Ha ha Evan! You’ll be proven wrong again 48-72 hours. You’re too reactionary. These folks don’t want to F—k with Trump! He will stomp their money makers!
Just so you're aware, I'm much more of a hawk on Iran than Donald Trump is and has been. I'm simply pointing out the historic nature of this event and that Iran will retaliate with terror as they always do.
I'm glad Soleimani will never take another breath. But you'd have to be naive to think you (or Trump or Iran) know will all of this will end up. Iran will retaliate. That's a fact. Whether that leads to a rapidly spiraling conflict is unknown. The potential possibilities run the gamut between a smoldering conflict or cyber attacks to an outright war. Who knows?
Part of the reason Iran has been so emboldened lately is because of Trump's previous weakness in dealing with Iran's previous provocations since he entered office. He's repeatedly made threats but hasn't backed them up. The Iranians became victims of their own hubris and believed Trump was a paper tiger and that they had him figured out. Early reports suggest Soleimani's travel to Baghdad was blatant and obvious, and this comes on the heels of Khatami tweeting just a day or so ago that "Trump can't do anything about it [Baghdad Embassy attack]"
It's the old madman strategy. You're a genius if it works and a madman if it doesn't. Wars almost always begin over the misunderstanding or questioning of each other's resolve and intentions. Remember how Saddam didn't think W's ultimatum was really an ultimatum that would result in his defeat? There's another ultimatum that people missed. The one Iran gave us after the invasion in which which they said they're in charge now. People don't know so much about that one, and it's largely been true until today.
I hope Trump's strategy is a resounding success. Because if it isn't, the alternative is a very serious and very dangerous situation in which real people die -- lots of them.
