Newfoundland & Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador Opinion

Share this Story : PNI Atlantic News Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

GWYNNE DYER: Why Trump is chickening out on war with Iran

Iran is holding the cards and is forcing Trump's hand

TACO! Of course. Trump always chickens out, but it’s a feature, not a bug. If his threats aren’t working, he will eventually drop them and try something else.

Subscribe now to access this story and more:

Unlimited access to the website and app

Exclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcasts

Full access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on

Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists

Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists

Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.

Unlimited access to the website and app

Exclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcasts

Full access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on

Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists

Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists

Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.

Access additional stories every month

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting community

Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

The man has always been a real estate developer: he was born into it, and he knows no other way of interacting with the world. It’s all about deals, and the quickest way to win is to frighten the other side into submitting. Mutually profitable ‘win-win’ deals are theoretically also possible, but Trump prefers the thrill of a high-stakes showdown.

So Trump has subjected Iran to a month and a half of massive air attacks, blood-curdling threats and civilization-ending deadlines — to no avail. Not only is the Tehran regime still standing, but its ability to block the Strait of Hormuz gives it the upper hand strategically.

Trump’s instincts still function well enough for him to realize that his threats aren’t working. That’s why he imposed no new time limit after his most recent last-minute cancellation of a deadline. No more “by Saturday night” or “within two weeks.” Just “until such time as (Iran’s) leaders and representatives can come up........

© PNI Atlantic news