In his fog of peace, Trump’s lost sight of truth. That means more war

March 27, 2026 — 11:30am

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Donald Trump has invented a radical opposite to the fog of war: the fog of peace.

One week ago, the US president intensified the trajectory of the Iran war that had no end in sight. Suddenly, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform: “If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS,” he would order the obliteration of its power plants, bringing the country to its knees.

Last Monday, with only hours to spare, Trump blinked. “THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE COUNTRY OF IRAN, HAVE HAD, OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.” The promised attacks, he said, were being paused to allow such talks to be prosecuted.

The fog of war, propounded by Prussian General Carl von Clausewitz, enshrouds military battle with uncertainty and confusion, which can drive unintended outcomes. In Tehran, 175 people, mostly schoolchildren, were killed by a US........

© The Sydney Morning Herald