By G Murphy Donovan
President Trump claims progress in talks with a “new, more reasonable regime” in Iran while threatening to obliterate electric plants, oil wells, and Kharg Island oil terminal if no peace deal comes soon and the Hormuz Strait stays closed.
The month-old U.S.-Iran war began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28 targeting Iran’s nuclear and military sites; Iran retaliated by blocking the Strait, a key route for 20% of global oil, driving prices over $100 a barrel. Secretary Rubio backs Trump’s pressure, regional mediation seems to be in limbo, and uncertainties persist over any real leadership change in Tehran.
Ironically, the fates of both the Iran regime and the Trump administration are now joined at the merge. Tehran seems to think, by not losing before the US midterm elections, it will survive. Team Trump is clearly aware of the stakes and knows that time is not an ally. If recent history provides any clues, team Trump is all in for this next round – in the air, on the sea, and on the ground.
The Trump administration has assembled what is arguably the largest concentrate of military force to seize and control a single objective since WWII.
April Fools Day in 2026 has the tactical, operational, and strategic potential to redefine the Middle East and global politics for the first half of the 21st Century.
The Iran problem has been festering for 50 years. At this juncture, it’s not a question of who blinks; it’s a question of winners and losers.
The die has been cast.
First published in G Murphy Donovan’s Substack
One Response
I do hope someone has explained the doctrine of ‘hudna’ to him, using the example of the Treaty of Hudaybiyya, template for ALL subsequent mohammedan ‘truce-‘treaties”. That Mohammedans ONLY sue for ‘treaties’ or ‘truces’ when they are feeling weak and that they will use any time gained ,by such a ceasefire, truce or ‘treaty’, as a timeout within which to regroup and REARM, and that the moment that they feel themselves strong enough, they will attack again? That mohammedans do NOT regard themselves as bound to keep any ‘treaty’, truce, or agreement made with non-Mohammedans? (And THAT logically implies that the much-touted ‘abraham accords’ cannot be relied upon.). The entire convoluted history of the bruising experiences of EVERY non-mohammedan entity, with Mohammedan entities, on three continents, becomes completely explicable once one grasps this essential point. Non-Mohammedans – notably political and military leaders – have to realize that the precise point when mohammedans start suing for ‘peace’ ‘ceasefire’ or a ‘deal’ is actually the moment for the Infidel general to .. go in faster and hit HARDER until the weakened mohammedan entity is completely crushed, its capacity to do harm in the foreseeable future, destroyed.