Pulling the Thread of War, Then Dealing with the Unravelling
The ‘Peace President,’ the man who thirsted for a Nobel Peace Prize, and made extravagant promises to his base prior to his election victory, has constructed two political fabrics: one, that is national, the other, international.
There are metaphors for this.
A metaphor is something we use to explain the inexplicable, such as a ‘close-knit society’ or a ‘fabric of diplomatic agreement.’ I have chosen those particular metaphors because they are each constructed of threads, and broken threads are often the downfall of larger fabrics.
A further, and probably far more important reason, is that I find much of this presidential administration to be inexplicable.
His pre-election promises, among others, included:
To release remaining classified and redacted files on President John Kennedy’s assassination. “I’m gonna do it immediately, almost immediately upon entering office.”
Cut energy prices in half within 12 months, or a “maximum 18 months.”
End the Russia-Ukraine war. “Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after I win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled.”
“Tariff the hell out of countries that have been taking advantage of us.”
Close the Education Department. “We will ultimately eliminate the federal Department of Education and send education back to Wisconsin and back to the states.”
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” -Sir Walter Scott.
Presidential candidates all make promises they can’t (or don’t) keep, but Trump’s web is more tangled than most.
The threads of war he chose to pull include:
On Feb. 1, the U.S. carried out airstrikes against Islamic State operatives in Somalia.
On March 13, U.S.-led coalition forces, alongside Iraqi national intelligence services and Security Forces, killed a senior Islamic State leader in a “precision airstrike.”
Between March and May, the U.S. launched naval and airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels in what was codenamed Operation Rough Rider, the largest U.S. military operation in the Middle East during Trump’s second term at that time.
In early June, amid negotiations over nuclear capabilities, Israel began striking Iranian targets. On June 22, the U.S. joined the campaign, striking three key nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan in Operation Midnight Hammer, using B‑2 bombers and submarine-launched Tomahawks. Trump said the strikes had “completely and totally obliterated” the facilities and Iran’s uranium enrichment efforts.
On Sept. 2, the U.S. carried out its first strike (among ongoing and illegal attacks) against what Trump said was a drug-carrying vessel that departed from Venezuela and was (no proof so far) operated by Tren de Aragua.
On Dec. 19, the U.S. carried out large-scale strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria under Operation Hawkeye Strike.
On Dec. 25, U.S. Africa Command, in coordination with Nigerian authorities, conducted strikes against ISIS operatives in Sokoto State. Trump said the “powerful and deadly strike” killed multiple ISIS terrorists.
On Jan. 3, American special operations forces carried out a pre-dawn raid in Caracas, bombing the capital and kidnapping Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
After a third round of indirect talks in Geneva between U.S. and Iranian officials yielded no deal, Trump moved ahead with an illegal military operation titled Operation Epic Fury without congressional approval.
That’s (mostly) all in the last six weeks, and even God is said to have rested after six days.
But you gotta admire the mission names; Operation Rough Rider, Midnight Hammer, Hawkeye Strike, and everybody’s favorite Epic Fury, which brought smiles as an accidently misspelled Epstein Fury.
That’s a lot of threads to pull, and the fabrics unravelling may have only begun.
The most significant is the increasingly internationally tarnished United States reputation under less than three months of Trump’s second administration. Partnering as we have with Israel’s misdeeds, both Biden and Trump have aligned ourselves with a modern genocide in Gaza and whatever other atrocities may have to be shared with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government.
It’s worth noting that both Trump and Netanyahu are likely using their office to avoid prosecution.
From other news sources.
(Financial Times) “Former US officials and military experts said Iranian forces had been able to use a combination of intelligence, lessons from Russia, satellite imagery and proximity to hit American bases, energy facilities and other strategic targets across the Gulf.
“Iranian forces have fired more than 3,000 missiles and drones at the US’s allies in the Gulf and hundreds at Israel. This week they struck tankers and merchant vessels; an Omani port; sites close to Dubai’s airport; an oil refinery in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait’s airport — even as US and Israeli officials have said their capability to launch strikes has severely diminished.”
(FOX News) “For U.S. forces in the region, larger drone waves increase the odds that defenses are stretched, and that even one drone could reach a base or ship.
“This marks the first sustained confrontation in which U.S. forces are facing large-scale, state-backed drone waves as a central feature of the battlefield — forcing commanders to adapt in real time and draw on lessons learned from Ukraine, where mass-produced Shahed drones reshaped air defense strategy.”
Not saying these fabrics have been destroyed, but we’re in the very early stages of this conflict, and the early news is not reassuring.
Some say the MAGA base is shaking its head.