Nothing spells success like babbling about an energy ceasefire none of the belligerents have a clue was actually a thing, and most obviously isn’t.
Dan DePetris
@dandepetris.bsky.social
Syndicated foreign affairs columnist for the Chicago Tribune.
There’s nothing wrong with pulling back militarily. It’s often a wise move if the stakes aren’t high and the status-quo produces worse outcomes. The problem is that nothing sticks with Trump—policy on Monday could be different than policy on Wednesday. And he doesn’t think things through…or think.
Abu Aardvark@abuaardvark.bsky.social · 5d ago“to anyone watching the deployment of American power around the globe in the seven months since Mr. Trump decided to attack Iran, it was another glaring example of how..have been forced into retreat, pulling back military forces that had been deployed.” www.nytimes.com/2026/10/07/u...
There’s nothing wrong with pulling back militarily. It’s often a wise move if the stakes aren’t high and the status-quo produces worse outcomes. The problem is that nothing sticks with Trump—policy on Monday could be different than policy on Wednesday. And he doesn’t think things through…or think.
Abu Aardvark@abuaardvark.bsky.social · 5d ago“to anyone watching the deployment of American power around the globe in the seven months since Mr. Trump decided to attack Iran, it was another glaring example of how..have been forced into retreat, pulling back military forces that had been deployed.” www.nytimes.com/2026/10/07/u...
The president can most certainly end it by, well, ending it. The fact he’s not is a choice, not bad luck or circumstance.
SiriusXM Progress@siriusxmprog.bsky.social · 2w ago"It's very unlikely the president can find a way out of this" - Ret. US Army Maj. Gen. Randy Manner explains how Trump and the GOP got in over their heads in Iran Listen to the @MSignorile Show at Signorile.com
The president can most certainly end it by, well, ending it. The fact he’s not is a choice, not bad luck or circumstance.
SiriusXM Progress@siriusxmprog.bsky.social · 2w ago"It's very unlikely the president can find a way out of this" - Ret. US Army Maj. Gen. Randy Manner explains how Trump and the GOP got in over their heads in Iran Listen to the @MSignorile Show at Signorile.com
Judge Questions Secrecy Around Trump Administration’s Memo on Boat Strikes The judge also ordered the Justice Department to privately show the court the contested document, which blesses the disputed killings at sea. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/u... w/ Ben Weiser
Judge Questions Secrecy Around Trump Administration’s Memo on Boat Strikes
The judge also ordered the Justice Department to privately show the court the contested document, which blesses the disputed killings at sea.
nytimes.com
There is no Republican "split" with Trump. It's catnip for access media, but the desperate ploy to align with the supermajority of voters who can't stand the president is tissue-thin. The same people saying the Iran war needs to end voted yesterday to keep it going. #Realtalk here.
Republicans Had 690 Days to Oppose Trump - The American Prospect
They’re trying to cram all the opposition into the last 40 before the election.
prospect.org
You might think #Trump is amoral and “Machiavellian,” but if Machiavelli were alive today, he’d see him as Exhibit A for what NOT to do. Latest FP column here: foreignpolicy.com/2026/09/23/t...
What Machiavelli Would Say About Trump
The U.S. president offers a guide on how to be a very bad prince.
foreignpolicy.com
There are places I don’t even bother to pitch anymore because I know what the answer is going to be. The Guardian is one. The Wall Street Journal is another.
Incredibly stupid take considering the United States isn’t exactly maintaining stability in the Middle East right now.
Carl Quintanilla@carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 4w ago“.. With Saudi oil now blockaded, Americans are about to discover why maintaining stability in the Middle East and not handing it to a consortium of Russia and Iran was always important.” @jayinkyiv.bsky.social
A reminder that we get most of our potash fertilizer and a lot of our crude oil from Canada, the country Trump is now warring with on trade.
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · last mo.“We could do tremendous good for ourselves by just not trading with countries” — Trump’s bonkers view of trade is that you become wealthy by not engaging in commerce
Why the f— is the editor in chief of a major U.S. news network dictating tweets? Doesn’t she have better things to do, like, say, getting the network out the sewer (oh wait…)?
Scott Lemieux@lemieuxlgm.bsky.social · last mo.Weiss *personally ordered* the ridiculous framing of the tweet!
Would have been pleased to speak with ABC News about there practical efficacy. In a phrase: dog-shit.
Brian Finucane@bcfinucane.bsky.social · last mo.Pleased to speak with ABC News about the DOJ memo blessing the Trump administration's boat strikes. It's essentially "a get-of-jail-free card to give the military comfort to engage in lawless premeditated killing." abcnews.com/US/return-tr...
What is he going to run on? A lost war in Iran? How many fisherman he’s killed in the Caribbean?
Carl Quintanilla@carlquintanilla.bsky.social · last mo.(NBC News) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has told close friends and associates that he is considering a run for president in 2028 .. @nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...
Not sure how establishing a U.S. government-backed venture in Venezuela is supposed to attract oil majors into the country—who wants to compete against the U.S. government?—but maybe that’s just me…
Edward Wong@ewong.bsky.social · last mo.NEW: After toppling Maduro, Trump and Rubio aimed to get Venezuelan oil through Alejandro Betancourt, a polarizing businessman. He has been under investigation by Swiss officials for years. State Dept. pressed Switzerland and the UK to ease up on him. Gift link: www.nytimes.com/2026/08/29/b...
What is he going to run on? A lost war in Iran? How many fisherman he’s killed in the Caribbean?
Carl Quintanilla@carlquintanilla.bsky.social · last mo.(NBC News) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has told close friends and associates that he is considering a run for president in 2028 .. @nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...
I agree with all of this. But I’m not sure it matters in the end: the Trump administration doesn’t care about human rights and accountability as general principles and has already pushed out a top general in part for registering objections to the boat strikes.
Benjamin Farley@brfarley.bsky.social · 2mo agoStop what you're doing and go read @seharrison7.bsky.social's essential piece at @lawfaremedia.org on the Trump Administration's murderous, illegal campaign of boat strikes (#RWOB)--and Congress' dismal failure to understand or grapple with it appropriately: www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
I agree with all of this. But I’m not sure it matters in the end: the Trump administration doesn’t care about human rights and accountability as general principles and has already pushed out a top general in part for registering objections to the boat strikes.
Benjamin Farley@brfarley.bsky.social · 2mo agoStop what you're doing and go read @seharrison7.bsky.social's essential piece at @lawfaremedia.org on the Trump Administration's murderous, illegal campaign of boat strikes (#RWOB)--and Congress' dismal failure to understand or grapple with it appropriately: www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-...
"Trump has since settled on a policy of squeezing Iran economically and is willing to wait to see if the strategy bears fruit, the people said." Going to make a bold prediction here... www.wsj.com/world/middle...
Iran Talks Sputter as Trump Spurns a Return to His June Deal
The president is willing to wait and see if the strategy of squeezing Iran economically bears fruit.
wsj.com
I think most of us can agree that the war in Iran has been a total and complete dumpster-fire. But if we’re smart, it could also be an opportunity to finally get out of the Middle East rather than just talking about getting out of the Middle East (1/3).