Peace President Trump and his escalation trap in his Iran War

President TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) gave Iran a two-day deadline to Iran last Saturday which he waived on the deadline day (Monday) and setting a new five-day guideline. Depending on whatever math calculations go on in his head, that could mean Friday or Saturday as the new date to do something more disastrous than what he’s had so far.

This is another discussion featuring David Rothkopf, Rosa Brooks and Ed Luce taking a look at the current risks in Trump’s latest war: (1)

Robert Pape seems to be one of the most popular people in the political podcast world if what the YouTube algorithms are showing me. But he’s well worth listening to. And he thinks that we’re very close to taking the next step in what Pape calls the escalation trap. And he’s been wargaming something very like the current one for years now. (2)

Now that what the “realist” foreign-policy theorists called the “unipolar moment” is over, it would be nice to think that the US would have fewer wars than we’ve had since, well, pick your favorite post-1945 date. But that kind of transition to a more responsible approach to US foreign policy would require consecutive years of a solid strategic foreign policy. That will not have as long as the Orange Anomaly is still President.

How sad is the current decision-making by the Trump regime? Amos Harel describes the current US practice of war politics as reality-show TV:

The U.S. administration entered this war, with Israel's vigorous encouragement, with only a partial plan and apparently only a limited understanding of the way decisions are made in Tehran. It seems that Trump had thought that this would be another Venezuela – a short and stunning blow followed by an almost guaranteed success.

In his frequent public appearances, the U.S. president creates an alternative reality for his listeners, one that doesn't jibe with the reality on the ground. As far as he's concerned, Iran has already been completely defeated, its army destroyed and its regime replaced "two or three times" following Israel's assassinations of its senior figures (which Trump takes retroactive credit for). The president is now talking about a precious gift the Iranians supposedly offered him in the energy sector – likely referring to the permission for several tankers to pass through Hormuz. Trump added that if he were a gambler, he would bet on an imminent deal. [my emphasis] (3)

Finally, Patrick Strickland also has some worthwhile observations on the help that Trump said he was sending to Iranian regime opponents: “What Washington calls help is often disastrous and the U.S. has a long history of offering (and refusing) to help Iran.” And he gives a short recap of such past “help” that the US has provided to the Iranian people.

And he talks about the course the Trump regime has been pursuing since he achieved Everlasting Peace In The Middle East five months or so ago:

Since returning to office in January 2025, he has relaunched the long, lethal American tradition of military intervention abroad. “We will measure our success not only by the battles we win but also by the wars that we end — and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into,” he said during his inaugural speech. Over the next year, though, he proceeded to bomb seven countries, threaten a slate of nations from Latin America to Europe, and even kidnap Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. All the while, he bragged of supposedly ending eight wars.

It’s always important to keep in mind that the Trump brand of America-First, allegedly isolationist policy about is hardcore, lawless, militaristic unilateralism. The foreign-policy version of smash-and-grab robberies. With the twist in Trump’s case that it couples a Mob-boss, protection-racket mentality with an off-the-charts level of financial corruption, at least by historical American standards. (4)

Notes:

(1) Searching for an Offramp to a Reckless, Irresponsible War. The DSR Network 05/25/2026. <https://youtu.be/L4IpetXky_c?si=HVbxzqg4dsrRGlXs> (Accessed: 2026-25-03).

2) “Many Will Die:” Military Expert Warns of Iran Escalation Trap. Amanpour and Company YouTube channel 03/25/2026. <https://youtu.be/Ghs03B9lkrw?si=V78fA_PaCo_I5nwT> (Accessed: 2026-25-03).

(3) Harel, Amos (2026): Ending the War Hinges on Bridging the Gap Between Trump's Delusions and Iran's Resolve. Haaretz 03/26/2026. Full link: <https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-03-26/ty-article/.premium/ending-war-hinges-on-bridging-gap-between-trumps-delusions-and-irans-resolve/0000019d-26ce-d8a3-abff-3eee16bd0000?gift=47e0fe4758bf4aac9a75e659dc8bea04> (Accessed: 2026-26-03).

(4) Strickland, Patrick (03/22/2026.): Why Donald Trump Just Can’t Stop Going to War. TomDispatch 03/22/2026. <https://tomdispatch.com/why-donald-trump-just-cant-stop-going-to-war/> (Accessed: 2026-26-03).