This brilliant phrase, attributed to Winston Churchill, perfectly describes Trump’s impending deal with Iran. Victory seemed closer than ever. Following the strikes first in June last year and then in March of this year, Iran lay in ruins: military infrastructure was destroyed; the IRGC’s top command was eliminated; the Supreme Leader was killed; Iran lost two-thirds of its missile and drone production capacity, hundreds of launchers and 250 air defense systems; damage to the economy reached $140-150 billion; major factories, power plants and bridges were destroyed; more than 85% of Iran’s petrochemical exports were disabled.

The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz deprived the IRGC of a much-needed flow of petrodollars.

Iran was little more than a depleted skeleton of a state without a functional leadership.

And at that moment, Trump obsessively wants to agree to a deal that lifts sanctions on the regime, unfreezes its assets, and allows oil sales. He agrees to play with a cheater he can never beat.

“The deal being floated with Iran seems straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the IRGC to build a WMD program and terrorize the world.

Not remotely America First.

It’s straightforward: Open the damned strait. Deny Iran access to money. Take out enough Iranian capability so it cannot threaten our allies in the region”, Mike Pompeo wrote, and he is absolutely right.

Moreover, Trump reportedly insults Netanyahu, his........

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