Thread by @AngrierWHStaff

So, let’s talk Iran for a moment, shall we?

This might surprise you — if you’ve been under a rock for the last 2+ years, but Trump is getting outmaneuvered... again. 1/11

You’ll probably remember that back in early May, we dispatched a bevy of military hardware (bombers, amphibious assault crafts, missile batteries, etc) to the region in response to seemingly unspecific intel that Iran was planning something. 2/11

Turns out, Iran actually *was* planning something, but nobody believed the White House, because... well, frankly, because the WH lies to them on an hourly basis.

I digress. 3/11

A couple weeks later, (in mid-May) Iran attacks four vessels using fast boats and limpet mines.

Trump essentially says, “hey, don’t do that!”

Iran does it again mid June, this time targeting two more vessels.

Trump essentially says, “I mean it, guys! Stop that!” 4/11

A couple weeks later, Iran ups the ante again, shooting down a US RQ-4A Global Hawk (unmanned drone) and bragging about it on social media.

Trump would have been justified in responding proportionally here — taking out a few Iranian missile batteries, radar sites, etc. 5/11

Of course, he didn’t. He sent some angry Tweets and blamed a low level Iranian operator. He even went as far as to say they probably didn’t even mean to do it, even though Tehran was bragging about it. 6/11

Now we have the attack on the Saudi facilities. All credible information *looks* like Iran was behind it, and Trump is again talking tough on Twitter and waiting on Saudi Arabia to tell him what to do. 7/11

To be clear, I have no desire for Trump to attack Iran. He’s been trying to goad them into a conflict for much of his Presidency, and now that they’ve thrown down the gauntlet and said “prove it,” he — and by extension, the US — looks like a paper tiger. 8/11

Negotiating from a position of strength is a good thing.

I don’t mean “fire and fury” and all that other bullshit on Twitter, I mean actually doing what you say you’re going to do. Every time Trump bloviates, our allies lose confidence and the despots are emboldened. 9/11

I’ve always maintained that the United States is strong enough that we don’t need to brag about it.

We do, however, sometimes *need* to remind people that they don’t get to screw with us—or our allies—for free.

Trump does a lot of the former and not much of the latter. 10/11

Trump has threatened Iran countless times during his Presidency. Iran decided to play chicken, and Trump blinked.

Now, the US is again weighing military options in Iran, but first we have to wait on Saudi Arabia to tell us what to do.

President Best Brain has GOT to go. (End)

TL;DR

If Trump could STFU for once and not beat his chest over pointless shit, our allies would have more confidence in us, our enemies wouldn’t test us as much, and he wouldn’t be stuck in the position of attacking Iran or looking weak.