Ask any Gulf national if regime change in Iran is in the best interests of Arabs, and they would, most likely, answer in the positive. Overwhelmingly. Dial back to Washington and many analysts believe President Trump wants Trump Iran Deal with his own egoistic signature. But our allies, including Israel, want to see a peaceful regime change in Iran achieved through pressure and sanctions.
Personality-wise, it suits Trump more to boast “I negotiated” successfully with Iran than “I changed the regime” in Iran. All of the president’s bravado emanates from his single obsession of showing off as a successful and accomplished negotiator. Whether true or not, history will judge him better than us fallible humans.
This is why 400 members of Congress wrote a letter to President Trump asking him, essentially, to remain engaged in Syria. Such request is multi-faceted and multi-purposed. The letter read:
Many U.S. lawmakers, Trump’s fellow Republicans as well as Democrats, have been deeply concerned about Syria policy since December, when Trump confounded his own national security team and allies with a surprise decision to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria.
Trump backtracked in February, agreeing to leave a small U.S. presence to help keep pressure on Islamic State during what the U.S. military believes will be a critical stabilization phase in Syria.
Personality-wise, it suits Trump more to boast “I negotiated” successfully with Iran than “I changed the regime” in Iran.
PRESENCE IN SYRIA EMPOWERS U.S. ON MANY FRONTS
American presence in Syria means support for Israel, and the rest of the anti-Iran Arab coalition. Such support is essential, as well, to maintain a confrontational posture against Putin’s egregious behavior. For many, leaving Syria makes Trump look like Obama on foreign policies; a president who earned an “F” for eight straight years.
With regard to the Democrats in Congress, it is imperative they diminish Putin’s powers, which starts with a robust presence in Syria. Furthermore, the U.S. maintaining a force in Syria, no matter how small, is a foot in the door in support of peace down the road when terror needs a reality check.
But all of Trump’s instincts tell him to pull out of Syria; and to lure Iran for a negotiated agreement he can then claim to be the best agreement a U.S. President struck with an enemy country. Ever. He missed that chance with North Korea. Iran is his last opportunity to peacock his restless ego.
Experts read Trump like an open book. They know when he is conning people and when he means what he says. Anything they miss, Twitter fills their blanks. Often unattractively.
The message they read is that Trump wants Trump Iran Deal of his own he can use to bully any 2020 presidential candidates running for office.
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