Netanyahu left with vague promises after another war ends without a decisive win |
And this, it seems, is how it may end.
Not with the dramatic death of Iran’s “whole civilization,” in the words of US President Donald Trump’s threat, but a two-week ceasefire with Iran that looks to leave the Islamic Republic in a position to survive and rebuild after nearly 40 days of war.
The Trump administration, of course, is saying that it won.
“This is a victory for the United States of America,” crowed White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Israel, which wanted to keep fighting, has been more circumspect, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying Israel “has more goals to complete,” in a video statement released after the ceasefire between the US and Iran was announced.
“We will achieve them,” he promised, “either through agreement, or through renewed fighting.”
“Nothing is over yet,” said Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. “I don’t see how it is possible to bridge the positions of the US and Iran.”
Government leaders have obvious reasons to sell the abrupt end to the fighting as a temporary measure, though the prospect of Trump bringing the US back into an unpopular war without a clear path to achieving his goals appears unlikely.
“Trump killed the thing,” a senior security cabinet members told the Kan public broadcaster. “There is not going to be a return to fighting in two weeks. As it stands, the Iranians are free to rebuild.”
Trump and his team are using two central claims as evidence of their stated victory.
He says that Iran will not be allowed to enrich uranium and that the highly-enriched uranium under destroyed nuclear sites will be taken out of the country, an issue that Netanyahu said he and Trump “see eye to eye” on.
The US — as well as Israel — are also boasting about the fact that Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as evidence that Tehran was forced to give in.
Both those claims are suspect.
There is no sign that Iran has agreed to any concessions on its nuclear program. If Tehran does come to terms on elements of its nuclear program during upcoming talks in Pakistan, it will demand the end of sanctions, which will pour tens of billions of dollars into the country.
And the reopening of Hormuz could end up as not as great an achievement as being claimed.........