For people who even hates Trump, why even believe what he says?
Because Trump in some cases has the direct power to make words into action. For example bombing Iran's power plants - that happens if Trump tells his generals to make it happen (after purging the general staff, of course).
Eh, he was unambiguously wrong though? Not that it is forbidden to be wrong, mistakes happen.
Assume a new airframe replacement was hypothetically bought tomorrow, to take the destroyed airframe's place. That makes it very clear that the cost sustained by the US is not “lifetime cost to operate”.
Russia thinks the Trump Presidency is amazing for them. First Trump cuts support for Ukraine, then Trump blames Ukraine for keeping the war going by dastardly not surrendering to Russia. And now Trump is raising global oil proces, radically increasing the income of the Russian state. All while delegitimizing the US.
China probably cheers on the weakening of US power too. And US Republicans also overwhelmingly supports Trump, for reasons known only to them.
So if you add up Russia and China (enemies of America) and Republicans (but I repeat myself), way less than 98% of people wants Trump dead.
From a strategic view of the war as a whole, $200 million is not a lot. If it keeps Iran from having US prisoners of war.
If the US was presented up front with an option of a) pay $200 million or b) give Iran 2 US prisoners of war, then there is zero doubt that the US would gladly take the deal. Politically, it is a no-brainer choice.
I think that’s the tragedy of this war. If Trump had involved the world, especially the UN, then it would have seemed more justified.
Trump basically salted that option, when he shamefully reneged on Obama's deal with Iran.
I found it baffling that Trump seemed to think now that Khamenei was dead the Iranians would rise up
Like Putin, Trump thinks that everybody in the world are motivated by selfishness only. Trump thought that the replacement leader would know he was dead if he didn't surrender to Trump. And hence Khamenei's successor would surely surrender.
According to Russia/Putin experts, Putin is also genuinely convinced that the Orange Revolution in Ukraine was orchestrated by the West. Because it is not possible that local idealists could have done it, because there are no real idealists in the world.
...With imported nitrogen fertilizer made from fossil fuel. And with farm machines burning imported oil. And transported even to local market using imported fuel.
Iran’s government just looks less crazy than the US government right now.
Iran's government is objectively less crazy than the US government. In perfect game theory style, Iran had set up the Hormuz threat as MAD (mutually assured destruction), with a completely rational and realistic threat. To deter the US from attacking.
The crazy government here is the US administration, who seemingly was too stupid to understand the extremely simple game theory behind MAD. Trump is not a "rational actor" in the game theory sense.
Hearts and minds were not won, in either case. There is a good question whether the nationbuilding could even theoretically have succeeded, given how tribal and divided the countries were. IMO it was stupid to try in the first place, especially in Afghanistan.
The article lies, as I clearly stated above. Citing the article, without any further proof than the authority of the article itself, does not disprove that...
If it was a blockade, then why do the Russian ships go though?
Where is the US declaration of blockade? There isn't one. Because there is no blockade.
The defining characteristic of Trump's foreign policy is that keeping promises, integrity, consistency, truthfulness, morality, and legality have no benefits for the US. Only raw power matters, and dollars, according to Trump. Trump has done his level best to destroy US soft power.
Which is pretty much how Iran itself works. E.g. 2026 Iran massacres. So if you don't cheer for the US, fair enough, but please don't cheer for terrorist Iran.
Because Trump in some cases has the direct power to make words into action. For example bombing Iran's power plants - that happens if Trump tells his generals to make it happen (after purging the general staff, of course).