it's got to be 15 or more. Witkoff and Kushner are going to drive this deal across the finish line? Pardon my skepticism.
Isn't it likely that our missile shortages and other offensive capability problems created at the outset of this debacle are going to be solved while Trump tweets? While he's talking about ceasefire, he's actually re-arming? He's giving the MEU a chance to close in on its objective in the Persian Gulf? The client states in the Middle East that are short of Patriots get re-armed? The Israelis can focus on Hezbollah in Lebanon with this head fake?
Again, pardon my skepticism.
And, lastly, what's missing? Something about Hormuz? Is the last word, "We don't use it. Let those who use it figure it out." Sort of "See ya!", and skiddadle? Bringing down oil prices will take more than a tweet. And that's the real end game for Trump, isn't it?
Yes, he's made a deal to re-commence oil drilling off the coast of California and he's paying a fortune not to have a windfarm built off the East Coast, so he's delivering big time to his fossil fuel cronies, but will they reciprocate with lower prices?
I'm no as skeptical about such a deal, but it wasn't in your essay.
Might want to take a quick read of today's Jeff Childer's Coffee and Covid for another take. Your readers don't strike me as being affluent. But those that are should remember TAW.
I was politically comatose during the Cuban missile crisis. Wish that were still the case.
I am not a fan of masks but I think having a prominently displayed numerical designation should be sufficient--especially since it is a cleaner video identifier than a face might be.
Interesting to note that the kinder and gentler immigration reform (E-verify & amnesty) took place under Reagan and the criminalization of illegal migration happened under Clinton.
Israel wants to keep fighting until they achieve regime change in Iran, which is the goal of the war it cajoled Trump into. Trump thought it would be like Venezuela. Iran has been pushed into discovering that its ability to control the Strait of Hormuz gives it leverage on the world. Russia and China are benefiting and content to wait things out. Neither Iran nor the Trump administration is capable of diplomacy. Israel is content to continue to inflict as much damage on Iran as possible.
Thank you for again explaining the current issues with our great leader. Time is on our side. Nov is coming and this weekend the No Kings marches will hopefully bring millions of Americans out giving the Republicans pause.
Great article. Your points are well done and on target.
"Trump laid out his five key war objectives in his post on Friday" strikes me as similar to Trump giving his endorsement to GOP primary candidates only after the polls show them highly likely to win the primary. It seems obvious that at least 1 thru 3 and maybe 4 can already be claimed to have been accomplished. I can absolutely guarantee I will accomplish everyone of my New Years resolutions this year as I plan to announce them this December 31.
I believe Trump is involved in "pump and dump" tactics with the stock market and his billionaire bros. All his flip flop seems to move the market predictably up and down.
As far as masks go, He should be made to wear one whenever he is photographed or filmed :-)
Correct. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/23/volume-in-stock-and-oil-futures-surged-minutes-before-trumps-market-turning-post.html
thanks for the link
I think most of trump's opponents are just waiting for him to burn himself out, hopefully before he takes the world with him.
Interesting to prolong the Iran ultimatum 5 days (to the next market close).
Also, isn’t bombing civilian power plants something the bad guys do?
Trump cannot unilaterally make a deal with Iran. He can’t negotiate a cease fire because he has absolutely no control over what Israel does. This is all theater. And, yes, as others have commented, it is probably for the purpose of manipulating markets.
Trump is playing with us all. That lives are at risk doesn't seem to bother him or those around him. Just before his post this morning about promising talks with the enemy or its representatives, substantial investments were made that the market would react positively to the soon to be posted "winding down" information. So is Trump in on the deal? It's not a deal you discussed, but was it the real reason for the announcement? How to make a quick buck?
Based on the Iranian response, there is some evidence that Trump's post was all about cashing in on insider information, and not about ending the carnage. And hostilities have continued during the day. It's a shame that Polymarket bets are so short termed. Were they longer, you might be able to get to the truth by watching the likely insider moves that occur just minutes before Trump posts something.
The points of the alleged deal raise a number of questions. How do you degrade a pickup? Shoulder fired weapons are really not eradicated. Limpet mines don't require subs. Come on. But the defense industry base: now we're talking. Is Trump going to bomb every factory making drones (for the Russians to reduce Ukraine to rubble) that might take out a desalination plant for the UAE? Is that feasible? How many innocents would die in the hunt for the factories? Next is the navy and air force and anti-aircraft weaponry. I thought that had already been done. Didn't Pete Hegseth assure us that task was completed? Will that be obliterated again? It seems to me that Iran has demonstrated that a teenager with a joystick is more dangerous in the Middle East than a jet fighter. A motorized dingy may be just as effective as a sub.
I don't want to make light of the weaponry, so let's consider that all of that is memorialized to a writing. Would Iran trust the US to keep its end of the bargain? Would the US trust the new Ayatollah to keep his end of the bargain? How long after the ink dries will it take the Russians or North Koreans or the Chinese to help Iran re-arm? And when satellite imagery suggests that Iran is violating the agreement, what then?
The real issue is nuclear capability. Let's assume that the 400 pounds of fissile material is buried forever or even removed. The capability is in the head of smart scientists. That cannot be removed. (Princeton seniors have written theses on how to make a nuclear weapon. It's common knowledge and if a nation doesn't possess it, Pakistan or North Korea will send you a kit.) So what does this mean? Buying centrifuges? Are we back to the 6 nation agreement from which Trump walked away?
I don't get the last point at all. The US is going to protect all the Sunni nations in the Middle East and Iran is going to commit to being nice? That will look good on paper.
So the deal sounds like it isn't really going to happen at least with the five points. Maybe it ought to be 14, but then a Democrat once had a peace deal in mind that had 14 points. So for Trump, it's got to be 15 or more. Witkoff and Kushner are going to drive this deal across the finish line? Pardon my skepticism.
Isn't it likely that our missile shortages and other offensive capability problems created at the outset of this debacle are going to be solved while Trump tweets? While he's talking about ceasefire, he's actually re-arming? He's giving the MEU a chance to close in on its objective in the Persian Gulf? The client states in the Middle East that are short of Patriots get re-armed? The Israelis can focus on Hezbollah in Lebanon with this head fake?
Again, pardon my skepticism.
And, lastly, what's missing? Something about Hormuz? Is the last word, "We don't use it. Let those who use it figure it out." Sort of "See ya!", and skiddadle? Bringing down oil prices will take more than a tweet. And that's the real end game for Trump, isn't it?
Yes, he's made a deal to re-commence oil drilling off the coast of California and he's paying a fortune not to have a windfarm built off the East Coast, so he's delivering big time to his fossil fuel cronies, but will they reciprocate with lower prices?
I'm no as skeptical about such a deal, but it wasn't in your essay.
Might want to take a quick read of today's Jeff Childer's Coffee and Covid for another take. Your readers don't strike me as being affluent. But those that are should remember TAW.
I was politically comatose during the Cuban missile crisis. Wish that were still the case.
I am not a fan of masks but I think having a prominently displayed numerical designation should be sufficient--especially since it is a cleaner video identifier than a face might be.
Interesting to note that the kinder and gentler immigration reform (E-verify & amnesty) took place under Reagan and the criminalization of illegal migration happened under Clinton.
How many “hardened criminals” is ICE actually pursuing? My guess is, very few. They don’t need masks if they’re following the law.
Israel wants to keep fighting until they achieve regime change in Iran, which is the goal of the war it cajoled Trump into. Trump thought it would be like Venezuela. Iran has been pushed into discovering that its ability to control the Strait of Hormuz gives it leverage on the world. Russia and China are benefiting and content to wait things out. Neither Iran nor the Trump administration is capable of diplomacy. Israel is content to continue to inflict as much damage on Iran as possible.
No end in sight.
Thank you for again explaining the current issues with our great leader. Time is on our side. Nov is coming and this weekend the No Kings marches will hopefully bring millions of Americans out giving the Republicans pause.