Pirate's Cove

It really is a sign of the time that that, despite laying out a position that Iran is a pretty bad nation, the NY Times Editorial Board has quietly, softly, come to the conclusion that Trump is the problem. It’s even right there in the subhead

The Iran Puzzle
President Trump insists turning a complicated relationship into a volatile one.

One of the Obama administration’s biggest diplomatic ambitions was to establish better relations with Iran, a nation with which the United States has been at odds since the fall of the shah and the rise of a powerful theocratic government in Tehran in 1979. The most important manifestation of that effort was a deal negotiated by the administration and its allies under which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

Yes, that deal which meant Iran was supposed to wait 10 years or so before cranking back up the nuclear weapon building machine. The one which saw Team Obama give, according to some reports, upwards of $33.6 billion. The one which Iran is flaunting with all the sanctions they break. They’ve even broken the deal itself.

That momentary thaw, if not the agreement itself, now seems at risk. Partly this is a result of Iran’s barely-concealed territorial and political ambitions, which are rightly of concern in Washington. Partly it is a result of President Trump’s fondness for Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim nation, which has led him to demonize Iran, a Shiite nation and the Saudis’ chief rival for regional influence.

No, it’s pretty much Iran’s fault, being an extremist nation with a stated goal to spread the caliphate, to control the Middle East, to wipe Israel off the map, and to harass what they constantly call “the Great Satan.” It’s the world’s number one terrorist supporting nation.

The NYTEB even lays out a case that Iran is very problematic in regards to the civil war in Syria and the fight against ISIS, along with how it’s attempting to control Iraq, along with other issues. While utterly forgetting these are problems left to Mr. Trump by Mr. Obama. This same EB was very fond of Blaming Bush during Obama’s entire 1st term. Guess that doesn’t apply now.

Could Mr. Trump stumble into a wider war in Syria? There are reasons to worry. He has yet to offer a comprehensive plan for dealing with Syria, including the diplomacy needed to develop a political solution to end the civil war, which could create a more stable country less vulnerable to extremist groups.

None of Obama’s frameworks worked, did they?

The fear is that Mr. Trump’s demonizing of Iran, and his unwillingness to engage its government, could result in a broadening of the American military mission from defeating ISIS to preventing Iranian influence from expanding. This would be dangerous. Iran is a vexing state to be smartly managed, not assumed to be an implacable enemy.

And as they end, the NYTEB worries more about Trump being mean to a nation that wishes death to America due to the Trump Derangement Syndrome rampant among its members. Is it any wonder the Times is laying off more so-called journalists and outsourcing their news?

Crossed at Right Wing News.